BirchboxReviews 260

First, Birchbox is a big ol' scam. The samples are teeny tiny. They allege that you get to choose each month, but unless you spend a lot of money on the site or refer a bunch of people, by the time the choices are rolled out to you, they are all sold out and you get stuck with the sad little samples no one else wanted. The membership sign up claims you'll get choices and/or they'll tailor your box to your preferences, but that is so far from the truth. I get nothing but sunscreen and bright pink blush. Don't waste your time or money.

It started out great with great products and makeup. Now all I seem to get his hair products and dry shampoo that I totally hate. Also, I was supposed to get one item that I picked early (due to extra stuff that you do), and I didn't get it this month. I was also supposed to get to pick the box I wanted one day early, and it didn't let me do it! It's very frustrating seeing how I signed up for a year. My daughter gets Ipsy and it's better.

I really liked the two boxes I ordered individually, so I signed up for the full year to save money. BIG MISTAKE - they send so much repeat stuff, even after you tell them you don't want to keep getting the same thing by writing in or changing your preferences. I wrote in to complain because of the repetition and the tiny size of the samples - not only did they refuse to refund the rest of my money, they said that if I don't sign up to auto-renew (which I never signed up for, they did it w/o asking me) that I can't earn any points for reviews any more. This is a sad and dishonest way for them to block dissatisfied customers from expressing their unhappiness in reviews. If they have to hide the truth, they are up to no good. Will NEVER sign up with them again even for one month after that!

I'm not really sure where to start. I am a total beauty junkie and a VIB at Sephora. So after seeing Birchbox commercials ever day for months, I decided to sign up. The instant I did, I started receiving multiple emails per day to try products I've never heard of. The point of signing up was to receive samples first to see what I like and don't like, not to receive 3 SPAM emails per day. I ordered over a month ago and still no box. They sent me a tracking number 12 days ago and it's been sitting in the same place for all 12 days. A mule could have delivered it on foot faster, especially considering it's just ONE STATE away from me! Also, their website is just bizarre - seems like it was built by some kid who just got out of college - very customer UNfriendly. Additionally, replying to any of their emails will get your an error message, nor do they provide an alternate "reply to" in any of their emails. Trying to submit a complaint online also does not work and when I FINALLY reached a human being this morning, I was told that their website is not compatible with IE. If that is the case, then how was I able to sign up on your website using IE? If your website is not compatible with a browser and the website detects that you are using that browser, a popup should tell you to use a different one - how is that so hard? I refer back to my previous comment about who built this farce of a website...
Anyway, I called today and told them to cancel my membership effective immediately. So after one month, I am out $10 and have received NOTHING. Well, nothing but frustration and irritation, which I could have found all on my own for free. Thanks for nothing! Worst company I've ever done business with.

Let me start by saying, I just came up on my one year anniversary with Birchbox and I am still in love with it! I was very surprised to read the negative reviews on here. The majority of them are people complaining about size or receiving products they would never buy. Birchbox is so amazing because of the fact that you are introduced to all of these great products that you would not necessarily buy for yourself! The beauty profile ensures that you receive the correct shade/formula for your skin or hair but beyond that, the point is to sample new products not receiving more of the ones you already know and love. I can't tell you how many times I thought I would absolutely hate something only to be amazed by how much I enjoyed it! If that didn't convince you then the points system will. Every month you review your box, you get $5 back to spend in the bb store and it adds up quickly! Use the link to start discovering new goodies for yourself!
https://www.birchbox.com/invite/jj3dz

I got a birchbox subscription when it was on a living social deal - the deal was great, all I had to pay was the postage.

Then in January I noticed that they had taken a full 6 months subscription from my account (great, straight after Christmas!) I contacted them and they said that as the birchbox had been sent they couldn't refund my money. They assured me it wouldn't happen again - but it just has. They've said if I return the box (that hasn't yet been dispatched!) they will issue a refund.

A lot of work on my behalf - taking it to the post office, chasing it up etc for their mistake.

Some of their items are great but customer service is appalling.

I am as hot as a potato. I order birch box a few years back, love it. Ordered again in march 2015 it's been great thus far. I order my husband a 3 month, that you had a time limited on to order so it will ship so he can get by father's day. Really father's day has come and gone and no box. Then, I pick what would be in my June box, I did not get nothing I pick. Plus I black american, can you see me with pink lipstick. I am really pissed off, call and email still no respond. Where is the customer service.
Pissed off;
Seattle, WA

I've been a Birchbox member for a little over a year. Initially I was thrilled with both the products and the service. But as time has gone by my satisfaction has reached rock-bottom.

I just today received my June box. First is a card with a code. The code is to be entered on their website so that I may see what prize I've won. My "prize"? A 20% off discount in their store! Big prize.

Then instead of the fabulous Eyeko liquid eyeliner that was supposedly in every member's box I received a neon blue crayon eyeliner. Umm yeah, so NOT the product promised. A neon blue crayon eyeliner is nowhere near an accurate substitute for a liquid eyeliner.

My next item? A weird green lace headband. I've repeatedly told these people I have no hair as it fell out after chemo. Yet every box I receive hair-care items and today, a headband. Awesome!

I could go on but why. Just as I could continue my subscription but why. As of tonight I'll be canceling, Birchbox worst subscription service ever!

Disappointed from the start. My friend got me the year subscription as a gift and before my 4th box arrives I can't wait 'till it runs out. I always feel like "I am missing out". For the April box if I had caught the birchbox email a day earlier I could have gotten a free lipstick to try, maybe. In May they sent an email telling us we could customize our box by choosing some of the products, within 3 days that email link was no longer accessible. I emailed customer help to find out the deadline for picking my choices and found out they would send an email the next week with our options. Everyday I checked my email 2-3 times a day hoping to catch the selections, the email finally comes and 3 hours later there is only one choice for customized products and both choices are sold out. They were even nice enough to have a special offer where you could add a "guest editor's box" to your June box for an extra $10. Guess what? Sold out. Apparently you get less than 3 hours to use their offers. Oh, but if you refer people to birchbox, you can get preferred access to choose the items, the email comes a day or 2 earlier. Why would I refer this company to anyone I liked? You are always missing out, unless you have an office job that allows you to sit and read personal emails all day. It sucks because they seem to have some nice offers. I liked the "Mad Men" boxes, of course by the time I opened the email only the New York box was left (not the L. A. version). I don't get it, out of everything they have in their stockpiles they put together these monthly boxes and special offers and the are consistently out of stock-with what they offer! And I noticed out of stock when you go to the site to order full size products (that I would have liked to have tried in my monthly sample box, but did not get the opportunity). If you can find something you want to order, and it's in stock, if it comes with a sample of another product to try for free, forget it, it was available for a limited time. Thank God for Amazon, which in every instance has the products in stock and either at the same price or cheaper and with Amazon Prime no shipping charge. Super frustrating, stop teasing me with these email telling me what great products are available for the first 5 minutes after the email is sent. Stop offering these specials when the supply is more limited than clean water in a third world country.

I received a six-month subscription for Birchbox as a Christmas gift in 2014. It is now mid-April 2015 and I have only received 3 boxes although according to Birchbox's system they sent me five boxes. From January through April I have had to follow up with Birchbox to have my samples delivered. Each month I have to send an email to customer service since they don't have a phone number. Then I have to wait two days for a reply which is usually a question. After I answer the question I have to wait two more days for a reply, etc. I feel I am spending too much time and energy for a $10 box of samples. It is easier to go to a department store and ask for high quality samples. Birchbox is a great idea and I really wish their service worked better but at this point they don't have it together. Maybe more reviews like this one will encourage them to work on their service.

Great concept and some great products. It's impossible to get any customer service for issues and it takes forever to get your gift shipped and delivered (definitely taking the pony express). The website is not very user friendly other than to place an order but if you're looking for other info... it takes a while to find. And once you subscribe the amount of unwanted marketing emails is excessive. Customer service should be #1 for this company to succeed. Going forward, find another source online.

I gifted a birchbox set to a friend of mine (she is addicted to make up and Ipsy doesn't do gift sets) when she received the email informing her the box was coming in a few days, she was ecstatic. That was quickly short-lived. First the box was sent to the wrong address after that issued was fixed, the February box never came. She called Birchbox and they informed her that the time had passed and now they could only send a March box + an extra month. Well last time I checked it is March 30 and no box has come in as well. She has spoken to numerous employees and emailed dozen of times. I know its only been two months but I ordered the gift for her back in January. Worst customer service and with Ipsy offering far better products with a great little make up bags each month, Birchbox needs to step up or step aside. I want my money back.