So our first BarkBox arrived in the mail the other day, and I have to tell you something: I'm kicking myself for waiting six months to subscribe. And if you're a dog parent, you need to jump on a BarkBox subscription ASAP if you haven't signed up already – because you're missing out.
Let me explain why.
With BarkBox, what you pay versus what you get is absurd (in a good way); the Boxes are super customizable and come with fun themes; a subscription will save you money in the long run; and you can qualify for some awesome freebies with your first order!
Needless to say, it only took one package – and I was sold. I'm now a BarkBox'er for life.
So now, let's jump on in and more thoroughly discuss the six reasons BarkBox converted me into a permanent customer after just one delivery.
1. A BarkBox subscription was wayyyyy more affordable than I thought.
The first thing that bark was way cheaper than I thought it was going to be – and this was probably the #1 reason why I dragged my feet so much to finally subscribe to the service.
Before subscribing, I figured BarkBox would cost something like $40 to $50 a month, but the base price of the subscription was only like $20, which was wayyyy more affordable than I was ever expecting.
2. The Boxes are super customizable.
The boxes are also way more customizable than I thought they were going to be. I just assumed that if you signed up, they would just send you whatever and you would have no say which would've been perfectly fine
But when signing up, BarkBox asks a ton of questions to make the order as specific to your dog as possible.
For example, I love my dog, but I'm aware that this sweet, sweet girl is – let's say – pretty liberal with her teeth (i.e she's a chewer), so we were able to request more durable toys and treats in her Box. The day her Box arrived, she spent all day chewing on her new plushies – and she didn't even rip them once! Now that's a win.
You're also able to upgrade your Box with optional add-ons, such as extra toys. And that's what we did. For $10 more each a month, Raleigh enjoys some additional toys in her package.
3. What you pay versus what you get is absurd (-ly good).
In total, we spent $44.09 (after tax) on this Box – and what we got for that $44 was wildly absurd. I was genuinely shocked.
I know what $44 gets you at a typical brick and mortar pet store, and it isn't much. So just imagine my surprise when we received five chew toys, five bags of treats, a chew stick, and more for that price! Pet stores could never.
4. Each Barkbox come with a fun themes – and thematic vet advice.
I'm not sure why this was surprising to me because the fact that BarkBox has a monthly theme is literally advertised right on their website. (Clearly, I just did not read closely enough before subscribing.) But this oversight on my part made for a fun addition to the order.
Our first Box's theme was "a day at the spa," so all the toys were bath-time related, including...
But the Box also included some vet advice related to bath-time – i.e. what to do when your dog hates taking a bath. Our dog is a total bath-time hater, so I definitely plan to try out some of these tips next time!
5. A BarkBox subscription is SUCH a time (and money!) saver.
Since subscribing, I have saved a ton of time (and money) on pet store shopping sprees. Before we subscribed, I was literally going to the pet store like 3 to 4 times a week to buy treats and toys and all that fun stuff. And if I could leave the pet store without spending at least $100, it was a miracle.
(That's what happens when a distractible dog dad with a spoiled dog daughter goes to the pet store, ya know?)
Since subscribing, however, I've not made a single trip to the pet store to restock on treats and toys – because BarkBox sends us more toys and treats than we can go through in a month. So I'll call that a win-win.
6. You'll get bonus items with your first BarkBox delivery.
Finally, you can get some pretty cool bonus items with your first Box.
Literally every single day, I see promos on Instagram advertising bonus items you can receive with your first Box. And these aren't little bonuses, like an extra bag of treats. There are big bonus items, retailed over $100. Things like therapeutic beds, dog breed DNA tests, GPS collars.
While we didn't take advantage of these promos (we didn't start seeing them until after we purchased our first Box, thanks to the good ole' Instagram algorithm), you should definitely say "BarkBox" into your locked phone a few times to trigger your algorithm, then start swiping through your Feed. I bet you'll have some ads and promos thrown your way. So don't be like me: Snag them up!
Start your BarkBox subscription now!
There ya have it! The six reasons why I will continue subscribing to BarkBox as long as I have a dog.
And now, if you're a dog parent, I want you to now go to BarkBox's website and subscribe immediately (here's my referral link, if you'd be so kind). I promise you will not regret it!
So now I'm wondering: I know people have mixed opinions on subscription services like these, so what're yours? Are you a fan, do you hate them? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.