Build-a-Box
Build-a-Box lets your customers create personalised subscription boxes by choosing which products go in each delivery. It supports two product types with different storefront experiences, and can be combined with Entities to personalise boxes for specific people, pets, or recipients.
Product Types
Section titled “Product Types”| Type | Description | Customer Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Static / Curated | Pre-defined box contents | Standard selling plan selector on the product page |
| Build Your Own | Customer selects contents | ”Customise Your Box” button opens a guided wizard |
How Build Your Own Works
Section titled “How Build Your Own Works”When a customer clicks Customise Your Box, they’re taken through a two-step wizard:
Step 1: Choose a Plan
Section titled “Step 1: Choose a Plan”The customer selects a variant (box size) and a subscription frequency. Each variant shows the associated selling plan pricing.
Step 2: Build the Box
Section titled “Step 2: Build the Box”The customer fills their box by choosing from the available products:
- Each box has a defined number of slots to fill
- Products are displayed with images, names, and quantity controls
- The customer can mix and match from the available product pool
- The selection is validated against the slot configuration
Once complete, the configured box is added to cart with all selections stored as line item properties.
Personalising Boxes with Entities
Section titled “Personalising Boxes with Entities”Build-a-Box becomes even more powerful when combined with Entities. Entities let a single customer manage multiple boxes under one subscription — each personalised for a different recipient.
For example, a pet food brand can let a customer build separate boxes for each of their dogs:
- Dog A (Max) — Large breed adult formula, dental chews, chicken treats
- Dog B (Bella) — Small breed puppy formula, training treats, joint supplements
Each entity can store custom attributes (breed, weight, allergies, age) that inform product recommendations and filtering. The subscription displays a friendly label like “Max and Bella” so the customer always knows who each box is for.
See the Entities guide for full setup details.
Setting Up Build-a-Box
Section titled “Setting Up Build-a-Box”- Navigate to Subscriptions → Products in the Gro dashboard
- Create a new product and select the Build Your Own type
- Configure the box:
- Slots: how many items the customer can select per box
- Available products: which Shopify products can go in the box
- Variants: different box sizes (e.g. 3-item, 6-item, 12-item)
- Attach a selling plan group with your desired frequency and pricing
- (Optional) Enable entities to allow per-recipient personalisation
Recurring Orders
Section titled “Recurring Orders”For subsequent deliveries, customers can update their box contents from the Customer Portal. The updated selection is applied to the next delivery via the subscription contract. When entities are in use, customers can manage each entity’s box independently.
Static / Curated Boxes
Section titled “Static / Curated Boxes”For curated boxes where the merchant controls the contents, simply create a standard subscription product with selling plans. No wizard is needed — customers subscribe using the regular selling plan selector on the product page.