There’s nothing worse than browsing the aisles for hours on end, looking for that perfect gift for the person who seemingly already has it all. But along comes a savior in a cardboard cape, and you’re filling out the details for a three-month trial to a sub­scription service, a booming industry that’s already growing at a rate of 100% per year. Who doesn’t like receiving delivery of goodies and, more importantly, who doesn’t like receiving a box of goodies tailored specially for them? The subscription service might just replace those endless meanderings in shopping malls once and for all.

A Perfectly Gastronomical Experience

One of the best parts of choosing a subscription service for a friend or loved one is that you can really drill down into their personal preferences. For instance, picky eaters can expand their palates with options such as pre-planned meal ideas, and accord­ing to Eat2Explore, customization is part of the process. There are also boxes that cater to specific types of foods or beverages, and it’s not unusual to sign up for a box that con­tains jerky from different parts of the world, or a box of chocolates for those who simply can’t ignore the cacao delicacy. Other options could include craft beers and rare vintages of wines, and for those who want a truly unique experience, candy selections from across the world will be a treat.

Food

Eat2Explore

Vosges Chocolate

Jackie’s Chocolate

Candy Club

Snack Crate

 

The Gift of Choice

One month your better half decides to be a gear head and the next month, he’s a bona fide techie. This will make it a little bit difficult to pinpoint a specific subscription service to satisfy his ever-evolving interests. While you could get him two subscriptions with the hope that he won’t expand his interest further, there is also the possibility of allowing him to browse through the subscription options he’d like to go with, and perhaps highlight those services that have short trial periods to allow him to change the service as needed. You’re even covered if he’s the type that never makes it to the mall to try out some new outfits and would much rather set his shorts (even if it’s the only pair he has) on fire than go clothing shopping. Men’s fashion subscription services are picking up momentum and are considered one of the coolest subscription choices if you’re looking for the perfect gift.

Men’s Clothes

Menlo Club

Nordstrom Trunk Club for Men

Stately Men

Socks/Underwear – Stance

Learning Through Play

Early childhood development spe­cialists encourage learning through play, as the brain is more able to retain information when the informa­tion seems like a reward. One of the best ways to encourage little ones to reach their developmental milestones and still enjoy hours of play is with STEM toys. Subscription services now offer a fine selection of these toys that will help parents and caregiv­ers source high-quality toys with the added convenience of having them on auto-deliver. If you’re short on ideas on what to get those new parents, this is an ideal gift.

Wonder Crate

KiwiCo

Groovy Lab in a Box

Club SciKidz

The Young Scientist Club

Go Box Robotics

 

For Your Beloved Fido or Kitty

While it’s still possible to pick up something nice from the pet store, there’s a way to make your mailman more endearing to your pooch. Simply ensure that one of those deliveries is filled with pet-friendly toys and good­ies, and they’re as good as besties. This also happens to be the ideal gift for the pet lover, as a display of affection to their fur baby will un­doubtedly count toward friendship points.

BarkBox

Cratejoy Cattitude Box

PETure Perfect

Subscription services as a gift are not only great in terms of exposing the recipient to products they may not have encountered before; they also reveal that the giver has insight into the preferences of the recipient. These goods are often sourced from high-end suppliers who try to expose consumers to goods that are a little less generic.