Need A Gift Idea? How About A...Box
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Stumped for what to get someone for Christmas? Why not consider a gift that puts an expert in charge of doing the shopping.
Blue Apron, Bark Box, Birchbox, Trunk Club: these are just a few of the subscription services that put everything from food to clothing, makeup to pet food a box away:
"Folks feel like it's Christmas every day when they get the package in the mail."
Ben Cockerell with the social media analytics company Crimson Hexagon says the subscription box sector has grown 3000 percent over the last three years, with names like Starbucks and Walmart looking for a piece of the pie:
"For a lot of people, time is of the essence, but they also want to learn more: they want to learn how to cook better or learn what the latest fashions are, but they don't have time to do it."
That convenience drives the sales boom, he says, but also the idea that a personal chef or shopper is assembling all this just for you -- no guesswork.
"As the parents of a 2-year-old, not having to shop and also having an expert curate some of those experiences -- whether it be for fashion or food delivery -- is one that is of great benefit to us."