Defining your subscription offer
Introduction
Section titled “Introduction”Subscriptions offer many benefits for customers, allowing them to easily order a recurring product while enjoying a personalized shopping experience.
To build this new service on your site, you will:
- select the products eligible for subscription
- define the frequencies
- define the discount if needed
- offer benefits to your subscribers
Select the products eligible for subscription
Section titled “Select the products eligible for subscription”The first step is to identify the products in your catalog that are suitable for subscription purchases.
Only a portion of your product catalog may be eligible for subscription, but this will already be a new service you offer to your customers.
To select the right products, there are those that are logically potential recurring purchases, but by segmenting your customer base, you will likely find other frequently reordered products that would be interesting to offer as subscriptions.
You can also rely on reviews and suggestions from your customers who want to purchase your products by subscription.
Define subscription frequencies by product type
Section titled “Define subscription frequencies by product type”Now that you have a list of products for subscription, you can define your subscription frequencies.
You are not required to offer the same frequency for all your subscription products; frequencies can vary from one product to another.
Example:
Subscription purchases of dietary supplements can be offered monthly or every 2 months, while subscription purchases of a tube of cream will be offered every 3 months only.
It is also important to combine these frequencies with your product options and quantities.
Example:
For the same bottle, you can offer a monthly frequency for a 50 mL size and a bimonthly frequency for a 100 mL size.
Here too, a good understanding of your customers’ needs and purchasing habits will help you build a relevant and clear subscription offer.
Offer a discount to your subscribers
Section titled “Offer a discount to your subscribers”Although subscription is in itself a new service, it is possible to offer a financial benefit to your subscribers.
You can refine your offer based on your products and subscription frequencies, but do not try to overcomplicate your offer.
Generally, a discount of 5% to 25% depending on your business model is enough to boost sales.
Offer benefits to your subscribers
Section titled “Offer benefits to your subscribers”Whether customers already know your brand and products, or this is a first purchase, remember to emphasize reassurance elements and subscriber benefits.
It is wise to remind customers that your subscriptions are commitment-free and flexible; your customers can cancel and resume their subscription at any time, subscribe to other products, etc.
You can also consider offering benefits related to shipping costs.
Depending on your industry, access to certain products, services, or content can be reserved for your subscribers.
These are all levers that will allow you to create a close relationship with your customers, increase the average basket size, and extend customer lifetime value.