The concept of subscription boxes sounds good on paper. Pay a certain fee every month, and get delighted by a package with surprise goodies.
However, in practice, like many startups, not many subscription boxes make it past their first 2 years in operation.
Three years ago we compiled a listicle of boxes in Malaysia. Today, many are inactive, or have pivoted their business models away from sending out monthly subscription boxes.
However, there are still a few that we’ve found today who’ve either withstood the test of time, or are now actively trying to break into the market.
Here’s who they are and what they send out.
1. Bean Shipper
Since 2014, Bean Shipper has been working with artisanal coffee roasters in Malaysia such as Artisan Roastery, Brew&Bread and Seraph Awaken. This Malaysian-based coffee subscription service delivers every pack of freshly roasted coffee beans right to the customers’ doorsteps.
The team defines “freshly roasted” as beans that are within 4–5 weeks past roast date.
The coffee beans are sourced from Panama, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Sumatra, Colombia, and even Malaysia.
Bean Shipper provides two types of coffee subscriptions–Personalised Coffee Subscription and Blaq Coffee Subscription.
Personalised Coffee Subscription lets you customise your own coffee subscription by selecting espresso, filter or Blaq Coffee. Bean Shipper selects the coffee based on your preferences, including brew methods.
Or you can have a go at ordering the Blaq Coffee Subscription which lets you discover single origin coffees. Delivered monthly, you will receive freshly roasted coffee beans by two Malaysian roasters. There are two kinds of subscriptions to choose from:
- Blaq Box: Four types of single-origin coffee beans in a box
- White Box: Two types of espresso roast single origin coffee beans in a box
Free shipping is available across Malaysia. Normally, it takes about 1–2 working days to be delivered, but if you want their roast-to-order coffee, it will take up to 3–5 working days for the shipment to be arranged.
Subscription price: Starting from RM55
2. Happy Hopscotch
Happy Hopscotch delivers personalised quarterly packages to the customers. In true subscription box form, they won’t tell you what is inside until you open it,
Referring to their ‘Happy Chart’, they handpick and customise every single item in each theme-based box.
The pink boxes consist of local artisanal products—personal care items, handcrafted accessories, delicious and healthy snacks, home decorations, quirky stationery and many more.
The Zero Waste Starter Box (RM80) is meant to help kickstart a zero waste lifestyle. You will get to explore sustainable living by reusing home essentials daily and make your own little garden to get close with to Mother Nature.
Items include a stainless steel water bottle, a reusable lunch bag, biodegradable straws and a Eats, Shoots, Roots seedbox. These basic necessities are packed in a reusable produce bag which you can take it with you when you are shopping for groceries.
There is also the Gift-It-Forward subscription plan (RM95) that invites you to take part in supporting those who are fighting cancer. In collaboration with the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), these gifts and your handwritten messages will be given to the cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers.
There is free delivery within West Malaysia while there is a flat rate of RM10 to East Malaysia.
Subscription Price: Starting from RM120
3. Boxsome
Boxsome is a monthly subscription box that delivers a specially curated box of various snacks from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and the US.
The team of nine members rate the snacks based on taste and appearance before they make a selection of scrumptious snacks for the monthly boxes.
These snacks do not contain beef, pork and alcohol.
Boxsome offers two options to choose from:
- Starter Box: A total of 4–8 types of snacks with a monthly theme card
- Premium Box: A total of 9–15 types of snacks including Boxsome’s top choice of the month, one imported drink to quench your thirst and a monthly theme card
Digi customers can subscribe to these boxes via EasyAdd.
In June’s snack box, they included Ottogi Ppushu Pphusu Noodle Snack (Spicy Rice Cake Flavour) as Boxsome’s Top Pick.
Boxsome recently announced on their Facebook page that Lotte Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavour their top picks for July’s snack box.
These delectable snacks in curated boxes are delivered nationwide for free.
If you’re a snacker who loves trying new snacks and you don’t want the hassle of having to personally source the snacks to eat, this might just work out for you.
Read more about Boxsome here.
Subscription Price: Starter Box (RM48) and Premium Box (RM68)
4. Wiggle Boks
Wiggle Boks works to combine fun with practicality with gifts in boxes for postnatal mothers and newborns. These boxes are curated based on the baby’s age and gender.
Each monthly subscription box includes the 5–6 basic necessities including bottles, baby food, toys, wet wipes and a variety of useful items for the first two years of baby’s life.
It also has deluxe-sized samples and vouchers which recipients can use them in-store or online. Some vouchers are often for larger items such as baby strollers, baby cribs, bathtubs or special services like spa treatments.
The team select the products from trusted brands and manufacturers. They ensure that these are responsibly sourced, free of chemicals and beneficial for both parents and their babies.
A pair of parents compared the prices with three products in the box and found that for the 12-month subscription, the retail price of those three products was already higher than what they were paying for the box.
On top of free shipping, once you’ve subscribed, the team actually give you a sneak peek of two items in the coming box. If you already have them or don’t think that it’s what your baby needs, you can skip that month in your account page at their website.
Read more about Wiggle Boks here.
Subscription Price: Starting from RM128
5. Before She Pops
Before She Pops curates premium gift boxes for expecting mothers and babies. These boxes are designed to soothe and pamper the mothers and their babies.
The pregnancy gift boxes and mama gift boxes are filled with pregnancy must-have products cater to the mothers’ needs in three pregnancy trimesters and motherhood.
There are also mini gift boxes for recipients who prefer to have something small.
All gift boxes contain items such as organic tea, treatment oil, bath & body products and pregnancy milestone cards. They are sourced from the UK, Australia and Malaysia. These products are organic, natural and 100% safe for pregnant women and babies.
The team can customise the gift boxes based on customers’ allergies and special needs.
Recipients are charged with a minimum delivery fee of RM20 per box to West Malaysia and RM30 per box to East Malaysia.
This box seems to be aiming for a more luxurious feel for mothers and babies, and the price does match that.
Subscription Price: Starting from RM118
6. Atom & the Dot
Atom & the Dot delivers gift boxes for the kids to keep them occupied with hands-on experiences such as Arts and Science-inspired activities and experiments.
Each box consists of materials, instructions and trivia for three to four activities.
Your kids can turn glue into slime, make a DIY car with some pulleys, learn about the solar system with your own 3D planets and lots of activities that spark your kids’ curiosity and imagination.
If your kids love surprises, you can subscribe for the monthly surprise boxes which contain three to four activities based on a new science topic.
Our colleagues had a go with one of the boxes and tried to blow a balloon without blowing and created secret messages.
You might need to allocate some time to do experiments with your kids as each activity takes about an hour.
Bear in mind that some activities are going to get a bit messy so you probably need a slightly bigger space to do activities together.
You can read more about Atom & the Dot here.
Subscription Price: Starting from RM45
Feature Image Credit: Bean Shipper, Happy Hopscotch, Boxsome, Wiggle Boks, Before She Pops and Atom and The Dot
