I am Oreo's number one fan. In fact, it's gotten to the point that when I stroll down the cookie aisle at Target, my kids just grab a pack of my favorite chocolate cream or peanut butter Oreos and we keep moving. I am also a huge fan of the seasonal flavors. Some of my favorites have included brownie batter and apple pie. In other words, Amazon's new Oreo subscription box is basically the answer to a prayer I never knew I had.
Here's how it works: You sign up for a three month subscription at Amazon, and each month for three or six months, you're sent two packages of cookies and a branded surprise. That might be a mug, maybe a game, some Oreo socks... something in that vein. Like any subscription box, the fun is in the surprise. One month you may get a package of birthday cake flavored Oreos, a candy bar, and a card game; the next month, who knows? It might be fudge dipped cookies, it might be something totally new. No matter what, it comes packaged in a sturdy cardboard box in Oreo blue, emblazoned with the logo we've all come to know and love.
The price is a bit on the steep side at $20 per month, but it's pretty much on-par with other cookie subscription boxes available right now. And those are cookie only, no gift included. Plus, can we be honest here for a minute? They're also not Oreo.
I remember precisely when my love affair with the cream sandwich cookie began. I went to spend the night at my Aunt Vicki's house sometime in the early '90s. She had just given tiny me a bath, and wrapped me in one of her sweatshirts for the evening. I was completely content and enveloped in the warmth and love of my aunt who was beginning to make her famous chocolate chip cookies for the next day's family gathering. Instantly intrigued, I made my way over to where she scooped batter onto a cookie sheet to freeze before baking the next day. I didn't understand why she wasn't just baking them, and why I had to wait. Wasn't this a perk of visiting? Fresh cookies? I weaved a story for her that my mother — her sister — fed me cookies and milk "every night, cross my heart." But instead of baking up the batch in front of her, she sat me down with an enormous glass of *whole* milk (lucky me, my mom bought skim) and a package of Oreos.
My love for Oreos and my adoration of my Aunt took off that night. Who cares if she still talks about how I hoodwinked her about the cookie thing to this day. No one was hurt. Needless to say, an Oreo subscription box for her would be a hilarious gift.
Now, fair warning, this isn't the most highly-rated subscription box out there. Right now there are 52 reviews on Amazon, averaging out to about a 2.5, which isn't spectacular. Most of the negative reviews are based upon the cost of the product. People feel like $20 is just too much to pay for some cookies and a mug. And that's a valid point. However, I would argue that Amazon's new Oreo subscription box is not marketing to the people who want the best bargain on their cookies, but to people interested in the experience of the package itself. It's new and unusual. That alone makes it something fun to give or receive. However, if you just want cookies to show up at your house, you're probably better served by ordering them via Amazon Prime Pantry where they're extra cheap, even if the box isn't fun.
