Boxed's New Subscription Service Offers Free Shipping, More
Ecommerce club store Boxed has launched a premium-perks program that provides free priority shipping, price-matching for competitors, and other benefits for subscribers.
Boxed Up, the new service, costs $49 a year after a free 30-day trial, and in addition to the shipping and matching, gives subscribers 2 percent cash rewards, VIP customer service and exclusive access to special promotions and gifts.
“Boxed Up is the premium service that our customers have been asking for: They’re looking for deeper discounts and unique promotions, and are willing to pay more to access them,” the company noted in a FAQ. “So we decided to roll out a premium service that rewards loyal customers with perks and promotions for shopping on Boxed.”
While non-members can still shop Boxed’s selection of products, subscribers to Boxed Up can enjoy – in addition to the mentioned amenities – deals on Boxed Hotels and others from such partners as Keurig, Pepsi and Kraft, with which Boxed is currently working, for “great promotions on well-loved products.” The retailer also will give away big-ticket prizes such as Vitamix blenders, Keurig systems and Dyson fans.
The launch of Boxed Up is the New York-based retailer's latest attempt to be a serious competitor in the increasingly competitive grocery ecommerce market. In the last year alone, the company has introduced a platform designed to predict the needs of shoppers and fulfill their orders automatically, entered fresh delivery, brought product expiration dates online, added chatbot and group ordering, and introduced a tool that helps users plan pantry storage via augmented reality.
Boxed has captured the interest of food retailers looking to boost their ecommerce operations as Amazon moves further into the online grocery space: A number of "major retailers," including Kroger, were showing interest in the retailer earlier this year, several sources reported in January. Not long after, however, Boxed was said to have turned down an offer from the Cincinnati-based grocery giant, declining a bid somewhere between $300 million and $400 million.