The Power of Subscription Billing for E-Commerce Businesses
“Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” – Richard Branson
Until a few decades earlier, if you had told me I could run a successful business without a brick-and-mortar store, I would have been bewildered at the mere possibility. But, here we are in 2023, having any and every e-commerce business at our fingertips, from coffee to magazines or anything in between.
Now that it's available at every nook and corner, it moves further and further level to achieve success. One such trend that is taking over the world of e-commerce by storm is e-commerce businesses adapting the subscription-based model.
More than half of online shoppers (54%) have subscribed to an e-commerce subscription box service whereas about 15% of online shoppers have subscribed to an e-commerce subscription service within the past year.- invesp
What is subscription billing and how does it work?
Subscription billing is a payment model where customers are charged a recurring fee for access to a product or service. This can be done on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis, depending on the business and the product or service being offered. The customer provides their payment information upfront and is automatically charged at regular intervals. This model is popular among e-commerce businesses because it creates a predictable revenue stream and encourages customer loyalty.
Why is this model so successfully flying above and beyond?
Here are the top five advantages of implementing a subscription model for your e-commerce store.
- Predictable and Recurring Revenue.
- Increased Customer Loyalty and Retention.
- Enhanced Customer Experience.
- Opportunities for Upselling and Cross-selling.
- Better Inventory Management.
Predictable and Recurring Revenue.
The ups and downs in retail businesses are common, businessmen aren't in control of that and often face its brunt.
But one of the biggest benefits of offering a subscription model for your e-commerce store is the predictable and recurring revenue it can generate. With a subscription model, customers commit to regular purchases of your products, providing a steady stream of income for your business.
This can help you better forecast your revenue and plan your finances, which is particularly beneficial for cash flow management and long-term sustainability. Additionally, subscription revenue tends to be more stable than one-time purchases, which can be impacted by seasonality or other factors. This stability allows you to make strategic decisions with confidence.
Increased Customer Loyalty and Retention.
Subscriptions cultivate a sense of loyalty among customers. Offering a subscription model for your e-commerce store can also lead to increased customer loyalty and retention.
When customers sign up for a subscription, they are committing to your brand and your products. This can lead to a stronger relationship between your business and your customers, as they become more invested in your success.
Additionally, by providing a convenient and personalized experience of subscriptions for customers to regularly receive your products, you are making it easier for them to continue doing business with you. This can help foster stronger relationships with customers, reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value, leading to higher retention rates.
Enhanced Customer Experience.
“Every company’s greatest assets are its customers because without customers there is no company.” ~ Michael LeBoeuf, Business Author
Subscriptions allow you to tailor the customer experience based on individual preferences.
You can gather data on customer preferences, purchase history, and feedback, enabling you to personalize recommendations and tailor-made offerings. This customization can create a sense of exclusivity and make customers feel valued, leading to higher satisfaction and engagement.
Additionally, subscription models often come with perks such as discounts, exclusive access to new products, and personalized recommendations, which can further enhance the customer experience and increase loyalty.
Opportunities for Upselling and Cross-selling.
According to this Temkin Group report, existing customers are 5x as likely to repurchase, 5x as likely to forgive, 4x as likely to refer, and 7x as likely to try a new offering.
With a subscription model, you have the opportunity to upsell or cross-sell additional products or services to your existing subscribers. By analyzing customer data and purchase history, you can make targeted recommendations for complementary products or services that may be of interest to them.
This will not only increase sales but provide a more personalized experience for your customers and hence improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. This strategy not only increases revenue per customer but also deepens the relationship between your brand and the customer, expanding the value proposition.
Better Inventory Management.
Inventory management plays a key role as it can make or break e-commerce businesses.
Implementing a subscription model for your e-commerce store can also lead to better inventory management. With a subscription model, you have a better idea of how much product you need to produce or order each month depending on the number of subscribers, which can help you avoid overstocking or understocking.
This allows you to anticipate demand with a high degree of confidence and plan your inventory well ahead of time. This can also lead to cost savings and more efficient use of resources. Additionally, by having a steady stream of orders coming in each month, you can better plan for production and shipping, reducing the risk of delays or backorders.
About us:
MYFUNDBOX is a subscription billing platform that helps businesses handle recurring billing and revenue management operations integrated with payment processing decacorns like Stripe, GoCardless, and Mollie.
MYFUNDBOX provides a single platform to enable customer-preferred payments globally and also is in partnership with Google Cloud.
It was started to help companies focus on their growth while we make sure they get paid securely and on time. We offer customizable recurring billing cycles, invoices and colourful dashboards to understand the behaviour of your customers. We strive to meet our customers' demands and be ever ready to offer them services worth their money.
MYFUNDBOX is a full package required to stand up to the needs and demands of the customers.
Book a free trial here!
Check out our customer's review here.
