September's 'Galactic' Loot Crate Review

I like things. I like collectible things especially. Subscription services, such as Loot Crate, offer a chance to get random things for a set price.

I... well, I don't much like surprises. So these subscription services generally go unnoticed by me, with the minor pang of regret when I see something I missed (dat Groot POP! figure!). But mostly I ignore them.

This month, they done advertised right. The theme was "Galactic," and they said it'd include loot related to Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, and Alien. And more. But I don't need more, they had me at St--.

So I signed up. Used a coupon code. Total cost was about $16 for the month.

It came this weekend.

I'm happy with the loot included, but I also don't think Loot Crate is for me.

The Good:

1. The total value of the included items surpasses what I paid.
2. The packaging/presentation is spot on.
3. They had interesting things that I would not have purchased on my own.
4. The box included:

Even if they're not super interesting pieces, I do love me some Firefly, so the mini-Mal and the credit stack are fun. And the Han Solo poster looks pretty boss on my wall (featured in the most recent Never Split the Party Podcast episode...). The Tribble, surprisingly, was my favorite item in the box, however.

The Bad:

1. It kind of felt like someone got a discount at Newbury Comics, bought some random (related-ish) items, and threw 'em in a box. That's actually not an awful idea... but I'd rather just have the discount myself (or preferred things I COULDN'T find easily on my own).
2. There were several items I just didn't care about, and will create clutter (or trash):

To be fair, the "Galactic" book was interesting, but it isn't something I'm normally interested in keeping. And, as much as I love the Alien series, I don't care for this style of figure (I personally get the Alien, which was a small plus). As for the digital comic, meh. I dislike both Halo... and digital comics!

The Ugly:

1. There is no easy way to sign up for a one-month deal. You sign up for a subscription that bills you each month until you cancel, then have to send a written request through their website to cancel your subscription. This isn't unexpected, but I think they'd go a long way with offering a one-time purchase offer. That would entice me to try more. Now, knowing it's a bit more of a hassle to cancel, I'm less likely to try again, even if they advertise a theme that interests me.
2. Not every month is created equal. Some months have much rarer, more collectible items (that end up having more value in the long run). Last month's Groot figure is an example of this. This month offered nothing on that level of rare-ness. Not saying I don't love my mini-fig Captain Mal, there's just a clear discrepancy.



Honestly, I have similar issues with anything that includes a random element. Booster packs for card games or miniature games are the bane of my existence. But I know what I can possibly get in those, so I don't mind going back for more. Here, I really have no clue what I'm in store for, and it's entirely likely that a decent percent of the items simply don't interest me.

I'm happy with my loot crate, but this will probably be my last one. Unless they do a special "Maximum Carnage" themed one. Or maybe a Cthulhu theme...