New Subscription Box – Frankie & Albert

I don’t usually comment often, but I just had to share my experience with Frankie & Albert so far. When I received my first box, I was extremely disappointed. I chose not to keep any of the items. However, as some of you had already experienced, the swap meet was not available at the time I was ready to swap. I contacted them about the 10 day time limit to swap items, and I never received a response. I did receive an e-mail about the swap meet being open for use, but when I entered the swap meet, I could not access the area where we put in item numbers in order to swap them. I contacted customer service again, and again I never received a response. I did however receive a generic e-mail about the swap meet. I continued to try to access the section of the swap meet that allows me to input item numbers until I was finally able to do so. Because of this, I skipped the month of March. I gave them another chance with the April box, and I wish I hadn’t. Although I received more in my second box, I was again extremely disappointed. I went to the swap meet and entered all of the items into the swap section. At least, what I could enter; one of my items did not have an item number sticker on it, so there was no way for me to list it. I contacted customer service again (five days ago), and have yet to hear back from them. I received an e-mail with the return shipping label attached, and it’s wrong. It has the “ship to” address as my own. I don’t want to send it to myself, so I just contacted customer service yet again. I’m really frustrated with the lack of response with this company. Honestly, the only reason I haven’t cancelled yet is because I’m waiting until I find something that I actually want in the swap meet so that I’m not out $100. I wish I had never signed up for this subscription box.

I have to say, I just got my first box and was quite happy. I got 4 items, 2 of which I love and 2 of which are cool for someone but that I wont use. The two items I love are worth the $50 to me, and the other 2 hopefully I can swap on their site. Overall I think that this box is ALL about curation. My issue is that for the two items I will not use, it says that I have 10 days to swap. I received my box on Thursday and the swap site is still not up. Anybody heard from CS about this?

I received my first box today and was really disappointed. I didn’t think anything in the box was special. I will give them a couple of more tries to see if it improves.

I received my first box yesterday and didn’t like any of the three items I received. Based on my experience shopping estate sales and antique shops, I would guess the value of the items I received is about half of what I paid for the box. Based on that, I decided to swap the items. When I followed the directions included in my box to list the items in the swap section, I learned that swaps are coming soon. Very disappointing since the instructions I received say I have only ten days to list and return the items.

I received my first box today, and it wasn’t EXACTLY what I expected. I thought for the price, that I would receive a little more than I did. I got a medium sized white teapot, and very small, swan statue, and a doily. It probably wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t for seeing what they are advertising as being in other people’s boxes.

I emailed them about the 6 month time line. They said that they had “overwhelming” response to the shop and that they will be keeping it past the 6 month time line.

This looks like fun!! Unfortunately, not shipping to Canada, but I look forward to seeing what others get.

Ok… So from what I understand and I just want to make sure I am reading this right before I decided to sub to this. You either keep your full box or trade the whole box. Also, if you decided after 2 months to skip a month, you lose your swapping power? Is that how it reads to anyone else?

I’m in! Gonna try one month. If it seems worth it, I’ll up to 3 month sub. Just wondering how long it will be in biz if it’s a 6 month pop-up…

This article referred to the pop-up shop ending in April:
http://la.racked.com/archives/2015/01/15/las_frankie_albert_is_a_virtual_vintage_popup_shop.php

This box sounds soooo amazing!!! I love thrift stores and antiques! I might have to try this box out, it’d be cool to check out antiques and stuff from other places.

Hey all!
Glad this got posted! 🙂 Just wanted to let everyone know that I received my first box from them yesterday and personally was really happy with it. They describe it as the ‘lazy girl’s way to thrift / antique’ I love thrifting and antiquing but recently became a mother, full time student, and work full time as well so it’s been hard to do fun things like thrift/antique shop. I immediately signed up because , hey! It’s stuff from other flea markets and thrift shops all over US too! I posted some pics of my first shipment items on my instagram @KarolinaVon and also their hashtag #MeetFrankieAndAlbert has other people’s boxes too. Everything was super well packaged and each item has a ‘code’ for their ‘swap meet’ functionality so you don’t even have to send in pictures or anything like that (I assume) because each item’s unique code links it to the product they sent you specifically. I got 3 months so we will see how the next ones go!
TLDR: I got a very heavy and pretty brass dolphin (about 6.5 to 7inches long), a small brass goblet I’m using to hold burning incense, and a pair of green tinted and detail etched wine glasses. 🙂

Liz is there any way you could review this new sub?

Wow – So tempting. We are buying a new house that is a lot bigger & nicer than any other house I’ve ever owned. This sounds like a good way to get some fun decor. Of course I could take the $50 and shop the local thrifts, yard sales, etc myself.

The website describes it as a “6 month online pop up shop”. Does that mean it’s only going to be around for six months?

Very cool idea! I’d love to see what comes in a box.

Love this idea. Definitely more environmentally friendly than subs with all newly manufactured items.

Oh man I caved!!!!! I’m excited to try this I love thrifting and so far I like the way that they have you pick what kinds of items and styles that you like hopefully the items will be amazing.

I don’t know if I should put this here or not but I got followed by a subscription box I’d never heard of on Twitter yesterday. It’s called British Boxes – a monthly subscription box for all things British. Sounds like a good box but I hadn’t seen anything on it before so I thought you’d like to know! http://www.britishboxes.co.uk

I’ll be the guinea pig! I just signed up for 3 months.
I like the idea that there’s a swap meet for items that don’t suit, shipped free.

I’m a big thrift shopper/junker, so I really like this idea. However, for $50, I’d have to wait to see an example box first (even though I know they’ll all be different). Props to them for an original idea though!