Harry & David Review

Monday, November 30th

2020 Dessert Club Reviews

Harry & David

• Cost: From $31.67 to $36.67 per month, plus shipping costs

Harry & David is one of the most popular names in gift-giving. Although some of their most popular items are available in retail stores - their Moose Munch comes to mind - their best selection is available online, including seasonal fruits, gift towers and baskets, and gourmet foods.

Popcorn, cookies, and cheesecake... oh my!

Harry & David's Dessert of the Month Club includes options of 3, 6, or 12-month deliveries, with selections ranging from premium popcorn and cookies to cheesecake and chocolate-covered strawberries. At the time of our review, prices were $109.99 for a 3-month membership, $209.99 for six months, and $379.99 for a full year's subscription.

Membership Overview:

• Dessert Selection: Harry & David preselects the desserts for each shipment
• Duration: 3, 6, or 12 months
• Frequency: Monthly
• Shipping: $6.99 per shipment

Each and every month

Harry & David does allow you to choose which month you'd like to start shipment of your Dessert of the Month Club from the current month or the next two calendar months. However, your options only include 3, 6, or 12 months, with no option for quarterly deliveries. In other words, if you choose a 3-month membership starting in March, the desserts will come in March, April and May.

Published desserts

One plus is that Harry & David publishes all of their desserts for the calendar year, letting you see well in advance if there's a different time of year you'd rather start your subscription. For example, if their January dessert is a HoneyBell Cheesecake and you're not a fan, you may want to wait until February's selection of Sea Salt Caramels to begin your Dessert Club membership.

Pricing on the high side

We weren't terribly impressed with Harry & David's pricing - average to expensive compared with other competitors - or with the fact that the Dessert Club is not eligible for free shipping within the Celebrations Passport program. This program allows shoppers to pay an annual fee of less than $30 and get free shipping across a whole group of brands that includes 1-800-Flowers, The Popcorn Factory, and Simply Chocolate. Instead, Dessert Club subscribers should expect to pay $6.99 per delivery, even if they purchase the Passport for other purchases. On the other hand, when we visited the site, there was an offer to save 20% off the total subscription cost of any length of membership, which would almost exactly cover those shipping fees.

Satisfaction guarantee

We do like that Harry & David - and every other brand in the group - offers "the strongest guarantee in the business", where customers can expect a replacement or refund if anything isn't an absolute hit. This is a good thing, especially given that the only review on the Dessert of the Month Club is very negative: the customer said that at least four of the desserts were a disappointment, with a soggy pie, bitter-tasting blondies and brownies, and a dry chocolate cake.

So, should you choose Harry & David's Dessert of the Month Club for your gift-giving needs? They do allow you to include a personalized gift message at no extra charge, or you can select a personalized greeting card for an additional $3.99. And, you may like being able to see which desserts are scheduled each month, to tailor your purchase to your recipient's tastes. Just be aware that at least one customer was less-than-thrilled with the overall quality of the food they received, and be prepared to request a refund or replacement if needed.