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The design is great. Even though I don't have a brick and mortar store, it kinda makes me want to buy one, inexplicably. I wonder how many other things you can

by iamwil 14y ago

The design is great. Even though I don't have a brick and mortar store, it kinda makes me want to buy one, inexplicably. I wonder how many other things you can sell like this, an all-in-one box, that doesn't smell cheap, like a 10-in-1 games CD? The best thing I can think of right now is 'gardening in a box'. I wonder what 'startup in a box' looks like.

Robin_Message 14y ago
Depends what you mean by startup. If you mean some kind of infinitely replicable business (e.g. a cleaning company with subcontractors doing the cleaning) then it contains: a specific and workable business plan, a domain name, a list of potential customers/sources of the same, a company registration, a cheap mobile phone, some web hosting with an open source/simple tool set up to run the business – fuck, I just realised I invented franchising. If you mean a scalable software business (of the sort HN usually means when they refer to a startup) the problem is that execution >>> ideas, and so no-one would sell such a box for less than it was worth, unless they were desperate. Then they'd sell part of it to a VC ;-)
Simucal 14y ago
This isn't exactly the same as a one time "box" but monthly subscription services for "boxes" of different items have been taking off lately. I currently subscribe to Barkbox[0], a monthly subscription to receive dog treats, toys and accessories every month. A few months ago they had over 20,000 subscribers. They based their model off Birchbox[1], which provides a monthly subscription of hand picked beauty products. I've been trying to think of other niches that would be a good fit for this box model. [0] http://barkbox.com http://barkbox.com [1] http://www.birchbox.com/ http://www.birchbox.com/
- 8bitliving 14y ago
  I love the idea of barkbox! Ever since I saw this guy's project, http://www.sotmclub.com/ http://www.sotmclub.com/, I've also been racking my brain for other ways to leverage this model.
- HeyLaughingBoy 14y ago
  A few years ago my wife gave me a subscription to barbeque sauce-of-the-month club as a birthday present. Every month I got a couple of bbq sauces/rubs in a box. Best.Gift.Ever!
- jh3 14y ago
  There are similar services for clothing. The first one that comes to mind is http://www.trunkclub.com/ http://www.trunkclub.com/
iamwil 14y ago
Looks like someone beat me to it: http://bayareaquarterlife.tumblr.com/post/33992875694/box-subscription http://bayareaquarterlife.tumblr.com/post/33992875694/box-su... Boxes in a box.

by iamwil 14y ago

Robin_Message 14y ago

Depends what you mean by startup. If you mean some kind of infinitely replicable business (e.g. a cleaning company with subcontractors doing the cleaning) then it contains: a specific and workable business plan, a domain name, a list of potential customers/sources of the same, a company registration, a cheap mobile phone, some web hosting with an open source/simple tool set up to run the business – fuck, I just realised I invented franchising. If you mean a scalable software business (of the sort HN usually means when they refer to a startup) the problem is that execution >>> ideas, and so no-one would sell such a box for less than it was worth, unless they were desperate. Then they'd sell part of it to a VC ;-)

Simucal 14y ago

This isn't exactly the same as a one time "box" but monthly subscription services for "boxes" of different items have been taking off lately. I currently subscribe to Barkbox[0], a monthly subscription to receive dog treats, toys and accessories every month. A few months ago they had over 20,000 subscribers. They based their model off Birchbox[1], which provides a monthly subscription of hand picked beauty products. I've been trying to think of other niches that would be a good fit for this box model. [0] http://barkbox.com http://barkbox.com [1] http://www.birchbox.com/ http://www.birchbox.com/

8bitliving 14y ago
I love the idea of barkbox! Ever since I saw this guy's project, http://www.sotmclub.com/ http://www.sotmclub.com/, I've also been racking my brain for other ways to leverage this model.
HeyLaughingBoy 14y ago
A few years ago my wife gave me a subscription to barbeque sauce-of-the-month club as a birthday present. Every month I got a couple of bbq sauces/rubs in a box. Best.Gift.Ever!
jh3 14y ago
There are similar services for clothing. The first one that comes to mind is http://www.trunkclub.com/ http://www.trunkclub.com/

iamwil 14y ago

Looks like someone beat me to it: http://bayareaquarterlife.tumblr.com/post/33992875694/box-subscription http://bayareaquarterlife.tumblr.com/post/33992875694/box-su... Boxes in a box.