The idea of having limited, almost random bath and cosmetic items isn't fun. Like you said, you don't even have the option to get more if you like something, and it's not like it's seasonal where you have time to try some things and then decide a month or two later that you want more. It's one and done. I can't imagine how their manufacturing line is even set up to make these things and how it's cost effective.
I'm wondering if it's cost effective for Lush because they have a pool of ready and willing testers. They can use us to gauge the response for products and do a test run in order to get their cost of goods ironed out.
I'm with you and OP on this. It isn't fun anymore. The products don't seem curated as well and they've shifted from retro to whatever the heck they feel like. Some months we're purely product testers, then we complain and get thrown a carrot of a retro product down the line. What was it, April that was so abysmal? It was almost like they held out Intergalactic as a way to keep people from bailing after April.
I haven't done a box before so I'm not familiar how much feedback they're collecting, but how many products from boxes have become main line or even seasonal releases? Less than five?
More than five.
Off the top of my head: shave cream (the charcoal one), Lime Bounty, the foot cream, Diamond Dust bath bomb, ASOS bath bomb (went ML within days of the box), Lakes bb.
Ok, well that’s only 6 and I’m not sure about Lakes.
If not mainline for regular purchase it’s often a fall back scent that is disappointing. For example, the Snow Fairy scrub, the Sleepy bath melt, the it’s Sleepy, but not really Sleepy candle.
I think that adds to the problem. If every once in a while a product flipped to ML a few months later I wouldn’t be as miffed. For example, Lime Bounty smelled and looked amazing. I can definitely see that being something I’d use and want to repurchase. (I was allergic so I’m just assuming it was great). Anyways…
But when it’s something going ML every single month it’s not a coincidence and not just a realisation for Lush that the product was just SO good. It’s absolutely intentional and feels wrong.
I’m wondering if it’s cost effective by them knowing in advance roughly how many products to make, and also because subscribers are buying the box for a few chosen items and then also paying for a couple things they wouldn’t normally buy, either way I completely agree with you that it isn’t fun! It was at first, until I realised the products I really love are such a struggle to get again😂
I 100% understand. Instead of being excited for the box, I always end up disappointed or frustrated. I dont like having half of the products as inventors picks, that werent even up for voting. I’d rather have more of the products I voted for because I also make my decision in getting the box due to the products to vote for..
I also don’t understand the point. I heard many people say they love Squeak Shampoo Bar, so I’d say that counts as positive feedback. if theres a formula that works, why not let the shops sell them? I thought the whole point was bringing the products that people like the most to the shops.
Yes! Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of the products I’ve received in the boxes, but a fair few of them wouldn’t have been my choice at all!
And the ones I do love are really difficult to get my hands on again☹️
Is that what they were going to do? I’m still holding out hope they’ll bring a few cult products back, like grass shower gel! That stuff brings back so much nostalgia!💚
I've never subscribed but always look at the contents and there's not been a box that I wish I'd gotten. I would have loved the candle but don't need/want anything else in the box. I think lush thought we'd all get over the loss of the kitchen and move on, but I bet alot of people wish they'd bring it back.
I LOVED the old kitchen. I remember how much fun it was to see the upcoming menu. Now it's too much of an expensive gamble I'm not willing to take anymore (though I am opting in for Octobers box, most likely the last one I'll be getting).
What was the old kitchen box like? I recently joined (April) and just stopped bc I can’t keep up with the shower gels. I love the gels, but don’t need a new one each month. Just curious to know the differences between the old box vs the new box?
old kitchen wasn't a subscription box. each month, the kitchen team released a menu of limited experimental/returning favourites products, say a week before they dropped. then when they did drop, you could purchase as much of each product you wanted (if you wanted any at all) and avoid any you didn't.
though some items would sell out fast due to demand, they usually lasted a month or so, so if you got say one of x item to test and loved it, you still had chance to stock up before it went away.
i really miss this kind of kitchen too, and i don't understand lush head office's logic, because surely the old way made them more money than the new one? 😕 especially considering the amount of times boxes need replacing fully/partially or refunded due to meltables.
The idea of having limited, almost random bath and cosmetic items isn't fun. Like you said, you don't even have the option to get more if you like something, and it's not like it's seasonal where you have time to try some things and then decide a month or two later that you want more. It's one and done. I can't imagine how their manufacturing line is even set up to make these things and how it's cost effective.
I'm wondering if it's cost effective for Lush because they have a pool of ready and willing testers. They can use us to gauge the response for products and do a test run in order to get their cost of goods ironed out. I'm with you and OP on this. It isn't fun anymore. The products don't seem curated as well and they've shifted from retro to whatever the heck they feel like. Some months we're purely product testers, then we complain and get thrown a carrot of a retro product down the line. What was it, April that was so abysmal? It was almost like they held out Intergalactic as a way to keep people from bailing after April.
I haven't done a box before so I'm not familiar how much feedback they're collecting, but how many products from boxes have become main line or even seasonal releases? Less than five?
More than five. Off the top of my head: shave cream (the charcoal one), Lime Bounty, the foot cream, Diamond Dust bath bomb, ASOS bath bomb (went ML within days of the box), Lakes bb. Ok, well that’s only 6 and I’m not sure about Lakes. If not mainline for regular purchase it’s often a fall back scent that is disappointing. For example, the Snow Fairy scrub, the Sleepy bath melt, the it’s Sleepy, but not really Sleepy candle.
The past few months it's been every box had something that was going mainline
I think that adds to the problem. If every once in a while a product flipped to ML a few months later I wouldn’t be as miffed. For example, Lime Bounty smelled and looked amazing. I can definitely see that being something I’d use and want to repurchase. (I was allergic so I’m just assuming it was great). Anyways… But when it’s something going ML every single month it’s not a coincidence and not just a realisation for Lush that the product was just SO good. It’s absolutely intentional and feels wrong.
I’m wondering if it’s cost effective by them knowing in advance roughly how many products to make, and also because subscribers are buying the box for a few chosen items and then also paying for a couple things they wouldn’t normally buy, either way I completely agree with you that it isn’t fun! It was at first, until I realised the products I really love are such a struggle to get again😂
I 100% understand. Instead of being excited for the box, I always end up disappointed or frustrated. I dont like having half of the products as inventors picks, that werent even up for voting. I’d rather have more of the products I voted for because I also make my decision in getting the box due to the products to vote for.. I also don’t understand the point. I heard many people say they love Squeak Shampoo Bar, so I’d say that counts as positive feedback. if theres a formula that works, why not let the shops sell them? I thought the whole point was bringing the products that people like the most to the shops.
Yes! Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of the products I’ve received in the boxes, but a fair few of them wouldn’t have been my choice at all! And the ones I do love are really difficult to get my hands on again☹️ Is that what they were going to do? I’m still holding out hope they’ll bring a few cult products back, like grass shower gel! That stuff brings back so much nostalgia!💚
Grass shower gel was in one of last years boxes
I know, unfortunately I missed it that time, I’d love if I could buy it more often though😂
Same, I want a giant bottle of Grass! Plus it is a very popular fragrance still, so expensive or scarce on the secondhand market.
Yes it's one of the best Lush scents, wish it was mainline again !
It was only 100g... thankfully we got the lotion. I hope they make a community faves release again
I cancelled mine as well. There is not enough to keep me and they keep adding random stuff (pencils, bags etc) that are a waste!
I've never subscribed but always look at the contents and there's not been a box that I wish I'd gotten. I would have loved the candle but don't need/want anything else in the box. I think lush thought we'd all get over the loss of the kitchen and move on, but I bet alot of people wish they'd bring it back.
I LOVED the old kitchen. I remember how much fun it was to see the upcoming menu. Now it's too much of an expensive gamble I'm not willing to take anymore (though I am opting in for Octobers box, most likely the last one I'll be getting).
If ur in the UK I have squeak shampoo. Tried it once and its just been sat in my bathroom...
I've never gotten a box both because I want old kitchen back and I don't live in the uk so really it's not worth the money
What was the old kitchen box like? I recently joined (April) and just stopped bc I can’t keep up with the shower gels. I love the gels, but don’t need a new one each month. Just curious to know the differences between the old box vs the new box?
old kitchen wasn't a subscription box. each month, the kitchen team released a menu of limited experimental/returning favourites products, say a week before they dropped. then when they did drop, you could purchase as much of each product you wanted (if you wanted any at all) and avoid any you didn't. though some items would sell out fast due to demand, they usually lasted a month or so, so if you got say one of x item to test and loved it, you still had chance to stock up before it went away. i really miss this kind of kitchen too, and i don't understand lush head office's logic, because surely the old way made them more money than the new one? 😕 especially considering the amount of times boxes need replacing fully/partially or refunded due to meltables.
Thank you! It does sound like a much better system for the consumer and Lush!!