Simplicity was key to me when coming up with my idea for a sub box. And keeping the monthly subscription cost as low as possible.

There are so many subscription boxes out there now, but why is mine different?

I wanted my box to be practical above all. I wanted it to be about celebrating the pads and brands I have to offer, and not filling up unnecessary parcel space with pamper gifts such as candles, wax melts and bath bombs.

Yes, when you’re on your period it’s so important to look after yourself with exercise, nutrition and self-care or a bit of pampering. But there are plenty of monthly subscription and beauty boxes out there, I would never be able to do this justice, and my aim is to never try to compete with them.

Be humble, but do it well

My box is all about the pads. The choice of 2-3 pads seemed a logical place because this number of pads fits well into a slim postal box and at either £16 or £19 per month it’s an affordable price point for most women per month. There’s no “padding out” with cheap “pamper” products in order to make it more expensive and hide the true cost and profit margin.

A few of the key considerations

• To fit into letter box sized packaging so deliveries are not having to be left with neighbours or collected from depots.

• To keep packaging and postage costs as low as possible, and offer a specially low postage rate for my boxes. If you read to “Price of the box” below, you’ll understand why I’m not including free postage.

• Free gifts / samples included must also fit into this packaging.

• Free gifts / samples must also be of an eco friendly and small business ethos.

• I wanted to give women an incentive to try other reusables so 10% discount for the rest of my site seemed a reasonable extra benefit. I want to reward loyalty so being able to use this discount against nappies, wipes, comfort face coverings and make up pads is a unique offering. Each code is set up individually per customer, and when I email this to you, this is coming directly from me. Not some automated emailing software!

• Unlike most subscription boxes, I didn’t want to make people pay in advance once per month and then have to wait weeks for their box. And I didn’t want to have to keep a separate stock of pads not available for sale on my website just to fulfil the box needs. So mine are chosen from my live stock, packed and posted either the same day or day after your renewal.

• To me, you are an individual, not a number, it’s an extra special order where I adore getting to pick and choose the combinations and prints.

• And I love getting to include any free samples or small gifts I happen to have available. Like a mini wetbag in your first box if I have enough in stock, so you can use your pads out and about, a small bar of allergy free ethical chocolate that everyone can eat, an eco-friendly washing powder sachet, one of my favourite herbal tea blends.

• I wanted to encourage women to try different pads that they might not normally order, and a sub-box suited this perfectly. Sometimes my customers are less likely to choose a white topped pad because they think it might be more susceptible to staining. But these are some of the most comfortable pads I have in my range, and no one should miss out on their joy!

Price of the box

Did you know that most subscription boxes are actually sold at a 50% mark-up? my aim is provide you with pure value for money, not to rip you off.

It made no sense to me to charge more for items you can already view the RRP of on my website.

So I took a lot of time analysing the varied costs and differing combinations and I settled on a price which works. Heavier pads a bit more expensive, you’re getting more fabric and more layers for your money so it makes sense. What in fact you’re getting is the same as RRP or less.

Price of postage and packing

My profit is the standard margin per pad. And there’s not a huge margin at all on these things. So when you are factoring in the regular postage cost, as any value customer should, you’ll see there’s a postage option specifically for small flat items or subscription box. Because I don’t believe in over charging people for postage either.

My postage costs are genuine. They include the cost of minimal eco-friendly packaging as well as Royal Mail and partial bank charges per transaction. It’s that straightforward.

I’ll have to increase it mind if I get to design custom packaging. And with your support, then maybe one day I’ll be able to afford that.

Until then, every customer and every box counts!

My box is totally unique

I’ve not come across another small business trying to to what I’m doing, so I am confident this is a completely unique idea. Either that or it’s such a bad one it’s never going to take off.

But nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Life changing

If you’re still a bit on the fence about trying reusables, I’m here for you. And if you would like to see some testimonials of women who I have introduced pads to for the first time, read my quick guide.

Help guides

For more straight forward practical tips on how to switch to reusables without adding to your existing workload, have a read of my further articles/blogs:

• Can you recommend a pad for me?

• Best pads for heavy periods

• How to wash reusable period pads or period underwear

• How to dry reusable period pads and pants

• How many reusable period pads do I need?

• How to store reusable period pads