As homes across the globe turn into isolation hubs for home schooling and remote working as coronavirus COVID-19 cases continue to increase, there is no better time to invest in subscription services.
From beauty to books and tea to wine, there’s almost no limit to what you can get delivered to your door all neatly packaged in an unassuming box.
We’ve rounded up some of the best subscription services in the world that may come in handy during the coronavirus lockdown.
Good Pair Days
Offering: Wine
Delivers to: Australia
Cost: from A$45 (for three bottles)
As life as we know it has halted, there’s no reason we can’t enjoy a delectable drop of wine without leaving the comfort of our couch.
Good Pair Days delivers to your door wine suited to your taste along with tasting notes, recipes and food pairing suggestions.
After taking a quiz to determine your personal preferences, the team of sommeliers uncover the best drops to suit your palate.
The Australian-based company offers bottles you may never have heard of while complementing and expanding your palate.
Blue Bottle Coffee
Offering:: Coffee roasted by hand
Delivers to: Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, UK and US
Cost: from US$8
Every day, more and more local cafes are closing their doors, but coffee connoisseurs need not worry thanks to subscription services.
Blue Bottle Coffee delivers unparalleled blends, single origins and espressos sourced by hand from sustainable coffee farms straight to your home.
Working directly with farmers from all over the world to source the most delicious and sustainable coffee possible, Blue Bottle Coffee is delivered to your hands within 48 hours of roasting.
“I will only sell coffee less than 48 hours out of the roaster to my guests so they may enjoy coffee at peak flavour,” Blue Bottle Coffee founder James Freeman shared online. “I will only use the finest, most delicious and responsibly sourced beans.”
The company, which was founded in California, has a network of cafes in the US, Japan and Korea, as well as its convenient subscription service.
Flaviar
Offering: Fine and rare spirits
Delivers to: European Union countries and selected US locations
Cost: €30 per month
In many countries, bars and clubs are off-limits for the foreseeable future but it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favourite fine spirit.
Flaviar gives access to rare and original spirits – all to be enjoyed without leaving home.
Every quarter, the subscription service delivers a tasting box of themed samples worth €40, a full-sized bottle worth €50 and free shipping.
Striving to shine a light on the lesser-known spirits, Flaviar encourages members to explore new beverages. With more than 15,000 different spirits on the market, you’ll never get bored of the options.
BARK Box
Offering: Treats for your dog
Delivers to: US and Canada
Cost: from US$22 per box
If you’re stuck in isolation with your best four-legged friend, why not spoil your pup with a different themed goodie box every month.
Filled with dog treats and toys, BARK Box offers some of the world’s best products and experiences to satisfy any puppy personality.
After launching in 2012, the US-founded company has reached millions of homes across the world.
“Our vision is to serve every dog in the world,” BARK Co-Founder and CEO Matt Meeker says.
Each box is filled with goodies totalling more than US$40 in value, keeping your dog happily occupied while you work.
The Bouqs Company
Offering: Farm fresh bouquets
Delivers to: US
Cost: from US$40
Add a pop of colour to your working-from-home space with a gorgeous home delivery of farm-fresh blooms.
The Bouqs Company ships freshly cut flowers from sustainable, eco-friendly farms so that your vase arrangement will last longer.
“We’re helping farmers all over the world grow their business,” The Bouq’s website states. “We partner with eco-friendly farms that minimise waster, recycle water, and use sustainable growing practices.”
Pick your bouquet from three curated collections – farmer’s market, the classics, and roses – and choose how often the flowers arrive. This blooms subscription service is one to leave your days feeling brighter.
Once Upon a Book Club
Offering: Books
Delivers: Worldwide
Cost: from US$34.99 per month
Being locked up indoors leaves plenty of time to bury your nose in a good book.
Once Upon a Book Club is the perfect subscription service to meet your literary needs while bringing the novel to life with added gifts relevant to the book.
Not only does the business provide enthralling novels, but it also inspires readers to feel like they’re physically part of that world. Sounds like a pretty great escape from a coronavirus pandemic.
Tea Box
Offering: Tea
Delivers: Worldwide
Cost: from A$68.50 monthly
With a different tea theme every month, you will never tire of the endless infusions delivered by Tea Box.
Each month five premium teas will arrive at your home – the only thing you have to do is boil the kettle.
From floral infusions with sweet, subtle and fragrant characters to hues of black with mellow fruity cups and robust, malty brews, there is something to tantalise the tastebuds of every tea aficionado.
Papergang
Offering: Stationery
Delivers to: select locations across US, Europe, Australia and Asia
Cost: £14 monthly
With extra time on our hands, why not send a handwritten letter to reach out and brighten someone’s day?
Papergang is a stylish subscription service to meet any stationery needs, and it’s a feel-good one too. Every box helps plant trees through the company’s partner Tree Aid – an African charity helping villagers grow trees to provide food year-round.
Whimsical notebooks, calendars, stickers, cards and gift tags are just some of the heart-warming pieces that will evoke creativity and help while away time in isolation.
Birchbox
Offering: Beauty products
Delivers to: US
Cost: from US$10
Many of us may be in isolation, but it doesn’t mean we should let our beauty regimens slide.
A plethora of beauty treats are sent monthly to Birchbox subscribers offering a giant range of prestige and niche brands. There are too many to list, but our eyes widened upon spotting Kevyn Aucoin, Shiseido, AERIN, La Roche-Posay, Sunday Riley, Christophe Robin and Tatcha among the huge line-up of super-luxe brands.
“Every month you get your Birchbox, it’s a reminder that you deserve time to care for you,” the website explains. “And not just to take care, but to take joy in that care.”
TheraBox
Offering: Self-care products
Delivers: Worldwide
Cost: from US$34.99
Curated by therapists, take care of your mental health by reducing stress and promoting relaxation with this monthly subscription of self-care products.
Thought-provoking activities, intention setting, journalling, projects, brain-training exercises and life-hacking strategies are some of the stress-reducing products and therapeutic happiness exercises included in TheraBox.
Take a break from the COVID-19 news cycles and take a moment for rest and rejuvenation with the wellness goodies.
Candy Club
Offering: Sweet treats
Delivers to: select locations in US
Cost: from US$29.99
Want a sugar hit but can’t run down to your local shop? Then a subscription to Candy Club is just what you need.
Delivered straight to your door is a range of delicious sugary treats that will take you down memory lane with sour gummies, lemonade straws, sour strawberries and Neapolitan Taffy. For something slightly more grown up, choose from delights including chocolate toffee peanuts, dark chocolate twigs and chocolate raspberry creams.
Now the only decision left is whether to subscribe to a fun box (six 170g candy cups) or the party box (six 370g candy cups).
