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The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review – January 2015

Haley Faye
ByHaley FayeFeb 7, 2015 | 18 comments

The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review - January 2015 Box

The Austin BatBox is a subscription box from Austin, Texas. Every month, they feature locally made food, music, fashion, art, and promote a myriad of other small businesses.

This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review - January 2015 Items

The Subscription: Austin Bat Box

The Cost: $25 + shipping monthly, or $135 + shipping for 6 months

The Products: 4-5 hand selected items from Austin, Texas

Ships to: Internationally

The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review - January 2015 Info

This is the front and back of the info card that lists each item included in the box, plus a paragraph from Austin Bat Box about the theme and items!

The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review - January 2015 Stubbs

Cornucopia Popcorn Creations – Movie Mix – value: $5.50

Stubb’s Sticky Sweet All-Natural BBQ Sauce – 18 oz, value: $5.95

This popcorn is valued at $3 on the info card, but to order this from their website, it costs $5.50 so I’m just using that value. This popcorn is the traditional buttery, salty popcorn but with chocolate drizzled! It’s delicious. It’s probably my favorite item in the box.

I’ve never tried Stubb’s BBQ before, but the fact that this is all-natural and also has extra molasses and brown sugar in the recipe (hence, “sticky sweet”) has me really excited!

The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review - January 2015 Alamo

“Electric” album by Eric Johnson and Mike Stern – value: $10

Vinca USA Custom XL Texas Earrings – value: $18

Alamo Drafthouse Movie Ticket - $10.50

I know about the Alamo Drafthouse from friends who live near Austin, but I didn’t know there was one near me in Kalamazoo! It’s still a bit of a drive, but that city has a lot to do in general, so I could make it a lovely day trip. I wish there were two tickets, but I understand that the Drafthouse had to limit it to one per box.

My CD came cracked in my box, but that’s okay. Honestly, it’s not really my taste anyway, so this will be swapped/passed along to a friend.

The Austin BatBox Subscription Box Review - January 2015 Swag

Also included in the box were a bunch of stickers and business cards from local businesses and such from the Austin Area. The envelope that says “swag” contains even more stickers and coupons, etc.

Verdict: All in all, I really enjoyed this Austin Bat Box! I’ll use most of the items in the box, so that’s a win for me. I also like the variety of the things they included to showcase a little bit of Austin – a movie ticket is a great idea, I think! As far as value goes, everything adds up to $49.95! I’m happy with that value.

What do you think about the Austin Bat Box?

Haley Faye
Haley Faye
Haley Faye first discovered the wonderful world of subscription boxes in 2012 and began writing for MSA in 2014. Over the years, she has found many subscriptions to love. Now a mom of three, her favorite boxes are ones that dress her kids, help her get organized, feed her family, send her snacks, and offer educational fun for her children.

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18 comments

Krista

oh i love the earrings SO much!!

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Donna

I bought this for my son who lives in Austin. He LOVED it, brought the earrings to me and I love them. It is for Austin loving people. But it says that~batbox. I think she has a winning idea and a great spirit to put this together and yes you can buy Stubbs anywhere but they are based in Austin. I also had a problem with a charge on my card, emailed her and within 5 minutes she had corrected the problem and emailed me back. I love the idea and the ingenuity of the bat box!!! I say thumbs up!

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Debra Luciew

Yep, this box is a keeper. Unfortunately, I already have purchased most of what is in the box because I live in Austin, Texas. You get your money’s worth, big time with this box. Order, order, order. Damn, why didn’t I think of this box. The BBQ sauce is great as well as the CD. I am going to be cheap and see if I can not find out where this box is being assembled and go down and buy one. Jump on this. I showed my husband the box, trying to get a thumbs up, but he has the CD’s from the group and we have a coupon for the Alamo Draft Huse. He is no fun. Wait until the SXSW Box comes out.

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Jes

I’ve been getting this box since the beginning and I love it. It feels like a really good value and we use SO much of what we’ve gotten on a regular basis. I’ve discovered some great new products (and music!) so I can continue to buy local. I think that anyone who lives in Austin, used to live in Austin, or just loves Austin will like this box – there’s nothing like it that gives you that true ATX flavor.

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MaryA

I tried to order a 6 month sub last Saturday. I couldn’t get it to work, so I called them. I left a message telling them that I wanted to subscribe but they never called me back. Their website showed their hours to be open on Saturday, but it went straight to voicemail. No big deal, I figured they would call me Monday or Tuesday. But they never bothered to call at all.

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Sarah

Boo! That’s not cool.
Well I never had to call, but I have emailed them before about stuff and they respond pretty quick
Maybe try emailing?

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Shanna

It’s not that it’s just area specific; that is the goal of a local-themed box like this. The problem is it is only USABLE by people in the area. What good does getting a movie theater ticket or marketing stickers, postcards, magnets, and other crap do for someone not in that area?

And on the other side of the only-for-Austinites stuff, why in the world would someone buy a box that contains a sauce that ANYONE can buy ANYWHERE?

I just don’t think the makers of this box understand the purpose of subscription boxes, especially those with local themes. They are marketing to people around the country, but not serving those people.

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Sarah

I don’t live in near one of the movie theaters so I got something else in place of it. Alamo drafthouse a have expanded across the country though from what the description in my letter said, those ppl in cities with Alamos got tix. They didn’t send them to ppl who can’t use them that’s a waste.

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JanMarie

Sending an alternative for folks that don’t live near the movie theaters screams “wonderful customer service” and allows the box more broad appeal! I’m impressed!

AnnD

As an Austinite, I think it’s a fair representation of the area. I agree that the “swag” stuff is far from what I consider swag, and the movie ticket is only really good for people who have Alamo theaters.

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karol

Living in Austin area, I was surprised to see this box reviewed. It is specific to the area but then again, so are boxes that zero in on countries or regions, Oui Please, Escape, etc. Also how more specific can you get with boxes for menstrual items, cell phone cases and cards? That being said, some folks are enamored with the Austin culture. It is getting well known for it’s festivals (SXSW or ACL (Austin City Limits), Formula One racing anyone?) and it’s raging economy. I’m glad to see stuff from Texas. We still do things big down here.

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Sarah

i loved this box!
Ya like Alice said, it’s a regional box so it’s going to be about Austin and Texas. Just like Birchbox is specifically about makeup. If that makes sense?
I have been subscribed for a few months now. I got a cool scarf from an Austin designer, all kinds of food, nailpolish, more jewelry than I know what to do with, and some great art prints by Austin artists framed ony wall now. One time my box, I can’t remember which one, november I think, was worth over $100 retail value. I love it personally.

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Shanna

Stubbs sauce is sold at Wal-mart, so I would be annoyed with receiving that! Unless you live in Texas, many of the items just wouldn’t be useful. For example, I simply wouldn’t wear earrings in the shape of Texas, and I could not use that movie ticket, so it’s a waste. “Swag,” to me, shouldn’t be filler marketing junk, especially since they’re advertising places that are only relevant to people in the area.

The box seems a massive fail to me.

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Austinite

You guys realize that this box is specifically marketed towards Austin, Texas and general state of Texas fans or even transplants, right?

2 + 2 = Longhorns, guys.

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JanMarie

Stubbs is sold everywhere where I live but it’s great BBQ sauce if you’ve never tried it. Agreed that this box seems a little to specific for a nationwide audience.

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Sarah

I got my sister who moved to Canada a subscription for Christmas and she was real happy about the sauce. She can’t get it where she is.

Alice

I’m pretty sure it’s specific because it’s a box about a specific region. Sure the bbq sauce is everywhere but in the box I got, that yellow paper explains that all the items are going to be more well known products that are still home grown.