Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Papier.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Andy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In early 2013, my co-founders (Joe Yeoman and his wife Alison) and I decided to start a subscription box company as a side project to our normal day jobs. We chose a subscription model because of the low barrier to entry and the potential for growth without a lot of capital investment. After brainstorming ideas and researching other companies, it was a very easy choice for us; a subscription box for seniors. What better way to connect with family and friends no matter where they lived.
It doesn’t hurt that most everyone has parents and grandparents, the senior market was criminally underserved (there were virtually no subscription boxes for seniors) and the largest growing market in the country was seniors (baby boomers). As a result, GrandBox seemed like the perfect fit for the growing subscription box market. After extensive market research and product development (with the help of talented family and friends), we delivered our first order in March of 2014. Since then we have doubled our subscription base each year and just celebrated our best holiday season ever!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been smooth, but it has been fun and rewarding adventure. We didn’t get into this because we thought it would be easy, but the subscription business is difficult. Like most businesses, it takes time to build up a following and make it profitable. But there was an extra roadblock that we didn’t anticipate; many people didn’t have a clue what subscription boxes were. So first and foremost you have to explain how it works, how to order, what comes in the box (gifts, treats, personal notes, and photos) who it’s for etc.
People are also skeptical to order without knowing what they (or their loved ones) would be receiving. And unlike most other subscription boxes, GrandBox is a gift box, ordered for someone else. So you have proved your worth to those ordering, and that isn’t always easy. Once people saw how parents and grandparents reacted to the delivered GrandBox, they loved it! We have a very loyal customer base. Regardless brand awareness, scaling, and product ordering have been our biggest challenges. Although everyone loves the idea of GrandBox once they know of it, making them aware of it initially (on a limited marketing budget) has been more difficult than we thought.
There is so much noise/clutter (ads, products) on TV, social media, mobile apps etc., that have become harder to reach, skeptical, and savvy, when it comes to new products, especially when it’s related to seniors. There are so many scams and inferior products that it’s a must to have social proof and word of mouth AND you need a lot of it. So it can take time. Ads help, but word of mouth is really important. A few key influencers can make all the difference in the world. But as influencing has become an actual job for some (bloggers, reviewers etc.) it has become harder (and sometimes expensive) to get noticed. But as we grew and gained some traction, scaling became an issue. We needed more space, more help, and more product. It’s hard to find original and new products that pass the smell test.
We don’t use free samples. So choosing the right vendors became a crucial aspect of the business. Not all vendors have great products, and not all quality vendors have enough inventory. But we only want quality products, but we are conscience of the fact that the box must stay affordable. Subscription box customers seek value AND quality, so both are necessary to be a success subscription box. Along with quality products, we allow personalization with photos and a note. That’s a lot of photos and letters to organize. So that has been challenging than we expected. But it’s very important to us to keep this element of the box.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with GrandBox – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
GrandBox is the original monthly subscription box for seniors including grandparents, parents, other family members, neighbors, and any older loved one in your life. It’s the perfect gift for seniors who have everything, limited space or live far away. Each box comes with 5+ high-quality items (mostly consumable, no knick-knacks) plus 5 photos and a personalized letter that we add to each box. The items usually revolve around a specific theme that ties the box together. Past themes have included Farmer’s Market Fun, Night at the Drive-In, Road Trip on Route-66, and Mother’s Day Spa. You can order one, three, six and twelve-month plans.
What people love best is the personalization. These personal touches make a unique gift, something to talk about. Which is what we are most proud of. We’ve had hundreds of people tell us how GrandBox has connected them to parents they hadn’t spoken to in years, brought grandparents to tears, and kept loved ones connected who live hundreds or thousands miles apart. And that’s really what GrandBox is about; helping families connect.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Marketing, partnerships, and brand updates. We’re really excited about the growth we’ve experienced without a lot of marketing. So far, most of our customers are through word of mouth or referrals, so we’re excited to see what a more sophisticated integrated marketing plan can do for our growth. Included in that plan is finding new product and market partnerships. The more product partnerships we have, the earlier we can schedule our box themes. Which in turn, allows current and potential customers to preview and order upcoming boxes sooner.
We’re also working on a number of partnerships with senior living communities and other nonprofits that benefit seniors. Through these type of partnerships, we can connect even more families than we do now. Most people have or know a loved one who lives in an independent or assisted living center. We’d love to be an integral part of that experience for the senior and their family members. Finally, we’ll be doing some branding refreshing, including our physical box. This will be another aspect included within our new marketing push.
Pricing:
- Month to Month is $33.00
- 3 Month Prepay is $94.50
- 6 Month Prepay is $180.00
- 12 Month Prepay is $360.00
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.mygrandbox.com/
- Phone: Email is preferred method of communication
- Email: info@mygrandbox.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandbox/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyGrandBox
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/My_GrandBox
Image Credit:
Lindsay Schlesser
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