Japan Crate
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Need to secure packaging better and give more value for the price
What I got: I received January 2024's box and the theme was Year of the Dragon. What went wrong: The carbonated drink exploded in transit and soaked everything. Had to throw away the box, pamphlet, and any snack packaging that was made out of cardboard or paper. Luckily all the snacks were salvaged since they were wrapped in plastic. How they addressed my problem: Asked for a refund or replacement and instead got a $15 store credit. I should have pressed for better compensation admittedly. Quality of items inside: All of the snacks were pretty good. I got 18 items in this crate. 17 of them were snacks and 1 item was a special item for the year of the dragon which was a small ceramic dragon with a fortune inside. However, I disliked that there were more single or small-sized snacks than full-size snacks. Considering the price point, which is normally $49.95, I think it is more expensive than other subscription boxes that give the same amount of items for less. Some of them even give more full-size or sharable snacks. I did some research and got a rough estimate of how much everything was worth from different sources. I found that all the items in this month's crate were worth roughly $49.15 before tax and shipping. Stores calculate tax and shipping differently and I found the prices across different stores. Price and shipping: I used an online coupon to get the crate for $42.46 versus the usual $49.95. Shipping is free which is a bonus. It took 9 days for the crate to arrive after placing the order, which is great. They didn't waste time sending it out. What they can improve: They should better secure drinks sent in their crates. Wrap them in bubble wrap or put them in airbags. Maybe put more filling inside the crate. Carbonated drinks are especially at risk of exploding in transit. The snacks in this month's crate weren't enough cushioning to protect it. I also consider that mailing services may not always be gentle with packages and things break in transit often. The size of the snacks can be improved upon. This is one of the more expensive snack boxes especially compared to other 'junk food' subscription boxes. I found that there are some marketplaces online where you can choose the same amount of more filling snacks for a similar price. Compensation for damages could be better. I would have rather gotten a refund than a $15 store credit. I used the store credit towards a lucky bag from Sugoi Mart, which is owned by the same company as Japan Crate (Bokksu).