Bibliophilic Excursions
- Delightful treats and trinkets
- Imaginatively themed literary journeys
- Packed by a Yorkipoo with eco-friendly materials
- Artisanal book boxes with texts hand-chosen by literary expers
- Support a great cause! A portion of sales are donated to local nonprofits working in child literacy
Questions
Q: I subscribed to this service in October. Is there anyway to see when a shipment was sent out? It does not appear to be reflected on Cratejoy in my subscription information. Asked by Linda M., November 2020
Tracking numbers are sent automatically via email. Sometimes they do end up in a junk folder. Due to the shipping software we use, international orders may not be automatically linked, but we do try to always update them manually. Feel free to email us directly with questions on a specific order.
Q: When can I expect to receive my January box or a response to my email about the January box? Shipping information says it is being prepared, but tomorrow is February...Asked by Caitlin R., January 2021
Hello! The Team at Bibliophilic Excursions here. We wanted to take this small opportunity to thank each of our customers who support a small, women-owned, black-owned business, particularly now, and to post a mindful response to some of the thoughts expressed here.
A little about us... we are two sisters who started this little venture to introduce people around the country to different cultures from around the world through great books. We are dedicated to using in-country, local artisans who represent their cultures in their work. This means, when we curated our Ireland box, we worked with local sheep farmers to source warm wool socks. When we traveled to Mexico, we included handpainted alebrijes from a local artist and father. When we traveled to Guatemala,...
I haven’t received my January box either. I sent three emails and finally received a response from Erika. She told me that they have encountered significant pandemic-related sourcing delays and that the Janus box will go out in mi-February and that the February box will go out at the end of February. Based in previous pre-pandemic reviews, I suspect that that curators if this subscription are unreliable and that this is their normal. I definitely won’t renew, even though I...
I too have not gotten my January box. It is now Feb 19th. I contacted Erika by email and she reponded with the following via email on Feb 1st. I haven't heard anything since then. I will given them 7 more days and then I am going to work on getting my money back. It is a shame that their customer service is so bad, because I liked the product even with the abnormally...
Q: I haven't received my box yet. It is two weeks late. I have emailed you guys three times and never received a reply. Do you have any info about where my box is or if I will be getting a replacement?Asked by Kat B., March 2021
Hello! Bibliophilic Excursions here. We'd like to respond to this issue, though our emailed response may have more detailed information. Unfortunately, USPS doesn't give us much more information than they provide on the tracking site. I can say that we do happily replace packages lost in the mail. However, this particular package is not lost. It has simply been impacted by inclement weather. This can certainly happen and we, unfortunately, cannot predict nor impact such disturbances.
Thank you for engaging!
I had this same issue. A six-month subscription gift was purchased for me in December--and I received a beautifully curated box on Christmas Eve--but no January box, no February box...and until I posted here I did not get a response from the sellers. We canceled the subscription today and are awaiting our refund. It's a disappointment because the box that was sent was really beautifully done. Hopefully, the sellers will be able to get back on track with timely shipments....
Q: I assume it’s FREE since it did not ship within 5 daysAsked by Barbara P., February 2021
One should hope, especially since the shipping charges are outlandishly high.
Bibliophilic Excursions reviewsReviews
Write a Review3.6
Average Subscriber RatingLove it!
Apr 27, 2020
Megan L.
I got my first box of the Fiction Journey, and I love it. The theme is Australia, and all of the items are really cool. I especially like the boomerang! The book looks interesting, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Verified Purchase
Great customer service and curation
Mar 22, 2021
Emily F.
I absolutely love this box. I've received two so far and am so excited to be a consistent subscriber. The February shipment was late due to COVID and the west coast wildfires, but my experience with Erika and Yvette has been very positive. They have been so patient with my questions even though the delays are completely beyond their control. The wait has been completely worth it! Very impressed with not only the selections of the books (these people know good writing!) but also the items that come in the box. The descriptions of all the items is wonderful too as it give you context for where they all came from and who the authors are. I love that Erika and Yvette do their best to include local products from small businesses that speak to the message of the box, which as I see it is bringing cultures together in conversation.
Verified Purchase
Hi There! Thank you so much for stopping by to leave a review! We are sincerely grateful for both your time and consideration. We certainly pride ourselves on the book selections and included artisans above all else. We love excursioners who take the time to reach out to us and chat about literature or anything else. We're definitely hoping to spark some positive, fruitful conversations. Thank you, again!
A literal treasure chest
Jan 06, 2021
Jen S.
My mothers' two favorite hobbies are traveling and reading a book. Since her Parkinson's diagnosis she can't do much of the former. I bought this for her for Christmas and she was head over heels in love. The theme was Peru. She adored the knick knacks that came with it. I doubt she will eat the bag of quinoa but she turned right around, warmed the Peruvian hot chocolate and shared it with her grandkids. She loved that the books were individually wrapped and dove right into Turn Right at Machu Picchu. This is such a well thought out and cultivated box. I know it seems a bit expensive but it was worth every penny, especially for someone like my mom who misses her traveling days. She liked the box so much I offered her a subscription.
Verified Purchase
Hi There! This is so heartwarming for us to hear! We started this business as much more of a passion project. We wanted to connect great people with great books by bringing back the magic and ambiance of reading a physical book over the impersonal experience e-readers can sometimes create. We're so happy to hear that your mom enjoyed the box and shared it with the whole family! How amazingly lovely! Thank you for sharing!
Disappointed
Mar 24, 2021
Lacey B.
Unfortunately this wonderful idea is not supported by valued customer service. I paid for 4 boxes so far and only received 2. I have sent 7 emails asking for a shipping update and have not received a reply. I will be canceling the subscription, asking for my two payments to be returned and filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Verified Purchase
You will not get your shipments!
May 10, 2019
Melissa A.
I did receive my first box and it was super cool! I had a question about it so I message the seller and did receive a reply. I followed up with another question to which I received no response. I let that go and waited for my second shipment. It never came. I messaged the seller 3 times about my missing shipment and got absolutely no reply. Currently I am working with cratejoy to get a refund. In the meantime, I definitely got charged $136 for three shipments and only received one of them. Fortunately I listened to the advice of another reviewer who also had a bad experience and I put it on my credit card. So if cratejoy doesn't fix the issue next week, I will be getting a refund from my credit card. So while the Box itself was really cool, I strongly encourage everyone to find a different box shipment. Since this seller cannot be bothered to actually ship the boxes after you pay for them. Which kind of makes me question the quality of what was actually in my box. It looked cool, but can you trust it when the seller is obviously deceitful? Which is what I would call taking money for three months of shipments and then refusing to send anything past the first month. Fortunately, my credit card has great customer service.
Verified Purchase
Never received boxes or word from seller
Mar 04, 2021
Marina R.
This gift was wildly disappointing. I received my first box and it was wonderful. However after not receiving my second of three boxes for two months with no status change I reached out to the seller. Never received a response. Reached out again two weeks later and still never received a response. I contacted Cratejoy and they reached out to the seller. After nothing from the seller they were kind enough to fulfill the refund I requested. Really disappointed in this sellers lack of communication and feel fully taken advantage of by them.
Verified Purchase
We're so sorry to hear this has been your experience. Unfortunately, we cannot find any way you've reached out to us. We do respond to our social media pages and to emails sent directly to us. With that said, we are aware that some Cratejoy messages never arrive in our inbox or are relayed without the information we need to solve their unique concern. We've requested support on this. We've also requested that we be allowed to post our own web address and our direct email address for customers whose messages may get lost between channels. We're a small operation, just two sisters, without the support team of a larger company like Cratejoy. We're so glad a resolution was ultimately made available. Thanks for dropping...
Wonderful box
Sep 20, 2018
Kathy C.
I just received my first box and absolutely love it. I've received other subscription boxes and usually like some of the items, but with Bibliophilic Excursions, I loved everything. Customer service is also great, I asked a lot of questions before ordering and was answered quickly .Thank you!!
I recently renewed my subscription and still absolutely love it! Yes, shipping prices are high but it's worth it. Everything is beautiful and a lot of thought goes into the items chosen. I subscribed to the quarterly option but may have to change to the monthly.
Verified Purchase
Peru box
Jul 12, 2021
Patricia G.
We loved the box our grandson received, but we paid in full, and He has only received one box since our March order. Who do we need to contact to see when his next box will arrive. Thanks.
Verified Purchase
Wonderful Adventure in a Box!!
Feb 15, 2021
Laura M.
I ordered the BE Non-Fiction Journey and just received my first box - a trip to Peru!! I could not be more happy with it! It was filled with thoughtfully curated, quality items and I cannot wait to dive into the non-fiction book pick, Turn Right at Machu Picchu, by Mark Adams.
As for customer service, Erika from BE was quick to respond to my inquiries and the box was received in a timely manner, especially considering the strain the pandemic has placed on the mail system.
Thanks so much to the team at BE - I already am looking forward to my next box!!
Verified Purchase
Hi There! Thank you for the review! As a small company, we sincerely appreciate each customer who takes the time to post their comments.
Turn Right at Machu Picchu is one of our more special inclusions. We really hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Sadly, not worth the hassle
3 days ago
Rachelle B.
The company is very unorganized and very hard to get ahold of. I have been asking for a refund for months which I still have not received. I bought two monthly subscriptions so my mother and I could experience this together during COVID. Instead I was charged for two boxes and only received one box, but only some of the time. I hate that it turned out this way because these boxes were great when we actually were able to enjoy them twice out of the eights months I have paid for them. What a sham!
Verified Purchase
Photos from reviews of Bibliophilic Excursions…
Past boxes from Bibliophilic Excursions…
Mexico
Spend the month in Mexico with a page-to-screen bestseller, a historical text, handmade cultural items, Talavera tiles, and snacks.
California
We traveled to our favorite US destination for the July 4th with local honey, custom fortune cookies, sustainable items and old Hollywood.
Olive Kitteridge- Ladies at Lunch
Enjoy Elizabeth Strout's stories of Crosby, Maine with a relaxing cup of tea, honey and a tasty snack.
Denmark
Denmark is known for extraordinarily happy citizens so we’ve chosen two books we think will bring a little Danish delight to your life! Our fiction selection is Often I am Happy and our non-fiction selection is The Little Book of Hygge. Customers also received items influence by the concept of Hygee including a tea towel with a design of Kronborg Castle; a cheeseboard; a nightlight; a collage featuring a famous Dane; black licorice; and a cozy pair of socks.
Solar System
Every now and then here at Bibliophilic Excursions, we select a special edition location. This year, NASA reached a milestone when two Americans, tasked with replacing a power controller, ventured out of the International Space Station: the astronauts, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, became the first to take part in an all-female spacewalk! In honor of this historic achievement, we’ve connected with other women-owned small businesses to curate a solar system excursion!
Iceland
This month, we're headed to one of the literary favorites of the world- Iceland. Our literature selections include a novel from Nobel Prize-winning Halldor Laxness and a very special collection of myths dating back to the days when Iceland was settled by the Vikings. As always, we're also including handmade gifts from locals, and of course, chocolate!
Egypt
This is a very special month! We've included a fiction book from Egypt's only Nobel Prize in Literature winner and a nonfiction selection about Egypt's woman of service. We've also included handmade items like a beautiful handblown glass perfume bottle modeled after the bottles made for the Queens of Ancient Egypt, a lucky scarab beetle, a hand-painted papyrus art piece, dukka spice, and more uniquely special curated items. Enjoy the journey!
