How To: Subscription Products - Part 2

This is part two of how to implement a subscription model on your Shopify store. If you missed part one (Is a Subscription Model Right for Your Business?) view here.

So, now that we know a subscription model is right for your business, how do we increase the chances of customers signing up? 

Visibility

First and foremost, we have to make sure that most of your customers are aware that you now offer a subscription model. You are going to want to make this as visible as possible. This includes creating a new landing page for your subscription offerings and including a subscription option on every product. 

Most subscription softwares will provide you with the ability to incorporate a subscription option directly on your existing product pages. Typically, you will just have a radio button which gives the customer the option for “Single Purchase” or “Subscription,” with a dropdown allowing them to choose frequency. 

Be sure to always include the option for a customer to click and learn more about your subscription program, and to have this open in a new tab. You want to make the subscription program as clear as possible, right on the product page. 

Promotion

Do you offer monthly promotions on your products? Why not have your customers lock in those discounts for months to come? A standard practice for subscription products is to offer a good discount on all subscription products. For example, you could offer 15% off all subscription orders with free shipping, on every order. 

Discounting through subscriptions often removes the hesitancy customers may have who usually wait to purchase your products until they’re on promotion. Now customers can lock in those discounts for months to come. 

Segmentation

Who is going to benefit the most from your subscription offerings? Your highest value customers. The best way to get started with a subscription program is to reach out directly to your high spending customers, those in the top 10%. 

This can easily be done by running a “Loyal Customers” report in Shopify. 

Shopify Dashboard > Analytics > Reports > Customer Reports > Loyal Customers

This list is going to provide you data for the most loyal customers on your store - aka those who spend the most. 

After you have your list of loyal customers, I highly recommend that you send a personal email (email from a personal business email address – ex: John@xyz.com) explaining your subscription program and why it would benefit them. 

The reason I recommend a personal email is so that you can review the customers’ order histories and calculate their annual savings by signing up. This personal touch will increase your chances of customers signing onto the subscription program. 

Additional Ways:

In addition to the above, you can also:

• Provide a stronger introductory offer - Additional 10% off your first Subscription Order!
• Provide a discount on annual subscriptions paid in full beforehand
• Provide options to gift subscriptions 
• Allow product swaps - allowing for adjustments with orders
• Allow customers to manage subscriptions through SMS

Subscriptions are an amazing way to increase revenue on your Shopify store. With increased customer lifetime value, customer engagement, reduced churn, and lower customer acquisition costs, subscriptions are one of the best ways to grow your Shopify! 

Now go and grow.

J