Frequently Asked Questions

Need help making a decision? Check below then subscribe to the Build Box!

If you ever need help, give us a call at (650) 267-2473. We’re available Monday-Friday, 7AM-5PM (PT). Or, email us at help@crunchlabs.com and we will get back to you ASAP! 

General

Every month a Build Box arrives with the most awesome build-it-yourself STEM toy kits and an exclusive video from Mark Rober! When shown the toys and videos, 9 out of 10 of our kid testers freaked out – the 10th was too busy playing with the toy to answer our survey!

Each Build Box is centered on a different engineering concept (or superpower), and features a toy that uses that superpower for kids to build, learn, and play with. Each box includes project components for the build-it-yourself toy, a booklet with picture-based instructions, STEM concept explanations, and activities and challenges that take the toy to the next level, and a gear badge that celebrates the engineering superpower they just learned about.

You will receive 1 box per month for as long as you are subscribed! We have DOZENS of toys lined up for years of engineering education and fun.

Not right now. We put a lot of thought into the sequencing of Build Boxes to optimize learning and having an awesome good time. We carefully consider the types of projects and underlying mechanisms that help kids gain engineering superpowers through the Gear Badges. What we’re saying is, trust us, you’re gonna have a blast.

No, each monthly Build Box is its own unique and special snowflake, and we won’t send the same box twice to a subscription. You are able to view the Build Boxes received on your account dashboard. If you have questions or concerns, helpful nerds are standing by at help@crunchlabs.com.

Plus, we have YEARS of toys lined up for you. It's a journey :)

For now, we only have one line of Build Box subscriptions designed for children ages 8-12+. But we don’t know how to shut off our brains, so we’re always thinking about new ideas. We hope to offer more subscriptions and products in the future, so please visit our website and watch Mark Rober’s monthly videos for updates.

Once your order is placed we hustle to fulfill it in 1 to 3 business days. If you’re in the United States, your Build Box should be in little hands within 4 to 7 business days.

You can click the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails from CrunchLabs. Contact help@crunchlabs.com if you need further assistance.

It is our policy not to accept unsolicited submissions of creative material. We hope you understand that it is the intent of this policy to avoid the possibility of future misunderstandings when projects developed by our professional staff might seem to others to be similar to their own creative work.

We love press! Please shoot our team an email at crunchlabs@kovertcreative.com.

Fun

Actually yeah! It’s a big warehouse in California that we converted into the ultimate design and engineering space. The only warehouse in the whole state, in fact, with a secret entrance through a claw machine. We love our secret lab so much that we want to share it – that’s why we have a Platinum Ticket to let lucky winners come and visit! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends 5/31/24. 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+. See Official Rules for full details.

Basically, we’re a company full of well educated grownups with child imaginations. We’re always thinking up TONS of toy ideas, and then prototype the ones that are the most exciting. After that, we keep prototyping, and then prototype some more, and then cut the ones that don’t make us giggle till we pee, and then get some helpful kids and lucky adults to play with the ones that do, and then guess what? More prototypes, and then something stops working, so we make more prototypes, and then we think it’s finished, and then somebody goes “what if…” and we all go, that’s way more awesome, so then (you know where this is going)… new prototype, tons of fun, we giggle somebody pees, and it goes on like that. Basically we keep building and testing and rebuilding and retesting until it’s as awesome as it can be. “Think Like an Engineer” is our internal motto too, so only the best of the very best, A+, all-star, home run ideas make into your Build Box subscription.

Build Box Subscription

Ok that’s two questions, but here goes. We design each toy to be a little bit challenging for kids 8-12+, in the same way a good puzzle is challenging. But ours comes with a step-by-step illustrated instruction booklet along with a video of Mark Rober walking kids through each step. We test with 8-12 year olds extensively and prototype for months to make sure each toy is a smooth and enjoyable build. With the help of the video, the instruction booklet, and a dash of tenacity, tons of kids are nailing it and successfully and independently building and playing with Build Box.

CrunchLabs Build Boxes are designed for kids ages 8-12+, but plenty of other kids and adults have enjoyed them too! Build 'em alone or build 'em with friends and family! We know some 30 year olds around here who can’t stop sneak attacking each other with disc launchers. We test every product with third-party testing agencies to ensure the products comply with US and EU safety standards for kids ages 8-years and older. Parents and guardians can gauge the appropriateness for their kids, but we have worked hard to ensure that they’re a blast for the intended age range.

Nope! We think we thought of everything! All the stuff you need to make the toy is included in the Build Box, even batteries. You will need an Internet connection and a kid-safe device to watch the Mark Rober video episode, but you don’t need the video episode to complete the build! In the booklet, we do offer ideas for additional games and challenges that may require other materials – but those are supplemental and not required for the main build and play.

BUT, sometimes in engineering, stuff goes wrong. If on the off chance there are parts missing, go to your account dashboard and visit the webpage for your Build Box. Fill out the form to request missing parts. If you have further questions contact help@crunchlabs.com.  

It depends! We try to make each build 30 to 60 minutes on average for an 8-12 year old. If your kid likes to take a lot of snack breaks, or there’s a pesky sibling, or they can’t stop laughing because the dog fell off the couch, or they just need to clear their head by running around in circles, they can always come back later to finish.

Currently, we don’t offer an option to purchase individual Build Boxes (though that may come down the road). We have crafted MULTIPLE years of engineering fun and learning, so we think a subscription is the best.

If you want to be the first to hear about what we’ve got in store, join our mailing list (at the bottom of this page)!

To get our Build Box subscription boxes, you’ll need to subscribe. We may offer other subscriptions or stand alone products in the future, but not currently.

We couldn’t do CrunchLabs without Earth, so we believe the best way to inspire responsible engineering is to lead by example:

Our packaging is compostable. We use an uncoated cardboard box and compostable plastic substitutes to package and ship our boxes - Our toys are for kids to play with, not sea turtles to eat.

Our toys grow on trees. We use as much wood as possible in the design of our toys.

Our toys stay out of the landfill longer. We make our toys robust and repairable so they can be enjoyed for as long as possible.

Our Build Boxes are designed for one user, so we recommend a subscription for each kid. Besides, how are you supposed to defend your position in a disc launcher battle with only one disc launcher?

Not necessarily, but the Build Box extras are designed to be, well, extras for specific toys in the CrunchLabs Build Box subscription. That’s not to say you can’t figure out something fun to do with a pack of extra disc launcher disks… think like an engineer! You’ll come up with something!

Of course! We test every product with third-party testing agencies to ensure the products comply with US and EU safety standards for kids ages 8-years and older. The safety standards check for whether the toy is safe and sturdy for its intended play, and that unsafe chemicals don’t make their way into the toy during production.

First of all, you rock for being a teacher, and because you’re inquiring about CrunchLabs Build Boxes, you’re apparently a really cool one, too. To answer your question, yes! We offer a 10% discount on orders of 20-200 build boxes, and a 15% discount on orders larger than 200 build boxes. Whether you want to order for your classroom, after school club, or homeschool cooperative, we can help.

We also offer tax exempt orders if qualified. Please submit proof of your tax exempt status when requesting a quote.

Please checkout our new Educators page!

Billing

Yes! You can pause your subscription at any time for up to 3 months by accessing your account dashboard. You can also reverse a paused subscription at any time. If you're having trouble pausing your subscription you can always contact customer service (help@crunchlabs.com) to pause or unpause for you. Helpful nerds are standing by!

Well this question is a bummer. We want to do everything within our power to make sure you have a great experience with CrunchLabs. Please call or email us at help@crunchlabs.com to share your concerns. But if you must cancel your upcoming Build Boxes:

  • For “Monthly, Cancel Anytime” subscriptions, you can cancel after the first Build Box ships. Visit your account dashboard and follow the steps to cancel your subscription. If you cancel after you are billed for the next Build Box, a product will still ship but you will not be billed again thereafter.
  • 12 month subscriptions are not eligible for early cancellation. If you’re not satisfied, call or email us at help@crunchlabs.com.
  • Quarterly (3 month) subscriptions can be cancelled at any time at the end of the 3 month billing period.

For any subscription, if you do not wish to receive the next month's Build Box, please turn off auto-renewal three days prior to your next billing date (as shown through your account dashboard). And if your subscription is currently processing an order or shipment, you may not see the option to turn off auto-renewal until after the order is shipped.

Yes. At the end of each billing cycle (whether that’s monthly or annually or whatever you signed up from), your subscription will renew. However, you can change this at any time from your Account Dashboard once logged in.

For month-to-month subscriptions, you can pause or cancel your subscription. For all other subscriptions, you can turn off “auto renew”. Contact us at help@crunchlabs.com if you need assistance.

Contact customer service at help@crunchlabs.com to resolve unique situations such as requesting reactivation of a canceled Build Box subscription. 

No. We don’t store any credit card (or other payment method) information at CrunchLabs because we rely on a third-party payment processor. All credit card (or other payment method) information submitted on our website is secure and submitted directly to our processor. We take security seriously and we do not even temporarily store your credit card (or other payment method) information on our servers.

We currently accept payment through our website through Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Facebook Pay.

CrunchCoin / RoberBucks coming soon ;)

All states, territories, and countries in which CrunchLabs has a physical presence (such as an office or warehouse) or in which CrunchLabs reaches a sales threshold, will collect applicable sales tax from our customers. Your on-screen order totals may reflect an estimated tax amount and the true sales tax will be calculated and charged at the time your order is invoiced.

For “Month-to-month” subscriptions and “Annual, paid Monthly” subscriptions, your card will be charged when a recurring order gets placed in our system. For “Annual, paid upfront” subscriptions, you will be charged annually, when you purchase the subscription and when it renews.

Quarterly subscribers will be charged every 3 months and can cancel every 3 months.

You can update your billing information anytime by accessing your account dashboard. If you need assistance, contact us at help@crunchlabs.com

Gifting

First of all, what a lovely person you are.  How very thoughtful.  Now, to your question… If you live at a different address than the recipient, we’d suggest buying them a gift credit! Since there’s a lot of exclusive content tied to your account, the experience will work best if the account holder for the subscription lives in the same household as the recipient of the subscription.

Learn more here!

This is to purchase a virtual gift credit. This is a great option if you’d like to surprise someone with the joys of science outside of your household. If you’re in the same household as the subscription recipient, and you want to manage the subscription for them, it’s probably best to subscribe directly for them.

The whole experience works best if the person who manages the subscription lives in the same household as the subscription recipient. For the subscription recipient, there’s a lot of exclusive content that’s accessible through the subscription account (including the build videos!). For the account holder, the subscription account is also where they can update or change shipping addresses, pause the subscription, request replacement parts, and give feedback on each box. Basically a big chunk of what makes these so much fun (and educational) are the build videos with Mark and the exclusive content you get when you subscribe!

Shipping & Returns

We offer free shipping for Build Box subscriptions and Build Box extras to anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska, and Military (APO, FPO, DPO) addresses.

For non-U.S. addresses, your total shipping fee will be shown to you during the checkout flow.

Yes! Shipping within the United States is included in the price of your subscription, shipping internationally costs us a lot more, so we charge a little extra. We apply the value of free shipping within the US to your international shipping cost! Various extra taxes (including VAT) and duties may be collected upon checkout. Duties and taxes, along with other rates, vary based on your location; please see further details at checkout. 

We ship to the following countries, which are supported by our shipping partners and where our toy testing certifications are applicable:

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal, Republic of
  • Cyprus
  • Romania, Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Eesh that’s the worst. We’re sorry to hear that! Please call or email us at help@crunchlabs.com so we can arrange a replacement. 

This rarely happens, but in engineering, stuff going wrong is a big part of our job and something we plan for! So if something is missing from your box, we’ll send you a replacement at no extra charge. You can check for missing parts by looking at the first page of the instructions, which shows every item you should already have in the box to complete the project. If any parts are missing, go to your account dashboard and visit the webpage for your Build Box. Fill out the form to request missing parts. If you have further questions contact help@crunchlabs.com.  

Have you moved or relocated? (Look at that! We’re answering your question with a question!) Sorry, short answer: You can update your shipping address through your account dashboard.

You will receive email notification once your Build Box is shipped every month. You can also get tracking details through your account dashboard.

Subscription Build Boxes (and purchases made with a bulk discount) are not eligible for returns or refunds.

However, other store items can be returned for a full refund if the items are unused, undamaged, and purchased within 60 days. To initiate a return, email help@crunchlabs.com. CrunchLabs will inspect returned products upon receipt and issue refunds within 30 days to the original form of payment. Please note that all return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer, and return packages must be in the original packaging and include the following information: customer name, order number, and reason for return.

Return address:

CrunchLabs
ATTN: Sherri Hestand
5425 Exploration Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46241
United States

We do! No need to ruin the surprise on holidays or birthdays or other special occasions. Simply add "Discreet Shipping" to your subscription upon checkout. We will put your Build Box inside a boring plain brown box, so the little ones will never know what just arrived.

We currently charge $5 USD for this option, per subscription. It is for the first box only, and available just in the U.S. for now.

We get it, sometimes there's a rush! So yes, we now offer expedited shipping, and you can select it during checkout.

We currently charge $25 USD for this option, per subscription. It is for the first box only, and available just in the U.S. for now.

Shipments with expedited shipping will take just 2 business days once they leave our warehouse.

Referral Program

We have a new pilot referral program to reward our customers. It is powered by Referral Candy, one of the largest and most trusted reward software programs.

Current customers will be able to generate a unique referral link, then share that link with friends and family. If someone uses that referral link to subscribe to the Build Box, then BOTH parties get a $10 discount coupon to be used on a future purchase. Some limits may apply!

We are just getting started and look to refine this new referral program based on your feedback. Please send any thoughts or questions to our team at help@crunchlabs.com.

Referral Program Rules and Regulations

Yes! When you refer someone to CrunchLabs, or subscribe yourself via a referral link, you will earn a coupon code (to be delivered via email). You may use up to 5 coupon codes per checkout experience. Keep in mind, you can only use a given coupon code once.

Yes, referrees have up to 1,000 days to redeem their coupon code, and referrers have up to 365 to do so.

Please shoot us an email at help@crunchlabs.com and may be able to help!

EDUCATORS

First of all, you rock for being a teacher, and because you’re inquiring about CrunchLabs Build Boxes, you’re apparently a really cool one, too. To answer your question, yes! We offer a 10% discount on orders of 20-200 build boxes, and a 15% discount on orders larger than 200 build boxes. Whether you want to order for your classroom, after school club, or homeschool cooperative, we can help.

We also offer tax exempt orders if qualified. Please submit proof of your tax exempt status when requesting a quote.

Please checkout our new Educators page!

We accept advance payment by credit card, ACH, and check.

We also accept purchase orders for verified organizations. Please email us at educators@crunchlabs.com for more details.

You can email us at educators@crunchlabs.comand a member of our Customer Service team will follow-up with you shortly.

Yes, CrunchLabs purchases are classified as Educational Services (MCC 8299) and are reimbursable through Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs).

You can find us as a qualified vendor in the following state ESAs - Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, West Virginia. For help with placing ESA orders or to recommend us as a vendor for your ESA, charter school or homeschool network please email us at educators@crunchlabs.com.

Yes, we honor tax exempt orders from qualified organizations. Please provide proof of your organization’s tax exempt status when requesting a quote or placing your order.

Please allow 4-7 days for delivery of bulk orders once shipped.

Yes, you can order spare parts directly from our website. Go to the product page URL found in your build box, login to your account, and place an order for any spare parts needed.

Yes we do! In addition to the standard bulk order discounts, we also offer a further discount for non-profit organizations. If interested, please reach out at educators@crunchlabs.com.

READY TO SUBSCRIBE?

We can't wait to see what you build. Join today!

SUBSCRIBE NOW