Subscription boxes are a fad that’s still going strong to this day, and the pet boxes are no exception. They can be a great way to get a monthly package of useful items and tasty treats for your pet, but not all boxes will be the same in terms of their overall quality or value, and not every pet-owner will actually have a use for them. When it’s time to choose one, there are certain ways you can narrow down your options.
Item Variety
One of the main reasons that many people like subscription boxes is the range of items they can hold. It pushes you to try new things that you may never have considered buying, which can be a good way to discover new toys or snacks that your pets could end up enjoying. Pet boxes in general are quite well-known for containing all kinds of interesting treats, many of which you might have overlooked or forgotten to go back and buy.
Not every item will be a winner, but you never know what you might get, and it’s entirely possible that you’ll find a new favorite for your pet! Just be aware that some items might simply not be useful to you, such as a snack your pet doesn’t like or a toy that they’re not interested in. All monthly subscription boxes have this kind of risk, and you can’t always guarantee that every item in the box is useful.
Item Quantity
For every person that prefers quality, there are people that prefer quantity. It really depends on the pet: some pet owners will be perfectly happy to get a handful of excellent toys and treats, whereas others are more focused on getting as many as possible to keep their pet entertained for longer.
Neither of these is less valid than the other, but it means that you’ll want to find a box that fits your personal preferences for how you buy things for your pet: do you spoil them at every chance you get, or hold off on treats unless you know they’re exceptional?
Keep in mind that some items will either be perishable or easily-destroyed by your pet. For example, certain dogs might be incredibly violent with toys, to the point where they can go through multiple in less than a month. In this case, it might be more useful to get extra toys, rather than focusing a few items that will still get destroyed quickly.
Price
Price is the big point for a lot of people looking into monthly subscription boxes, since it can be a big commitment. A lot of the time, you’ll be subscribing for more than one month at a time, perhaps even for a full year or more: this cuts down on the price of each individual box, but it’s still a lot of money up-front. There’s also the issue of sunk cost: if you don’t like what a monthly box is offering you, it can be a pain to try and cancel it if you’ve already paid for quite a large number of them.
Remember that price can often indicate quality, but not always. A box that’s cheaper won’t necessarily be worse than one that’s more expensive, so always look into reviews and third-party information about the kind of products you should expect. A lot of subscription services cover the same products: if you’re using a service such as Barkbox, but find the price too high, it’s possible to find alternatives to Barkbox that contain a similar range of items if you search for long enough.
Pet Type
All pets are different: not just in terms of the animal they are, but their size, their preferences and the way they interact with toys and treats. There are dozens of pet subscription boxes, each with their own particular purposes and quirks, so it’s not hard to find one that’s specially made for a specific type of pet.
For example, some dog-focused monthly subscription boxes offer different box sizes for small, medium or big dogs, coming with appropriately-sized items, clothing and treats so that you don’t end up with things that you can’t use. You can get similar things for different types of cat, specific small animal or rodent pets, or even customisable boxes for families that have a range of different animals that all have their own sizes, shapes and toy preferences
