The Ink Road Mystery Box...

ellewood I would have loved your box too. You had more actual scrapbook stuff in your one box than I had in my "two". The overall value of your box is also a LOT higher than mine, so you got more for $15 than I got for $30 AND yours was usable.

I had:

4 gold straws
1 cactus pen
2 letterpress cards that say "Woohoo"
1 box of Pocky (cookies)
1 pack of gum
1 Paper Studios planner jewelry
1 Mambi planner stickers
1 Recollections planner word stickers
1 Recollections planner bookmarks
1 Recollections planner post-its
1 Minc PL cards
1 Snow & Cocoa snowflakes stickers
1 die cut PL cards
1 WeR typewriter labels (like nicolep had)
1 WeR typewriter kraft labels
1 Echo Park stamp
1 Carta Bella 6x6 pad
1 Carta Bella die cuts
16 sheets of paper, 1 vellum, 1 1canoe2 wood sheet

nicolep LMK how you come out?  
ETA:  Did you use the email on your paypal receipt to contact her?  Thanks.  

I missed a role of washi tape when I made the list...so I got that too.

From the looks of the box lists and nicolep's pictures, it seems as if the single boxes and the double boxes are very similar to each other in quantity.

Before the 50% off sale, the "guaranteed" list had a formula. Maybe that made them more "equal". My priority box was loaded and full...with more than just the guaranteed items. Mostly scrapbook items, but planner as well. She really blew me away!

With soooo many boxes ordered from just here alone, her stock must be running low. If the $30 boxes hadn't been so awesome, maybe expectations wouldn't have been so high for what was believed to be the same boxes but at 50% off...I know that's what I was expecting. I kept picturing in my mind what a box would look like times four...now, at least I know I should lower my expectations.

So I'm still super excited to see what arrives...but nervous as well.

Please don't take this a rude, or pointed at anyone, because it is not! I'm trying to wrap my finger around this.

Lol! I know...I swear I was imagining what four of my original box stacked together would look like!!!

i got mine yesterday. I ordered 2 boxes at 50% off and wasn't that impressed, TBH. I got a planner, which I don't need, and some weird paper that I can probably use for cardmaking. One set of stamps, a few other random items. Cant post photo now ,but overall, wasn't great.

I also think she is sweet and genuine!

In her Facebook group she just mentioned that these mystery boxes were completely different and are meant to be clearance boxes. Each mystery box is valued at $30 MSRP for $15. Had the listing in her shop mentioned this, I don't think there would have been any issues, but also may not have gotten snapped up as quickly either. I always read the details...that's why I knew the "guarantee" was gone that I had on my January 26th box.

I've always been happy with whatever mystery box I've received from the many companies I've ordered from...except for my Basic Grey boxes. Lol! I usually only order the ones that are deeply discounted though. I like new and old products, too. I'm sure I'll love what I receive, but because I normally scrapbook in such "bulk", I may wish I'd received more.

I emailed her too.  This was my reply (copy/pasted):

thanks for the message.

many people are confused and i think that’s my fault for sure! i sold these mystery boxes back in december for $30. this was a regular sale on my website with VERY limited boxes, curated. the mystery boxes in the 1/2 price sale were much different - they contained clearance items from my store like you’d expect from any clearance sale. except, better, i think, especially for the value. they were a combination of everything i do: the online shop, the YAYbox, and the winter box.

you paid $30 for $60 MSRP (since you purchased 2) of items from 3 different mediums under ink road. all boxes were different, some did have duplicate items, etc. my only guarantee for this ultra-clearance sale was that you’d get $60 value. trust me i wish i could please everyone and guarantee amazing items for zero money. :/

lara

I honestly wasn't expecting the boxes to be the same caliber as they were when they were guaranteed, so I didn't have a problem getting "less" per box. I assumed she removed the guarantee for a reason. The boxes should be consistent, though, and a $30 box should be 'better' than a $15 box, you know?  Ellewood and I got almost exactly the same number of items--but I had 2 boxes, she had one. And, if my stuff had been a higher quality, so the value of my box was more than hers? Ok...I can see that. But that clearly wasn't the case.  I also REALLY don't remember the box description saying that a $30 1/2 price would give you $30 in stuff?? (I would have passed!) Of course, I can't look because the website is down.  

If she's willing to make yours right, I guess jump on it while you can, b/c I didn't get an offer to fix anything!

Nope, it wasn't.  When I bought them, the description still said it was a box full of 2016 brands (That's right, you're getting a box FULL of 2016 releases from: Pinkfresh Studio (Indigo Hills). American Crafts (Dear Lizzy Saturday/Shimelle Go ...), it just no longer had the guaranteed list down below it.  Nowhere did it say pay $15 for $30 in clearance merchandise.  I wouldn't have gotten one knowing she carries Paper Studio and Recollections stuff, and knowing I can cherry pick my own 1/2 price off-brand crap.   I also would have been asking what the $30 was...original MSRP or $30 in clearance pricing!  I just feel like I paid $30 for a couple of $2 Michael's grab bags.  

Here is a picture of my $15 box. Also included was 25 12x12 paper (a couple were duplicates). I was satisfied with my box. I loved all the paper. There are a couple things I won't use, but not many.

I think it's time for me to go to bed and not look at people's great boxes anymore!  ><  I would have been thrilled with that x2, but the boxes nicolep and I got really weren't comparable, let alone worth 2x that.  Honestly, this was the worst grab bag I've ever gotten, and getting a reply telling me I expected something for nothing when I've seen several great boxes for half of what I paid is just making me grumpy.  I'd email her back, but I don't even know what to say.  

And--for those of you with great boxes, I'm thrilled for you, so please don't take my grumpy the wrong way.  And iheartpaper , I'm really hoping you get 4 of those!  




Here's a pic of what I got for $30, except my son ate the $1.14 box of Pocky.  And most people got 25 sheets of paper in one box, but I got 16 in my 'two' boxes.  

There were a couple cute items in the box, and I appreciate that the die-cuts matched the 6x6 pad.  But yeah...it's clearly only one box, not two.

And...what's the point of a 1/2 price sale if you get 1/2 the items?  We were buying a $30 box, and if her intention was that the box value was twice the price, then a $30 box should have a $60 value.  If it's on sale half price, then it should be $15 for $60 in product.  I wouldn't buy a sweater 1/2 price and only expect to get 1/2 the sweater!  I also don't think it's unreasonable to expect that if I buy 2 boxes, I should get twice as much as someone that bought one box!

Just.blows.my.mind.