Starting a subscription boxes business can be a smart move for your blooming ecommerce business. The subscription business model is a great way to improve customer retention when compared to traditional methods that require constant customer
The subscription market continues to grow by 100% every year, which has enticed major and established companies to make the switch to recurring billing. This popularity has a lot to do with customers’ growing demand and preference for convenient, personalized, and
If you have the passion for it, some consistency, and a dash of creativity, you can make a unique subscription business to sell personalized boxes on a subscription basis. This model can be a fun and worthy venture for many. So read on to see how you might reap the benefits of this buzzy model in no time while creating a stable revenue stream.
There are about 6 essential steps to successfully get started and sell subscription boxes:
- Pick a niche and a unique subscription box business idea
- Create an online store
- Set up subscription/recurring payments for your store
- Research your market and set a price
- Set a marketing strategy
- Get started on your launch phase and start taking orders
This can be a very competitive market, but for many entrepreneurs, the pros outweigh the cons. Thankfully, it is easier than ever to get started on recurring payments thanks to the low startup costs offered by platforms like Ecwid and the easy access to a variety of innovative technology out there.
This makes it a great time to start a subscription box business, with thousands having already made the switch and reaping great results. Continue reading as we go into further detail on all of the steps mentioned above and get you on the right path to successfully sell subscription boxes to anyone.
Pick a Niche and a Unique Subscription Box Business Idea
Make sure to evaluate your options and choose something relatable to your passion and skills, and once you do, give it a twist or simply make it your own. The cool thing to remember about the subscription business model is the freedom available for sellers to sell anything they want. There is not one specific idea or product needed for this business model to work, with many currently making consistent revenue from things like meal prep boxes for men or women to something as simple as a pet snacks subscription box.
Overall, subscription boxes are curated and
Create an Online Store for Your Subscription Business
Once you have evaluated your options and picked your subscription business idea and niche, you’ll need to create a landing page space where your customers can learn more about your products and where transactions can take place.
A website landing page can encourage your customers to take action and recognize you as an honest and genuine small business.
Do you feel like creating a remarkable website that represents your brand and mission is too complicated and not worth the effort?
So do many other small businesses in your position. But the truth of the matter is:
You may find yourself concerned about this part of the process. After all, it does require a lot of time and effort to successfully set up and operate an online store. No doubt this can be a very daunting process when you don’t have access to
Sellers can easily set up recurring billing by simply connecting Stripe payments to their store. Stripe provides you with all the necessary technology to manage all of your customers’ subscriptions. To learn more about how to set up an online store and recurring payments with Ecwid, check out our recently updated guide How to Create an Ecommerce Online Store with Ecwid.
Ultimately, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a visually appealing and
Set Up Subscription Payments for Your Store
As briefly mentioned above, after you have set up your store and added your products, you’ll need to add a recurring payment method to your store. The use of a recurring billing tool makes it easy for subscription business owners to charge their customers every month, or any other billing period they decide to choose. If you were to rely on payment methods like PayPal or emailing your customers whenever a payment is due, it’d be extremely difficult to keep track of everything else going on in your store.
It is very easy to set up recurring billing if you use a platform that allows for an easy and quick setup. Once ready, your customers will be charged every paid period without having to constantly put in their card information and go through the whole transaction process over and over again.
To learn more about setting up recurring payments with Ecwid, and saving your customer’s card information for future billing and purchases, check out Recurring Subscriptions on our Help Center. You’ll find a
Research Your Market and Set a Price
Now that you have your store set and ready, consider researching your niche to understand more about your potential customers’ demand, demographics, interest, etc. This will not only help you learn more about the kind of target message that works for your audience but also help you set an appropriate price for your products.
Proper market research should help you measure the impact of your prices based on customer demand. The key to success is not solely limited to the offering of a cool subscription box delivered to your customers, but also in the offering of competitive prices that stand out
from the rest. If you were wondering how subscription boxes make money, this is it right here.
Set a Marketing Strategy Based on The Subscription Model
Alright, so now that you have your store and product prices set, you might be wondering: How do I actually get people to subscribe?
The answer seems complicated, yet is very simple!
This is the part where you’ll need to get started on planning, planning, and more
It is important to make note of the fact that the recurring billing method is different from a traditional method like the
This is exactly what we are about to cover here, so read on!
Know Your Value and What You Have to Offer
To successfully market your business and key messages under the subscription model, you must first be knowledgeable of these and why customers prefer to buy the product you sell on a subscription basis instead of a single purchase.
Here are some of the top reasons many choose to subscribe to a subscription box rather than buy products individually:
Savings. Customers love the savings and price accommodations you can offer them under a subscription model. Think about it: stores typically charge more for a single product than if you were to buy it in bulk. Also, you can offer lower prices under this model thanks to the safety you get from having a reliable and consistent revenue stream. Take these savings, make them one of your key messages to customers, and find a good way to communicate it to your audience.
Convenience. Everybody loves a convenient purchase. We live in an era where people have less and less time for miscellaneous tasks. Many consumers love the idea of being able to rely on the delivery of their products to their homes at regularly scheduled times. This is where your business steps in and offers a solution to a common problem, making it another one of your key messages.
Experience and Excitement. In the end, people love the experience that comes with a subscription box. The excitement of new products added to their next delivery, the loyalty and partnership created between them and your brand, etc., are all part of the experience they seek. You’ll be surprised at what you can achieve by finding the best way to communicate to others about what your brand has to offer them.
Once you have set apart your key messages, you’ll want to find the best communication channels for your audience.
Just a few recommendations:
You can choose to set up an email list and segment those who have shown interest in your products.
- You can work with influencers in your niche with large followings.
- You can choose to create a blog with ongoing SEO tactics.
- You can rely on Paid Per Click advertisements, which have proven to be very helpful.
- You can choose to produce content that resonates with your audience and awakens a feeling of curiosity.
Education is key. You’ll want to have a solid knowledge of your options and find the best one for your specific business needs, not what is working for everyone else. You can read more about marketing your subscription business here 2021
Time to Launch Your Store and Start Selling Your Subscription Boxes
Finally, we have reached the last step and probably the most important one to start selling subscription boxes to anyone. Now, all that is left to do is to set up your store and put together a marketing plan, is for you to launch your new subscription business and start selling. This is unfortunately the part where many become scared and back up. We are here to remind you nothing happens in the comfort zone, and the biggest reason many people fail is fear of starting.
We encourage you to take the leap and give yourself the opportunity to work on your goals. Remember with Ecwid and all of the easily accessible technology out there, you have very little to lose. Take that final step and share your experience with us!
- How to Sell Subscriptions: A Guide to Growing Recurring Revenue
- How to Get More Customers for Your Subscription Business
- Thinking Inside the Box: 10 Product Ideas for a Subscription Box Business
- Subscription Business Model: How to Switch Your Customers to Monthly Payments
- 8 Subscription Business Ideas
- How to Sell Subscription Boxes to Anyone
- Recurring Payments: Selling Monthly Subscriptions