Nerd Block is one of the newest mystery box subscriptions to hit the internet. Starting at $13.99 + shipping a month you can subscribe to a Nerd Block Jr., or for $19.99 + shipping you can subscribe to the classic, arcade, or horror boxes.
To get a taste of what a classic and a Jr. box (themed for ages 6-11 and come in a “girl” or “boy” themes) was like, Nerd Block sent me one of each to check out. After opening the boxes, I wish they had gotten lost in the mail.
Nerd Block Jr. Image: Dakster Sullivan
November Nerd Block Jr. (“boy” themed box) subscribers received a slap watch, an action figure (my son received Iron Man), a comic book, two puzzle erasers, and a wannabe-Lego brick mini-figure. To say my son was disappointed would be a massive understatement.
They guarantee that you will get at least what you paid for the box before shipping in each box.
Let’s add up what I received in the Jr. box:
Iron Man figure – $5.99
Puzzle Erasers – $6.05
Slap Watch – Average is $5.00
Comic Book – $3.99 Total cost: $21.03
The total cost shocks me because I wouldn’t have paid more than $4 for everything. The most worthwhile thing in the box was the comic and everything else has already been donated to Goodwill. In my opinion, this box was a major waste of time.
For $19.99 plus shipping, the November Nerd Block Classic subscribers received: a slap watch, one sheet of Star Wars car decals, an Iron Man mug, Deadpool shirt, a Batman or Robin 1966 plush (I received Batman), and there was a possibility of an authentic autograph from the actor who played Robin in the 60’s.
Nerd Block Classic \ Image: Dakster Sullivan
Let’s add up the cost of this box:
Slap Watch – Average is $5.00
Deadpool shirt – $18.00
Iron Man mug – $6.50
Star Wars decals – $30
Plush – $20 (according to Google, but I’m not believing it) Total cost: $59.50
The total doesn’t shot me as much this time only because of the shirt and the decals having such a high price tag on themselves. I’m wondering what the designers of this box were thinking when they threw in a slap watch into an adult box. Of everything in this box, none of it is still in my house. The shirts only come in unisex sizes so that was donated to my brother’s t-shirt collection. My husband is giving away the decals, and the rest went to random people.
Even with the possibility of an autograph from Burt Ward, I still feel cheated (and keep in mind I got this for free). The boxes had no theme to them and I felt the contents were a bit chaotic in terms of what was chosen to be inside. How Star Wars, Batman, Deadpool, Iron Man, and a slap watch have anything in common is beyond me.
I guess I expected more high quality items in the box, or at least something that would make me geek out. Instead, I felt like the month-long wait to receive my boxes was waste of enthusiasm.
If I’m feeling let down by these “surprises” I can only imagine what someone who paid for a box would feel.
Speaking of which, our own Cathe Post bought a couple boxes as Christmas gifts, and thankfully she and her husband opened them up to check the contents. Here is what she had to say about what they received.
We purchased the October boxes for Nerd Block Jr. and the Arcade box.
The Jr. box contained a small TMNT plush key-chain, a How to Train Your Dragon Comic Book, some face tattoos, a weird jumping bean guy, and a Yoshi miniature. The comic and TMNT thing were cool. The tattoos were “meh.” I guess I expected more “name brand” items for what we paid.
October Nerd Block Jr. \ Image: Cathe Post
The Arcade Box contained a shirt (in a kid’s size because that is what I asked for), Luigi, Hyrule wipe-off board, Portal key fob, Mario miniature, and “building blocks” (not Lego brand).
We purchased these to sprinkle in with the Christmas presents from Santa this year. My husband and I are in agreement that these are a neat idea, but overpriced for the few interesting bits that come in the box. The Arcade box was only a few dollars more, and had the shirt besides the other bits and seemed to be a little bit more reasonably priced.
October Nerd Block Arcade box \ Image: Cathe Post
The cancellation process is difficult to find. I wanted to cancel after the first box of each since we just wanted them for a single gift. I had to search to find the email address to cancel the subscription. I also couldn’t cancel until after the first box was delivered.
I realize presentation is everything, but I would be more likely to purchase again if they spent less on the packaging box and more on the quality of goods that goes into the box.
If you have money to burn and don’t mind playing Russian roulette with getting something you will like or a theme you enjoy, this service is for you. Of course, there are other geek box subscriptions out there that I feel are more worth the cost (LootCrate comes to mind).
Well, there you have it. Buyers beware of Nerd Block.
Disclaimer: GeekMom received a review sample.
Special Editor Note from Ken Denmead: I, too, had a terrible experience with a Nerd Block Jr. review box. The picture below is of the Hot Wheels car that was included in the box. Not only was the packaging covered in crusty filth, I was able to verify via the SKU that the toy was over 10 years old. It’s rather suggestive that Nerd Block may just purchase overstock items and remnants at discount prices and pass them onto subscribers. Not good.
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This is exactly how I feel about LootCrate (minus the merchandise being old and filthy, at least). They’re slow to stop billing, and don’t make it particularly easy to do.
So you clearly got more than the value you paid for it, but are just unhappy with the items…. sounds more to me like the problem is you want specific items….. stick to buying single items in stores or amazon you mouth breather. Obviously the idea of a blind box is you never know what you’re going to get. I’m a huge TMNT fan but know most of the items are never tmnt, do I cry about it and complain on a blog about it. No! You find forums and groups you can trade collectables for things you want. Or like I stated earlier, clearly you had a pre cognitive idea of what you wanted to receive (whether its was Marvel, Nintendo, Star Wars etc.) And there in lies your issue.
What Guts says sounds about right to me…also…cancellation process on Nerd Block is super easy. I Started Nerd Block in Sept. First box was awesome and I have some great stocking stuffers. Cancelled the next month and picked it up again in Nov. It’s as easy as emailing the word CANCEL to the address for the box you are getting. As long as you send it before the current subscription date is up ( the 15th for classic block) you will not be charged. Simple. I just got Dec. and I got a Val Kilmer autograph on a willow picture…so happy with the Dec. block! They sent two shirts this month too!
i totally agree with jc i also got the december block it was amazing 2 shirts sighned photo and a little gremlins plush (gizmo)
geekmom should just stop complaining she obviously would of had to put some time into researching them to know they werent scams she would of had to of known it was a blind box
They have a TMNT nerd block!!!
I subscribed to Nerd Block for six months. I had to quit because I was cutting expenses. Some months were good some were bland. The last one I got was the Kevin Smith October box with Agent Clouson’s Vintage Captain Cards and a Funko Deadpool.
I have been pleased with nerd block and agree with guts on this. I have gotten the passed several months and have been very happy. Loot crate on the other hand sucked in comparison to nerd block but to each his own.
Unfortunately your wrong. you didnt do much of a job of attacking his real argument.. which is that it is a total ripoff especially when you add in shipping costs. the shipping is more than two thirds of the cost of the crate when you buy a 12 month sub. once you add in exhange rates, it would have cost me around $382 canadian to get a 12 month sub. so 31.83 when the contents are usually just junk.. i wish they would focus more on limited edition stuff. even if that means there is less in the box.
But i hope no one listens to you anyways.. since you apparently have a job that allows for you to do nothing except waste time and essentially steal money. people that work hard for their money, value it a little more than those that do not.
This review is wildly inaccurate and shows a lack of any type of research on the reviewers side…and that gets under my skin. When I see a website that wants to have a voice, clearly misinterpreting the information, I feel it’s my right to say something.
I’ll just dissect this review in order so it makes sense (ps, I have lots of spare time at work today):
In the first sentence you stated “Nerd Block is one of the newest mystery box subscriptions to hit the internet.”. Well, that’s incorrect. Nerd Block is the second after Loot Crate, and GeekDad/GeekMom you yourself already reviewed Nerd Block on December 19th, 2013…almost 1 year ago. Did you forget about that? You loved them when you reviewed them last. Here’s the link to your own review (http://geekdad.com/2013/12/gifts-keep-giving/)…yep, YOUR OWN REVIEW.
You then go on to say “The shirts only come in unisex sizes”…no, they don’t. I get mine in fitted mens, and my wife gets hers in fitted womens. Again, you didn’t do any research on this.
“The boxes had no theme to them”…ok, but Nerd Block has stated time and time again that they don’t theme. Since that’s the case, why are you holding this against them? If you’re going to review them in comparison to Loot Crate (who themes) then you need to state that at some point in your review. You can’t arbitrarily expect people to know that the box’s theme is a thing or not.
“Why would they put a slap watch in an adults box?”…At first I thought “maybe I’m the only one who, as an adult, liked the slap watch?”…then I did a quick check on Instagram to gauge people’s reactions to the box and in all fairness the slap watch and the mug were a huge hit. There’s a lot of pictures of people’s wrists just wearing the watch. So, GeekDad, thank you for your thoughts on how we should all feel with regards to the slap watch, but you certainly don’t speak for me or everyone else who liked it. What you’re stating as fact is an opinion….as a reviewer, you should know this.
The title of your article is extremely harsh as well. “Buyer Beware”? Really? Shouldn’t you reserve that for places that scam you out of your money? Nerd Block is a pretty reputable source and has hundreds of thousands of followers. Actually, you didn’t even buy the Blocks you reviewed.
You then go on to describe how all of the items are horrible, but apparently your friends all liked them because you also stated you’ve given them all away. So as said above you just didn’t like the items you received as opposed to this being a bad service. A professional reviewer would have made that distinction.
Lastly, you mentioned that you had the chance of getting a Burt Ward signature this month. Nope, incorrect again. It was Bruce Campbell, and if you’re going to say “well it’s the same thing” let me save you the trouble as it’s not. This is a review, where facts are important. Additionally, it’s a pretty big deal to be working with Bruce Campbell. Burt Ward is a totally different story.
This review, amongst a few others I’ve seen on here lately, have made GeekDad.com a place I hardly visit anymore. If you want to be taken seriously as a review website, I suggest you put on your big boy and big girl pants and actually spend 10 minutes doing research on what you’re reviewing.
As for the dirty product…sure, that sucks, but I think anyone with any sense can assume that if you’re moving 50,000 – 60,000 of multiple items, some of them are going to go out that perhaps shouldn’t. Things sneak past quality checks all the time…that’s why stores have returns. It was a dirty package, with a perfectly intact product…get over it.
This review comes across as less of a review and more of a Witch hunt. If I had to give a review for the GeekDad blog, it would be “GeekDad: Readers Beware”.
I would hope that you would at least have the decency to reach out to Nerd Block and apologize for this joke of a review, but admitting fault on the internet is like finding a needle in a haystack.
TL:DR – This review is full of inaccurate information. The reviewer spent no time at all researching the product they reviewed and should be embarrassed to have even posted this.
Wow, *someone* from Nerd Block PR was having a bad day, weren’t they?
I agree completely with you! I picked up on those errors too and instantly stopped taking anything I read as serious. Things I disgreed with this silly review 1) I get women’s fitted lg aka not unisex 2) it’s was Bruce Campbell!!! Not Burt Ward… Not even close to the same 3) I was pleasantly surprised and happy to get the Boo snap watch, I am looking forward to wearing it at ComiCon to know when it is time to head to sketch duels and talks 4) I like the non-theme because I don’t want to get a whole box of stuff I won’t like such as Doctor Who or Walking Dead. Getting random stuff in a random box, there’s a good chance of at least getting a few items I enjoy. Out of the whole Nov block, the Star Wars decals are the only thing I gave away an only because a friend at work is a big fan of Star Wars.
TLDR;
Major butthurt.
Wow perfectly put!! The geekdad review came off as negative biasad “review”. I get nerdblock and have never been upset. Talk about a person begging for attention by putting down a company who does good..
I love receiving classic nerd block and arcade block, there are usually some items I don’t like but there are items I do like in each box. I always have friends who are happy to have the ones I don’t like as the only reason I don’t like them is that I just never bothered with them in the past (that didn’t make any sense).
I’m not a nerd block user/subscriber nor a geekdad reader. As a matter of fact, the whole ‘how did I get here and why did I decide to care?’ is pretty unclear to me. But I guess that’s the beauty of the internet 😉 To be honest, the entire review hits me as a ‘if-we-rant-enough-we’ll-get-more-reads’ kind of piece. However, I felt the need to give you (Pete) some advice. So here it is: the next time you have the opportunity to actually WIN a discussion on the internet by saying ‘you’re wrong, you know you’re wrong, and here’s a link to the proof you know you’re wrong’, and can top that off with “YOUR OWN REVIEW”, just end it at that 😉 Those 4 sentences SLAYED the entire review, and killed any chance they had at recovering 😉 In fact, I’m still lolling about it, and I read it over 2 hours ago, but had to go to the grocery store before it closed, so I couldn’t respond right away 😛
So remember: next time you get a unique opportunity like that, take it, leave it at that, and shut down your computer and smartphone, because you’re done for the day! You’ve done the impossible and won the internet 😉
After reading the old review, I noticed something. The first box that they got, which they had nothing but nice things to say about, was not nearly as good as the one that they reviewed in this article. Reading the new article only made me want to buy nerdblock even more than I did before. The article, while not pleasantly put and containing numerous inaccuracies, did state that nerdblock kept their word. The boxes were each worth nearly triple what you pay for them and they are not themed other than being quite nerdy. Another thing that I wanted to point, out which is not quite related to your reply, is that the car with the junk on it should not have been sent in that condition, however, there is a reason that it was old. In the subscroption boxes, not just nerdblock, you often recieve collectables that can no longer be purchased. Hot wheels are usually more valuable to adults when they are old because, as adults, we don’t usually play with toy cars. We collect them. New hot wheels will eventually be collectables, but the old ones already are. They hold more value than the $0.97 hot wheels that you can go purchase at walmart.
This review by itself made me want to try nerdblock. I currently have the classic, comic and horror headed my way. Thank you!
The items & quality in this box concern me. Some are cute & look nice but the majority look cheap & not worth the postage. I will keep my money & do my shopping personally.
Perhaps you aren’t really a nerd, I have a family of four and we fight over who gets what! We share the t shirt, I get anything Star Wars, my kids each get every other plush toy! The mystery is the fun of it all! I have been very pleased and very exited about some items! The Jay and Silent Bob t shirt I got two months ago makes me the envy of all my nerd friends!
Did Nerd Block rape your mom or something? Geez-us.
Loot Crate and Nerd Block have some months which are “okay” and some months that are “super” but it all comes down to personal preference. That’s why all of these boxes and reviews exist: to let people decide what is right for them and what is not.
I review 30+ boxes a month and some are hits and misses. It comes down to personal preference. Essentially, we are paying the premium for the excitement/surprise. Everything right down to the packaging, the box, the tissue paper, the surprise/excitement, etc…we paid for it with our subscription money.
The author has a right to their opinion but it shouldn’t stop anyone from subscribing to what they like. This is just one of many different opinions.
I enjoy the thought of random, the thought you just don’t know what you are getting is an awsom thought, thing that bothers me is that even though it’s a canadian company in my own back yard of Alberta Canada, I got billed in USD, the initial was $19.99 Can, then on my bank statement it showed $40/USD, to me if its canadian company selling in candian dollars then it should be billed as canadian funds right??? If I shop down in the states I get billed for usd, on my statement it shows canadian funds then the usd. For supporting a canadian company is an A+ but to be charged in USD is a kick in the nuts. no thanks, If I’m being billed in USD then I should be shopping in the US. it’s all about the dollar n I know where all mine are going.
I’ve ordered the Classic for the last couple months for my 11 year old son, but we both enjoy receiving the boxes. Some months are better than others, but over all there are things we both enjoy. You have choices in t-shirt styles, but we get the unisex. My son loved the Deadpool tshirt, and he absolution loved the November block. It’s understandable that one isn’t always going to like items in the boxes, but your review is unnecessarily hateful and ultimately uninformed. It was a Bruce Campbell autograph, and while we didn’t get one, my sister and a friend did – and they were stoked. We don’t get the Jr. because it caters to much younger than 11, but in about 2 years I may order the girls for my daughter.
Your narrow mindedness and complete lack of understanding towards the blind box subscription “trend” is a cringe worthy read.
Cancelling is not easy sent 4 emails started right after the first box which was very poor for 35.00 a month shipping to me is 10 dollars. Still getting boxes finally got someone on facebook messenger said I should get no more boxes. I hope it is true the only box that was worth anything was the horror block.
I’m going to agree with the rest of the comments. The entire article sounds to me not like Nerd Block failed, but that you don’t like the idea of a surprise block. You critiqued every item and pouted about all of them.
The whole point of a surprise box, is that you don’t know what’s inside; if you were expecting specific to your liking, limited edition, object X and Y, this is not the service for you.
The entire point is the randomness. I’ve been a Nerd Block subscriber for 4 months now and quite enjoy it. Sure not everything inside is my favourite, but the girlfriend and I share the unboxing and split up the loot. The shirts have been awesome every month, that Hyrule whiteboard magnet set is on our fridge as his and her note pads, and the Aperture Science scarf I got in December was appropriate because it’s cold outside :).
My only gripe with Nerd Block is that they’re based in Canada, as am I, and yet they bill in USD.
Well for the most part, my 6 yo loves them. Still wearing her slap watch and Olaf has a place of honour in her bedroom 😉 it’s really more the excitement of getting a box every month just for her. She loves that.
Wow. You have no idea. That last pic looks like it was from booty bin. The beauty of loot crate is that you are not supposed to have a complete understanding of what is in it. Consistently, since I signed up, all of my friends have asked me if they could have a certain item from the current month. Same thing in the lootcrate. I get that there is some underwhelming items. But you get exactly what you pay for. Items of equal or more value. I’ve gotten the comic con dvd and sold it on ebay for more than the value of that months nerdblock and loot crate combined.
It’s a GRAB BAG. IF you dont like it, go buy toys the normal way. And by the way, there is such thing as a natural order of things. We all have instincts dating back to earliest humans, that do draw males to “boy” type play and toys, and also “girl” type play and toys. Ever heard of hormones? There are plenty of studies that support this. Re-occurring complaints about gender on this site have caused me to unsubscribe. People on this site are in the wrong business if the idea of gender based toys bothers them.
I subscribe to nerd block arcade, loot crate and collectible geek and have loved everything I get in them. My boyfriend also subscribes to nerd block classic. They send great collectibles every month and we love the surprise of opening them. If you want o pick and choose what you collectthen don’t subscribe to a grab bag.
I can say this much if you don’t like the items you get then you are not a true geek.
I read this as someone hoping Nerd Block reads the review and sends them another free (even better) set of boxes to try to makeup for their disappointment. The review is completely ridiculous.
All subscription boxes are the same idea, GRAB BAG, but when you start a subscription box service, you can’t possibly NOT know it’s a grab bag, and that there is a possibility that you will flat out hate everything in the box for that month. If this concept freaks you out? Don’t subscribe… but you may miss out on something awesome in a box that outweighs all the bad boxes.
With that said, it’s not really fair that you warn all Nerd Block buys to beware of Nerd Block (read paragraph above). All of these subscription box companies have loads of subscribers, and they can’t possibly meet the desires of ALL of their subscribers in one box. So you just eat the money it cost for the box, and wait for the next one, or cancel and possibly miss out on one of the greatest hauls EVER!
The whole idea of Nerd block in general is awsome, I live in Canada so on that note, how is it ok to buy something in canada in canadian funds then be billed in USD. I was originally charged $19.99 which is stated canadian then found it to be $40/usd
I am from Ireland and just signed up the Nerd Blocks Horror Block as a huge horror fan. i have watched countless online unboxings and they all. look. awesome. also, including shipping to ireland it will cost me 30 euro per month….ive added up the cost of the stuff from last months box and in ireland to buy everything in it would reach over 60 euro minimum if not closer to 75 euro. so these, in my opinion are definitely worth the money.
Seems like you are a major crybaby. I know my kids would love opening these boxes every month. You must be a very stuck up snobby family. Hopefully your kids grow up to respect things more than you do.
I just got the June crate and it was horrible. The only nerd thing in the box is the Dr who vinyl. Mr. Bean and his bear do NOT qualify as nerd themed and the shirt just says bored. It looks like it came from walmart. I’ll stick with loot crate
So, you’re the one who get’s to decide what is and isn’t nerdy? Ironically you don’t even know that the “Bored” shirt was from Sherlock, one of the bigger nerdy brands out there. Stop throwing stones in your glass house and you won’t look so stupid next time.
The stuff you get in horror block is definetly worth subscribing to. Even the “down” months have stuff I like.
Thanks for the main story. I was going to order but it was “PLUS SHIPPING” and I wanted an exact number so went to Google to read some more. Now I’m not even ordering.
Stuff looks to be nothing special.
I had a terrible experience with this company as well. I ordered a box for my son to try it out and I guess the very next day was the re-order day so within a couple of days I was charged twice. The first box arrived and it was full of junk. One item was broken, the shirt was adult size not kid sized – my son who can buy stuff in the dollar store and be happy was upset. I contacted them to cancel and they were rude, made threats that are completely untrue and beyond unprofessional. In Canada this box cost over $40 and the value was nowhere near that. I never received the second box I was charged for and they finally refunded me my money a month later after their threats. No more subscription boxes for my son!
Wow, it is so absurd to see all these negative comments about someone’s personal opinion. If you don’t agree with their opinion then fine, explain why it is that you like the product. But don’t call the reviewer biased (how an opinion can be biased I have no idea) or make an arrogant point-by-point rebuttal of all their points. It seems to me that you just don’t want someone else saying the thing you like to buy is a waste of money and you need to reaffirm your belief that your spending habits are acceptable.
GeekMom is of course entitled to her opinion, but what rubbed me wrong about this review were the factual errors, like claiming the shirts “only come in unisex sizes” when NerdBlock is one of the few geek subscription box companies that offers their shirts in ladies’ fitted versions. That’s unfair to NerdBlock and it’s difficult to take the review seriously after that. This review boils down to “inaccurate information, false information, misleading information, oh, and I didn’t care for the stuff in the box.”
(I, on the other hand, looked at some of those pictures and thought, “Holy crap, that stuff is AWESOME and my kids would love that!”)
The only valid point was the addendum about the dirty Hot Wheels car, and that was contributed by someone else.
And no, I don’t need reassurance that my spending habits are acceptable. I’ve only just recently signed up for a Nerd Block Jr. for girls and if the box sucks, it will be the only box we get.
what is absurd is that this reviewer got TWO mystery boxes for FREE, makes an uninformed review (i use that word loosely) and is shitting all over the place because the items are not in their favor. and all that after they were happy with a box of nerd block they recieved almost a year before this review. this blogs only reason of existance is to generate drama for clicks. and who are you, ryan, to say what spending habits are acceptable and which not? a review should be objectiv and not biased by personal preferences.
I use to be partnered with Nerd Block for Horror Block and Arcade Block for a few months and I felt bad to promote them sometimes in the low quality of blocks I got and the condition things came. Working with people on the inside of the company, I’ve found out a lot of people where let go and I started to think this might of been the cause of the crappy blocks.
If you got a ten year old hot wheels, I would not be BITCHING! Especially in the box!!! Dirty or not, look at how much ones go for from McDonald’s long ago!!! Not only that but it’s for “collectors”! People who hold onto things for a long time to sell or trade later on, I’m not an offensive person, but I don’t think you should call yourself “Geronimo” or geek anything as you clearly know not very much about things of that nature, instead…maybe you should be “whiny mom” …like others have also stated, you knew it was a surprise bog, if it’s arcade…that’s the theme…arcade items! Not one certain type..like tmnt per say…it’s a freak in surprise box and they too also have to make money for putting it together, finding the stuff, you know..like normal working people! Please next time you post a bad review…do research first..not everything is about what it costs now…but down the road..smh
I find it hard to believe that you actually consider Loot Crate the better buy. Loot Crate does not guarantee a shirt every month, unlike the non-kid versions of Nerd Block, and almost every Loot Crate I received was full of little more than stickers/coupons/candy and other worthless dollarstore items. Granted, everyone gets to make their own choice on something like a subscription box, but at least be a little less biased in your review of your FREE items. Nerd Block, just like Loot Crate, has months that are hit or miss – EVERY subscription box has that. I was subscribed to both Nerd Block and Loot Crate, and for the cost, find Nerd Block not only the better buy, but it’s items overall far better than Loot Crate’s. Now the only time I subscribe to Loot Crate is when they have a Funko figure (few and far between). As for the cancellation process – the fact that you had to go to the FAQ page and get an email address does not, in fact, make the process “difficult”; I’m pretty sure the only thing that made that difficult was you.
Sad to say I’m very disappointed unlike other people I was very happy with the items I was receiving but I had to cut costs so I cancelled. I did not receive my September horror block until october and had to send 4 emails before I got a reply. there was no update on my account so I had no tracking number and once I finally received my box it was not aliens themed it only had an alien vinyl toy the rest was typical horror block stuff. I have not received my October block so i’m starting the process again. I fear it will be the same for November as well. Never had a problem until I cancelled. I guess they don’t care about returning customers (I did plan on renewing in the future). Although I raved about how much I loved nerd block I can no longer recommend a company that doesn’t give you what you paid for.
Nerd block is just being hard to work with on my issue because doing so makes them more money in the short run. Obviously I did not know I had a renewing 6-month subscription which is why I contacted them to cancel it. They were unable to initially charge my account because my card expired and I had removed my charge card info from my profile. I contacted them after they unsuccessfully tried to charge me and requested they cancel any further Nerd blocks. They refused and found a way to get the charge to complete. I realize one Nerd Block may had already shipped and I would be OK with that.. BUT the fact that they can’t cancel 5 more months of Nerd Block is just BAD BUSINESS. I liked Nerd Blocks but after this experience, which is similar to others I have heard now, I will never do business with this company ever again. I will also tell everyone I know about the bad experience. Happy customer tell all of their friends. Dissatisfied customer tell everyone they know. BAD BUSINESS NERD BLOCK!
So…you decided to not read what you were signing up for, and then got mad at them when they wouldn’t alter the rules to be in your favour? I think this is less of a case of bad business, and more of a case of a bad customer.
I bought a nerd block in October, it is now January and not only have I not recieved a single item, they are refusing to refund my money even though their records don’t show that they sent me anything!
I ordered a arcade box in Nov for my grandson for christmas I was told late Dec I would be getting a box after Dec 25 it is now Jan 4 and still no box. Today I was in an email battle with these people as they have no phone number. I was given a tracking number that said the package was due to ship Dec 17 yet UPS said they never got it. I again emailed a total of 8 and was advised it goes over the border and through customs and is probably stuck someplace. I asked for a refund and was advised since the package had left. …when they didn’t say ever. …then I would not get a refund and if after 30 days it didn’t arrive they would track it. Never was an I’m sorry said. This company is pathetic. Try Lootcrate my younger son has had it 2 years with zero problems and they are $10 cheaper!
Just a warning to anyone wanting to get a nerd box. DONT USE NERD BLOCK, or any of their blocks. I cancelled the horror block on January 8th due to having to shut down my CC because of fraud. I hit the cancel button and all seemed to be good, till i received and email telling me they were trying to bill me. It would seem that if you can find and click a cancel button you dont get the full story. They expect you to go to the help page first to find out there are cancellation deadlines thay are EARLIER than the billing date. So I told them I would not be giving them my new card information and a short while later they managed to CHARGE MY ACCOUNT and refuse to refund anything. And now they are ignoring me. Please share this to anyone you know that may want to sub to them.
OKAY CHECK THIS OUT>I really liked horror block thought it was fun and exciting but what happened was I bought a block in dec for 21$ because of the promo 10$ off.. got my block ..fine cool– then in jan I saw they had a promo again.. very cool I bought that one then they charged me twice for the SAME BOX!!! WHAT!!!?!?! THEN THIS MONTH ON FEB 10TH THEY CHARGED ME FOR TWO MORE OF THE ((SAME BLOCK)) WHAT IN THE LIVING HELL REALLY?? THIS HAS TO STOP I AM CONTACTING A LAWYER TO RESOLVE THIS ANYONE THAT HAS HAD ANY ISSUES WITH ANY NERD BLOCK PLEASE CONTACT ME I AM PUTTING TOGTHER A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!! EMAIL> MUSICALMADDNESSDOEBOY@YAHOO.COM PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPEND AND YOUR Experience WITH NERDBLOCK and GEEKDAD GET EM THEY DESERVE TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS!!!!!!
They are horrible and not legitimate. I think they might be a “dine and dash” type of company. They won’t be able to sustain themselves with this kind of business model. FYI if your box is sealed/unopened you might be able to offload on eBay. I plan to when my newest, unwanted block arrives. I consider the $ they took from me this month borderline stolen.
They’re a completely legit company who works with tons of celebrities. Wtf are you talking about? Dine and dash? They’re going on 3 years strong now and have just signed on with Comic Con to do official boxes.
Get real.
In case you haven’t noticed on their website, you don’t just “buy one box.” You buy the box and the subscription automatically renews. It says so right on the page when you buy it. So when you bought the second one with a promo, you started a second subscription for the same box.
I agree! You have to cancel more than a month out or you will receive another block. This is NOT well disclosed on receipts or their website. They are predatory and have the customer service skills of numbskulls- caveat emptor with this shady company.
This is right from the website. Seems pretty simple (not that I have any intention of cancelling!).
Simply log into your account and open the subscription details link from the select drop down menu. Choose the suspend/cancellation option at the bottom of the page and then select to suspend forever. Your subscription will be cancelled based on the following cancellation deadlines.
Block
Cancel Deadline
Classic/Junior Boys/Junior Girls
Midnight (24:00 ET) on the 24th
Arcade/Horror/Comic
Midnight (24:00 ET) on the 4th
Sci-Fi Midnight (24:00 ET) on the 14th
For example, if you wish to cancel a February Classic block, you must submit your cancellation request by midnight (Eastern Time) on January 24.
For a February Horror block, you must submit your request by midnight on February 4.
For a February Sci-Fi block, you must submit your request by midnight on January 14.
Please note that once a payment has processed, all sales are final.
Once you cancel, you will receive email confirmation of your cancellation. Please hold onto this email for your records.
Ahh, I get it. You didn’t read anything when you signed up, and now you’re mad because of a mistake YOU made.
Seems to me that you’re on of those “always the victim” type of lower educated people.
Anytime I hear someone call out a legit company as a “scam”, I completely dismiss their argument.
Good luck in life. If you can’t even read the POSTED rules BEFORE you sign up, then it is you who’s at fault.
Actually it’s very well disclosed on the site. It’s basically the first thing under their help center.
You must have a difficult time reading.
Jack – that response is ridiculous. You must be a troll. That being said, NO I did not look in the help section prior to purchasing the block and actually thought I was purchasing a one-time trial. While I should have known better, it isn’t well disclosed and this is a legitimate grievance. The company is unapologetic for claiming it takes them over a month to honor cancellations. This isn’t good customer service and it warrants them exploring the clarity of their terms. Whether or not I am well educated or dumb as a brick really does not matter when it comes to reasonable and fair policies.
I bought the Geek and Sundry nerd block which was garbage.
For all the “wow you really don’t get the blind box concept” or “you are just butthurt” comments out there lemme share this. A co-worker turned me on to Nerd Block. After seeing what he got in his Comic box I thought I’d check it out. I saw the Jr. box and read the description etc. I thought wow this would rock for my 10 y/o so I ordered it up. We just received our first box. It was a COMPLETE JOKE. Shit that you would get at a dollar store or as a prize bag from a friends birthday party. Only one item even resembled the goods described or the quality I saw in the Comic box. I realize the Jr. box is ‘less expensive’ but seriously it was a flat out joke. So as you bang on this review I stand by this. The Jr. box blew chow and for the $20 after shipping I spent on it my kid looked at it for 15 seconds never opened one item and walked away. We are a heavy Nerd family as well so piss off with any ‘you aren’t a real Nerd’ comments. I totally felt taken advantage of and ridiculous in buying into the hype. Other boxes may be fine I don’t know but the Jr. box is complete bullshit.
I bought a girls box once. Barbie and Shopkins. Nothing nerdy about either one, so I was very disappointed. But, I’m on staff at a convention, and we threw what I didn’t want or give away into the charity auction and got a few bucks off it, so I guess it works out in the end. I still won’t probably buy one ever again.
I buy a box
Im aware of the price
I click to subscribe knowing i may or may not like it.
I enjoyed the anticipation up to opening the box.
I find the mystery worth a few dollars and having something to look forward too nice.
They send things that in time will possibly have value even if its only the one item in the box.
If im disappointed i realize i made the decision knowing i might feel its not worth it, but I dont care. Over it.
It’s just how we choose to look at it.
I have both a classic and horror block subscription, and in the 6 months I haven’t been thrilled by either of them yet. With international shipping an conversion, it works out pretty expense junk.
I still haven’t received my September horror block and doubt I ever will. After numerous emails, they finally responded saying it’s DHL’s fault and lost in transit, They refuse to do anything. So there goes money on a block that Ill probably never receive. No refund, no compensation and no follow up.
Then for the October block, they advertise the Freddy from nightmare on elm street hip flask to be included. So deciding to keep my subscription going just for this. Guess what, they omitted it from the box. That’s fraud.
However, overall there have been 1 or 2 items that were pretty good. Yet there are better companies out there. Cancelling my Nerd block Subscription and going elsewhere now.
I had nothing but problems with nerd block. They sent me the wrong block on my first month. Then they refused to correct it. Talk about disappointment. That’s after waiting a month for shipping. I wasn’t interested in the block I was mistakenly sent. However it wouldn’t really have mattered because the only item worth anything is the t-shirt. Everything else was cheap low quality so I cancelled. They sent me an email saying it would cancel on November 9th, which I thought was weird because it’s a week away. I figured it must be an attempt to make me stay another month. A couple hours went by and they charged my card for two more blocks. Two! I had to dispute the charges and cancel my debit card. Customer service is a joke. They basically say oh well, tough shit. I’m still waiting for my refund for the disputed charges through my bank. Thankfully fifth third had my back. Buyer beware with nerd block.
I had a bad experience with Nerd Block / Horror Block too.
I ordered a box, based on the items they said there will be in the box.
Later on they decided to change the box content completely to a different theme.
I asked to cancel my order, and all they had to say was “NO REFUNDS!” (I must add that the box hasn’t been sent yet)
And which items do they send you ask? A board game piece, minus the board game. A sock, A pin, DVD of low rated horror movies no one ever heard of…
Horror Block is scam.
This is exactly how I feel about LootCrate (minus the merchandise being old and filthy, at least). They’re slow to stop billing, and don’t make it particularly easy to do.
So you clearly got more than the value you paid for it, but are just unhappy with the items…. sounds more to me like the problem is you want specific items….. stick to buying single items in stores or amazon you mouth breather. Obviously the idea of a blind box is you never know what you’re going to get. I’m a huge TMNT fan but know most of the items are never tmnt, do I cry about it and complain on a blog about it. No! You find forums and groups you can trade collectables for things you want. Or like I stated earlier, clearly you had a pre cognitive idea of what you wanted to receive (whether its was Marvel, Nintendo, Star Wars etc.) And there in lies your issue.
What Guts says sounds about right to me…also…cancellation process on Nerd Block is super easy. I Started Nerd Block in Sept. First box was awesome and I have some great stocking stuffers. Cancelled the next month and picked it up again in Nov. It’s as easy as emailing the word CANCEL to the address for the box you are getting. As long as you send it before the current subscription date is up ( the 15th for classic block) you will not be charged. Simple. I just got Dec. and I got a Val Kilmer autograph on a willow picture…so happy with the Dec. block! They sent two shirts this month too!
i totally agree with jc i also got the december block it was amazing 2 shirts sighned photo and a little gremlins plush (gizmo)
geekmom should just stop complaining she obviously would of had to put some time into researching them to know they werent scams she would of had to of known it was a blind box
They have a TMNT nerd block!!!
I subscribed to Nerd Block for six months. I had to quit because I was cutting expenses. Some months were good some were bland. The last one I got was the Kevin Smith October box with Agent Clouson’s Vintage Captain Cards and a Funko Deadpool.
I have been pleased with nerd block and agree with guts on this. I have gotten the passed several months and have been very happy. Loot crate on the other hand sucked in comparison to nerd block but to each his own.
Unfortunately your wrong. you didnt do much of a job of attacking his real argument.. which is that it is a total ripoff especially when you add in shipping costs. the shipping is more than two thirds of the cost of the crate when you buy a 12 month sub. once you add in exhange rates, it would have cost me around $382 canadian to get a 12 month sub. so 31.83 when the contents are usually just junk.. i wish they would focus more on limited edition stuff. even if that means there is less in the box.
But i hope no one listens to you anyways.. since you apparently have a job that allows for you to do nothing except waste time and essentially steal money. people that work hard for their money, value it a little more than those that do not.
This review is wildly inaccurate and shows a lack of any type of research on the reviewers side…and that gets under my skin. When I see a website that wants to have a voice, clearly misinterpreting the information, I feel it’s my right to say something.
I’ll just dissect this review in order so it makes sense (ps, I have lots of spare time at work today):
In the first sentence you stated “Nerd Block is one of the newest mystery box subscriptions to hit the internet.”. Well, that’s incorrect. Nerd Block is the second after Loot Crate, and GeekDad/GeekMom you yourself already reviewed Nerd Block on December 19th, 2013…almost 1 year ago. Did you forget about that? You loved them when you reviewed them last. Here’s the link to your own review (http://geekdad.com/2013/12/gifts-keep-giving/)…yep, YOUR OWN REVIEW.
You then go on to say “The shirts only come in unisex sizes”…no, they don’t. I get mine in fitted mens, and my wife gets hers in fitted womens. Again, you didn’t do any research on this.
“The boxes had no theme to them”…ok, but Nerd Block has stated time and time again that they don’t theme. Since that’s the case, why are you holding this against them? If you’re going to review them in comparison to Loot Crate (who themes) then you need to state that at some point in your review. You can’t arbitrarily expect people to know that the box’s theme is a thing or not.
“Why would they put a slap watch in an adults box?”…At first I thought “maybe I’m the only one who, as an adult, liked the slap watch?”…then I did a quick check on Instagram to gauge people’s reactions to the box and in all fairness the slap watch and the mug were a huge hit. There’s a lot of pictures of people’s wrists just wearing the watch. So, GeekDad, thank you for your thoughts on how we should all feel with regards to the slap watch, but you certainly don’t speak for me or everyone else who liked it. What you’re stating as fact is an opinion….as a reviewer, you should know this.
The title of your article is extremely harsh as well. “Buyer Beware”? Really? Shouldn’t you reserve that for places that scam you out of your money? Nerd Block is a pretty reputable source and has hundreds of thousands of followers. Actually, you didn’t even buy the Blocks you reviewed.
You then go on to describe how all of the items are horrible, but apparently your friends all liked them because you also stated you’ve given them all away. So as said above you just didn’t like the items you received as opposed to this being a bad service. A professional reviewer would have made that distinction.
Lastly, you mentioned that you had the chance of getting a Burt Ward signature this month. Nope, incorrect again. It was Bruce Campbell, and if you’re going to say “well it’s the same thing” let me save you the trouble as it’s not. This is a review, where facts are important. Additionally, it’s a pretty big deal to be working with Bruce Campbell. Burt Ward is a totally different story.
This review, amongst a few others I’ve seen on here lately, have made GeekDad.com a place I hardly visit anymore. If you want to be taken seriously as a review website, I suggest you put on your big boy and big girl pants and actually spend 10 minutes doing research on what you’re reviewing.
As for the dirty product…sure, that sucks, but I think anyone with any sense can assume that if you’re moving 50,000 – 60,000 of multiple items, some of them are going to go out that perhaps shouldn’t. Things sneak past quality checks all the time…that’s why stores have returns. It was a dirty package, with a perfectly intact product…get over it.
This review comes across as less of a review and more of a Witch hunt. If I had to give a review for the GeekDad blog, it would be “GeekDad: Readers Beware”.
I would hope that you would at least have the decency to reach out to Nerd Block and apologize for this joke of a review, but admitting fault on the internet is like finding a needle in a haystack.
TL:DR – This review is full of inaccurate information. The reviewer spent no time at all researching the product they reviewed and should be embarrassed to have even posted this.
Wow, *someone* from Nerd Block PR was having a bad day, weren’t they?
I agree completely with you! I picked up on those errors too and instantly stopped taking anything I read as serious. Things I disgreed with this silly review 1) I get women’s fitted lg aka not unisex 2) it’s was Bruce Campbell!!! Not Burt Ward… Not even close to the same 3) I was pleasantly surprised and happy to get the Boo snap watch, I am looking forward to wearing it at ComiCon to know when it is time to head to sketch duels and talks 4) I like the non-theme because I don’t want to get a whole box of stuff I won’t like such as Doctor Who or Walking Dead. Getting random stuff in a random box, there’s a good chance of at least getting a few items I enjoy. Out of the whole Nov block, the Star Wars decals are the only thing I gave away an only because a friend at work is a big fan of Star Wars.
TLDR;
Major butthurt.
Wow perfectly put!! The geekdad review came off as negative biasad “review”. I get nerdblock and have never been upset. Talk about a person begging for attention by putting down a company who does good..
I love receiving classic nerd block and arcade block, there are usually some items I don’t like but there are items I do like in each box. I always have friends who are happy to have the ones I don’t like as the only reason I don’t like them is that I just never bothered with them in the past (that didn’t make any sense).
I’m not a nerd block user/subscriber nor a geekdad reader. As a matter of fact, the whole ‘how did I get here and why did I decide to care?’ is pretty unclear to me. But I guess that’s the beauty of the internet 😉 To be honest, the entire review hits me as a ‘if-we-rant-enough-we’ll-get-more-reads’ kind of piece. However, I felt the need to give you (Pete) some advice. So here it is: the next time you have the opportunity to actually WIN a discussion on the internet by saying ‘you’re wrong, you know you’re wrong, and here’s a link to the proof you know you’re wrong’, and can top that off with “YOUR OWN REVIEW”, just end it at that 😉 Those 4 sentences SLAYED the entire review, and killed any chance they had at recovering 😉 In fact, I’m still lolling about it, and I read it over 2 hours ago, but had to go to the grocery store before it closed, so I couldn’t respond right away 😛
So remember: next time you get a unique opportunity like that, take it, leave it at that, and shut down your computer and smartphone, because you’re done for the day! You’ve done the impossible and won the internet 😉
After reading the old review, I noticed something. The first box that they got, which they had nothing but nice things to say about, was not nearly as good as the one that they reviewed in this article. Reading the new article only made me want to buy nerdblock even more than I did before. The article, while not pleasantly put and containing numerous inaccuracies, did state that nerdblock kept their word. The boxes were each worth nearly triple what you pay for them and they are not themed other than being quite nerdy. Another thing that I wanted to point, out which is not quite related to your reply, is that the car with the junk on it should not have been sent in that condition, however, there is a reason that it was old. In the subscroption boxes, not just nerdblock, you often recieve collectables that can no longer be purchased. Hot wheels are usually more valuable to adults when they are old because, as adults, we don’t usually play with toy cars. We collect them. New hot wheels will eventually be collectables, but the old ones already are. They hold more value than the $0.97 hot wheels that you can go purchase at walmart.
This review by itself made me want to try nerdblock. I currently have the classic, comic and horror headed my way. Thank you!
The items & quality in this box concern me. Some are cute & look nice but the majority look cheap & not worth the postage. I will keep my money & do my shopping personally.
Perhaps you aren’t really a nerd, I have a family of four and we fight over who gets what! We share the t shirt, I get anything Star Wars, my kids each get every other plush toy! The mystery is the fun of it all! I have been very pleased and very exited about some items! The Jay and Silent Bob t shirt I got two months ago makes me the envy of all my nerd friends!
Did Nerd Block rape your mom or something? Geez-us.
Loot Crate and Nerd Block have some months which are “okay” and some months that are “super” but it all comes down to personal preference. That’s why all of these boxes and reviews exist: to let people decide what is right for them and what is not.
I review 30+ boxes a month and some are hits and misses. It comes down to personal preference. Essentially, we are paying the premium for the excitement/surprise. Everything right down to the packaging, the box, the tissue paper, the surprise/excitement, etc…we paid for it with our subscription money.
The author has a right to their opinion but it shouldn’t stop anyone from subscribing to what they like. This is just one of many different opinions.
I enjoy the thought of random, the thought you just don’t know what you are getting is an awsom thought, thing that bothers me is that even though it’s a canadian company in my own back yard of Alberta Canada, I got billed in USD, the initial was $19.99 Can, then on my bank statement it showed $40/USD, to me if its canadian company selling in candian dollars then it should be billed as canadian funds right??? If I shop down in the states I get billed for usd, on my statement it shows canadian funds then the usd. For supporting a canadian company is an A+ but to be charged in USD is a kick in the nuts. no thanks, If I’m being billed in USD then I should be shopping in the US. it’s all about the dollar n I know where all mine are going.
I’ve ordered the Classic for the last couple months for my 11 year old son, but we both enjoy receiving the boxes. Some months are better than others, but over all there are things we both enjoy. You have choices in t-shirt styles, but we get the unisex. My son loved the Deadpool tshirt, and he absolution loved the November block. It’s understandable that one isn’t always going to like items in the boxes, but your review is unnecessarily hateful and ultimately uninformed. It was a Bruce Campbell autograph, and while we didn’t get one, my sister and a friend did – and they were stoked. We don’t get the Jr. because it caters to much younger than 11, but in about 2 years I may order the girls for my daughter.
Your narrow mindedness and complete lack of understanding towards the blind box subscription “trend” is a cringe worthy read.
Cancelling is not easy sent 4 emails started right after the first box which was very poor for 35.00 a month shipping to me is 10 dollars. Still getting boxes finally got someone on facebook messenger said I should get no more boxes. I hope it is true the only box that was worth anything was the horror block.
I’m going to agree with the rest of the comments. The entire article sounds to me not like Nerd Block failed, but that you don’t like the idea of a surprise block. You critiqued every item and pouted about all of them.
The whole point of a surprise box, is that you don’t know what’s inside; if you were expecting specific to your liking, limited edition, object X and Y, this is not the service for you.
The entire point is the randomness. I’ve been a Nerd Block subscriber for 4 months now and quite enjoy it. Sure not everything inside is my favourite, but the girlfriend and I share the unboxing and split up the loot. The shirts have been awesome every month, that Hyrule whiteboard magnet set is on our fridge as his and her note pads, and the Aperture Science scarf I got in December was appropriate because it’s cold outside :).
My only gripe with Nerd Block is that they’re based in Canada, as am I, and yet they bill in USD.
Well for the most part, my 6 yo loves them. Still wearing her slap watch and Olaf has a place of honour in her bedroom 😉 it’s really more the excitement of getting a box every month just for her. She loves that.
Wow. You have no idea. That last pic looks like it was from booty bin. The beauty of loot crate is that you are not supposed to have a complete understanding of what is in it. Consistently, since I signed up, all of my friends have asked me if they could have a certain item from the current month. Same thing in the lootcrate. I get that there is some underwhelming items. But you get exactly what you pay for. Items of equal or more value. I’ve gotten the comic con dvd and sold it on ebay for more than the value of that months nerdblock and loot crate combined.
It’s a GRAB BAG. IF you dont like it, go buy toys the normal way. And by the way, there is such thing as a natural order of things. We all have instincts dating back to earliest humans, that do draw males to “boy” type play and toys, and also “girl” type play and toys. Ever heard of hormones? There are plenty of studies that support this. Re-occurring complaints about gender on this site have caused me to unsubscribe. People on this site are in the wrong business if the idea of gender based toys bothers them.
I subscribe to nerd block arcade, loot crate and collectible geek and have loved everything I get in them. My boyfriend also subscribes to nerd block classic. They send great collectibles every month and we love the surprise of opening them. If you want o pick and choose what you collectthen don’t subscribe to a grab bag.
I can say this much if you don’t like the items you get then you are not a true geek.
I read this as someone hoping Nerd Block reads the review and sends them another free (even better) set of boxes to try to makeup for their disappointment. The review is completely ridiculous.
All subscription boxes are the same idea, GRAB BAG, but when you start a subscription box service, you can’t possibly NOT know it’s a grab bag, and that there is a possibility that you will flat out hate everything in the box for that month. If this concept freaks you out? Don’t subscribe… but you may miss out on something awesome in a box that outweighs all the bad boxes.
With that said, it’s not really fair that you warn all Nerd Block buys to beware of Nerd Block (read paragraph above). All of these subscription box companies have loads of subscribers, and they can’t possibly meet the desires of ALL of their subscribers in one box. So you just eat the money it cost for the box, and wait for the next one, or cancel and possibly miss out on one of the greatest hauls EVER!
The whole idea of Nerd block in general is awsome, I live in Canada so on that note, how is it ok to buy something in canada in canadian funds then be billed in USD. I was originally charged $19.99 which is stated canadian then found it to be $40/usd
I am from Ireland and just signed up the Nerd Blocks Horror Block as a huge horror fan. i have watched countless online unboxings and they all. look. awesome. also, including shipping to ireland it will cost me 30 euro per month….ive added up the cost of the stuff from last months box and in ireland to buy everything in it would reach over 60 euro minimum if not closer to 75 euro. so these, in my opinion are definitely worth the money.
Seems like you are a major crybaby. I know my kids would love opening these boxes every month. You must be a very stuck up snobby family. Hopefully your kids grow up to respect things more than you do.
I just got the June crate and it was horrible. The only nerd thing in the box is the Dr who vinyl. Mr. Bean and his bear do NOT qualify as nerd themed and the shirt just says bored. It looks like it came from walmart. I’ll stick with loot crate
So, you’re the one who get’s to decide what is and isn’t nerdy? Ironically you don’t even know that the “Bored” shirt was from Sherlock, one of the bigger nerdy brands out there. Stop throwing stones in your glass house and you won’t look so stupid next time.
The stuff you get in horror block is definetly worth subscribing to. Even the “down” months have stuff I like.
Thanks for the main story. I was going to order but it was “PLUS SHIPPING” and I wanted an exact number so went to Google to read some more. Now I’m not even ordering.
Stuff looks to be nothing special.
I had a terrible experience with this company as well. I ordered a box for my son to try it out and I guess the very next day was the re-order day so within a couple of days I was charged twice. The first box arrived and it was full of junk. One item was broken, the shirt was adult size not kid sized – my son who can buy stuff in the dollar store and be happy was upset. I contacted them to cancel and they were rude, made threats that are completely untrue and beyond unprofessional. In Canada this box cost over $40 and the value was nowhere near that. I never received the second box I was charged for and they finally refunded me my money a month later after their threats. No more subscription boxes for my son!
Wow, it is so absurd to see all these negative comments about someone’s personal opinion. If you don’t agree with their opinion then fine, explain why it is that you like the product. But don’t call the reviewer biased (how an opinion can be biased I have no idea) or make an arrogant point-by-point rebuttal of all their points. It seems to me that you just don’t want someone else saying the thing you like to buy is a waste of money and you need to reaffirm your belief that your spending habits are acceptable.
GeekMom is of course entitled to her opinion, but what rubbed me wrong about this review were the factual errors, like claiming the shirts “only come in unisex sizes” when NerdBlock is one of the few geek subscription box companies that offers their shirts in ladies’ fitted versions. That’s unfair to NerdBlock and it’s difficult to take the review seriously after that. This review boils down to “inaccurate information, false information, misleading information, oh, and I didn’t care for the stuff in the box.”
(I, on the other hand, looked at some of those pictures and thought, “Holy crap, that stuff is AWESOME and my kids would love that!”)
The only valid point was the addendum about the dirty Hot Wheels car, and that was contributed by someone else.
And no, I don’t need reassurance that my spending habits are acceptable. I’ve only just recently signed up for a Nerd Block Jr. for girls and if the box sucks, it will be the only box we get.
what is absurd is that this reviewer got TWO mystery boxes for FREE, makes an uninformed review (i use that word loosely) and is shitting all over the place because the items are not in their favor. and all that after they were happy with a box of nerd block they recieved almost a year before this review. this blogs only reason of existance is to generate drama for clicks. and who are you, ryan, to say what spending habits are acceptable and which not? a review should be objectiv and not biased by personal preferences.
I use to be partnered with Nerd Block for Horror Block and Arcade Block for a few months and I felt bad to promote them sometimes in the low quality of blocks I got and the condition things came. Working with people on the inside of the company, I’ve found out a lot of people where let go and I started to think this might of been the cause of the crappy blocks.
If you got a ten year old hot wheels, I would not be BITCHING! Especially in the box!!! Dirty or not, look at how much ones go for from McDonald’s long ago!!! Not only that but it’s for “collectors”! People who hold onto things for a long time to sell or trade later on, I’m not an offensive person, but I don’t think you should call yourself “Geronimo” or geek anything as you clearly know not very much about things of that nature, instead…maybe you should be “whiny mom” …like others have also stated, you knew it was a surprise bog, if it’s arcade…that’s the theme…arcade items! Not one certain type..like tmnt per say…it’s a freak in surprise box and they too also have to make money for putting it together, finding the stuff, you know..like normal working people! Please next time you post a bad review…do research first..not everything is about what it costs now…but down the road..smh
I find it hard to believe that you actually consider Loot Crate the better buy. Loot Crate does not guarantee a shirt every month, unlike the non-kid versions of Nerd Block, and almost every Loot Crate I received was full of little more than stickers/coupons/candy and other worthless dollarstore items. Granted, everyone gets to make their own choice on something like a subscription box, but at least be a little less biased in your review of your FREE items. Nerd Block, just like Loot Crate, has months that are hit or miss – EVERY subscription box has that. I was subscribed to both Nerd Block and Loot Crate, and for the cost, find Nerd Block not only the better buy, but it’s items overall far better than Loot Crate’s. Now the only time I subscribe to Loot Crate is when they have a Funko figure (few and far between). As for the cancellation process – the fact that you had to go to the FAQ page and get an email address does not, in fact, make the process “difficult”; I’m pretty sure the only thing that made that difficult was you.
Sad to say I’m very disappointed unlike other people I was very happy with the items I was receiving but I had to cut costs so I cancelled. I did not receive my September horror block until october and had to send 4 emails before I got a reply. there was no update on my account so I had no tracking number and once I finally received my box it was not aliens themed it only had an alien vinyl toy the rest was typical horror block stuff. I have not received my October block so i’m starting the process again. I fear it will be the same for November as well. Never had a problem until I cancelled. I guess they don’t care about returning customers (I did plan on renewing in the future). Although I raved about how much I loved nerd block I can no longer recommend a company that doesn’t give you what you paid for.
Nerd block is just being hard to work with on my issue because doing so makes them more money in the short run. Obviously I did not know I had a renewing 6-month subscription which is why I contacted them to cancel it. They were unable to initially charge my account because my card expired and I had removed my charge card info from my profile. I contacted them after they unsuccessfully tried to charge me and requested they cancel any further Nerd blocks. They refused and found a way to get the charge to complete. I realize one Nerd Block may had already shipped and I would be OK with that.. BUT the fact that they can’t cancel 5 more months of Nerd Block is just BAD BUSINESS. I liked Nerd Blocks but after this experience, which is similar to others I have heard now, I will never do business with this company ever again. I will also tell everyone I know about the bad experience. Happy customer tell all of their friends. Dissatisfied customer tell everyone they know. BAD BUSINESS NERD BLOCK!
So…you decided to not read what you were signing up for, and then got mad at them when they wouldn’t alter the rules to be in your favour? I think this is less of a case of bad business, and more of a case of a bad customer.
I bought a nerd block in October, it is now January and not only have I not recieved a single item, they are refusing to refund my money even though their records don’t show that they sent me anything!
I ordered a arcade box in Nov for my grandson for christmas I was told late Dec I would be getting a box after Dec 25 it is now Jan 4 and still no box. Today I was in an email battle with these people as they have no phone number. I was given a tracking number that said the package was due to ship Dec 17 yet UPS said they never got it. I again emailed a total of 8 and was advised it goes over the border and through customs and is probably stuck someplace. I asked for a refund and was advised since the package had left. …when they didn’t say ever. …then I would not get a refund and if after 30 days it didn’t arrive they would track it. Never was an I’m sorry said. This company is pathetic. Try Lootcrate my younger son has had it 2 years with zero problems and they are $10 cheaper!
Just a warning to anyone wanting to get a nerd box. DONT USE NERD BLOCK, or any of their blocks. I cancelled the horror block on January 8th due to having to shut down my CC because of fraud. I hit the cancel button and all seemed to be good, till i received and email telling me they were trying to bill me. It would seem that if you can find and click a cancel button you dont get the full story. They expect you to go to the help page first to find out there are cancellation deadlines thay are EARLIER than the billing date. So I told them I would not be giving them my new card information and a short while later they managed to CHARGE MY ACCOUNT and refuse to refund anything. And now they are ignoring me. Please share this to anyone you know that may want to sub to them.
OKAY CHECK THIS OUT>I really liked horror block thought it was fun and exciting but what happened was I bought a block in dec for 21$ because of the promo 10$ off.. got my block ..fine cool– then in jan I saw they had a promo again.. very cool I bought that one then they charged me twice for the SAME BOX!!! WHAT!!!?!?! THEN THIS MONTH ON FEB 10TH THEY CHARGED ME FOR TWO MORE OF THE ((SAME BLOCK)) WHAT IN THE LIVING HELL REALLY?? THIS HAS TO STOP I AM CONTACTING A LAWYER TO RESOLVE THIS ANYONE THAT HAS HAD ANY ISSUES WITH ANY NERD BLOCK PLEASE CONTACT ME I AM PUTTING TOGTHER A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!! EMAIL> MUSICALMADDNESSDOEBOY@YAHOO.COM PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPEND AND YOUR Experience WITH NERDBLOCK and GEEKDAD GET EM THEY DESERVE TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS!!!!!!
They are horrible and not legitimate. I think they might be a “dine and dash” type of company. They won’t be able to sustain themselves with this kind of business model. FYI if your box is sealed/unopened you might be able to offload on eBay. I plan to when my newest, unwanted block arrives. I consider the $ they took from me this month borderline stolen.
They’re a completely legit company who works with tons of celebrities. Wtf are you talking about? Dine and dash? They’re going on 3 years strong now and have just signed on with Comic Con to do official boxes.
Get real.
In case you haven’t noticed on their website, you don’t just “buy one box.” You buy the box and the subscription automatically renews. It says so right on the page when you buy it. So when you bought the second one with a promo, you started a second subscription for the same box.
I agree! You have to cancel more than a month out or you will receive another block. This is NOT well disclosed on receipts or their website. They are predatory and have the customer service skills of numbskulls- caveat emptor with this shady company.
This is right from the website. Seems pretty simple (not that I have any intention of cancelling!).
Simply log into your account and open the subscription details link from the select drop down menu. Choose the suspend/cancellation option at the bottom of the page and then select to suspend forever. Your subscription will be cancelled based on the following cancellation deadlines.
Block
Cancel Deadline
Classic/Junior Boys/Junior Girls
Midnight (24:00 ET) on the 24th
Arcade/Horror/Comic
Midnight (24:00 ET) on the 4th
Sci-Fi Midnight (24:00 ET) on the 14th
For example, if you wish to cancel a February Classic block, you must submit your cancellation request by midnight (Eastern Time) on January 24.
For a February Horror block, you must submit your request by midnight on February 4.
For a February Sci-Fi block, you must submit your request by midnight on January 14.
Please note that once a payment has processed, all sales are final.
Once you cancel, you will receive email confirmation of your cancellation. Please hold onto this email for your records.
Ahh, I get it. You didn’t read anything when you signed up, and now you’re mad because of a mistake YOU made.
Seems to me that you’re on of those “always the victim” type of lower educated people.
Anytime I hear someone call out a legit company as a “scam”, I completely dismiss their argument.
Good luck in life. If you can’t even read the POSTED rules BEFORE you sign up, then it is you who’s at fault.
Actually it’s very well disclosed on the site. It’s basically the first thing under their help center.
You must have a difficult time reading.
Jack – that response is ridiculous. You must be a troll. That being said, NO I did not look in the help section prior to purchasing the block and actually thought I was purchasing a one-time trial. While I should have known better, it isn’t well disclosed and this is a legitimate grievance. The company is unapologetic for claiming it takes them over a month to honor cancellations. This isn’t good customer service and it warrants them exploring the clarity of their terms. Whether or not I am well educated or dumb as a brick really does not matter when it comes to reasonable and fair policies.
I bought the Geek and Sundry nerd block which was garbage.
For all the “wow you really don’t get the blind box concept” or “you are just butthurt” comments out there lemme share this. A co-worker turned me on to Nerd Block. After seeing what he got in his Comic box I thought I’d check it out. I saw the Jr. box and read the description etc. I thought wow this would rock for my 10 y/o so I ordered it up. We just received our first box. It was a COMPLETE JOKE. Shit that you would get at a dollar store or as a prize bag from a friends birthday party. Only one item even resembled the goods described or the quality I saw in the Comic box. I realize the Jr. box is ‘less expensive’ but seriously it was a flat out joke. So as you bang on this review I stand by this. The Jr. box blew chow and for the $20 after shipping I spent on it my kid looked at it for 15 seconds never opened one item and walked away. We are a heavy Nerd family as well so piss off with any ‘you aren’t a real Nerd’ comments. I totally felt taken advantage of and ridiculous in buying into the hype. Other boxes may be fine I don’t know but the Jr. box is complete bullshit.
I bought a girls box once. Barbie and Shopkins. Nothing nerdy about either one, so I was very disappointed. But, I’m on staff at a convention, and we threw what I didn’t want or give away into the charity auction and got a few bucks off it, so I guess it works out in the end. I still won’t probably buy one ever again.
I buy a box
Im aware of the price
I click to subscribe knowing i may or may not like it.
I enjoyed the anticipation up to opening the box.
I find the mystery worth a few dollars and having something to look forward too nice.
They send things that in time will possibly have value even if its only the one item in the box.
If im disappointed i realize i made the decision knowing i might feel its not worth it, but I dont care. Over it.
It’s just how we choose to look at it.
I have both a classic and horror block subscription, and in the 6 months I haven’t been thrilled by either of them yet. With international shipping an conversion, it works out pretty expense junk.
I still haven’t received my September horror block and doubt I ever will. After numerous emails, they finally responded saying it’s DHL’s fault and lost in transit, They refuse to do anything. So there goes money on a block that Ill probably never receive. No refund, no compensation and no follow up.
Then for the October block, they advertise the Freddy from nightmare on elm street hip flask to be included. So deciding to keep my subscription going just for this. Guess what, they omitted it from the box. That’s fraud.
However, overall there have been 1 or 2 items that were pretty good. Yet there are better companies out there. Cancelling my Nerd block Subscription and going elsewhere now.
I had nothing but problems with nerd block. They sent me the wrong block on my first month. Then they refused to correct it. Talk about disappointment. That’s after waiting a month for shipping. I wasn’t interested in the block I was mistakenly sent. However it wouldn’t really have mattered because the only item worth anything is the t-shirt. Everything else was cheap low quality so I cancelled. They sent me an email saying it would cancel on November 9th, which I thought was weird because it’s a week away. I figured it must be an attempt to make me stay another month. A couple hours went by and they charged my card for two more blocks. Two! I had to dispute the charges and cancel my debit card. Customer service is a joke. They basically say oh well, tough shit. I’m still waiting for my refund for the disputed charges through my bank. Thankfully fifth third had my back. Buyer beware with nerd block.
I had a bad experience with Nerd Block / Horror Block too.
I ordered a box, based on the items they said there will be in the box.
Later on they decided to change the box content completely to a different theme.
I asked to cancel my order, and all they had to say was “NO REFUNDS!” (I must add that the box hasn’t been sent yet)
And which items do they send you ask? A board game piece, minus the board game. A sock, A pin, DVD of low rated horror movies no one ever heard of…
Horror Block is scam.