How to Start a Subscription Business in 14 Easy Steps

Subscription boxes can be a great way for ecommerce and retail businesses to gain regular customers and expand offerings to fit customers’ changing shopping habits. It can also help businesses that are simply looking to boost sales or move excess stock. If your business is one that’s considering starting a subscription box, check out the tips below.

How to Start a Subscription Business

Come Up with a Unique Niche

There are already tons of subscription boxes out there, including those for snacks, makeup, clothing, sporting goods and more. So if you’re starting a subscription service, you need to have something that makes yours stand out.

That doesn’t mean you can’t sell food or makeup. But you should stick with whatever niche helps you differentiate the rest of your products. For example, maybe you could launch a subscription box that’s just for all natural skincare products, instead of one that’s just for beauty products in general.

Source Products

From there, you need to source the actual products to include in your boxes. If you already source products for an ecommerce or retail store, then you can explore using those same suppliers.

Make sure you can find products that are going to be both cost and space effective so you can easily include them in a monthly box with an assortment of products. For example, you might consider sourcing sample sized products of the full sized ones you carry in your stores.

Source Shipping Materials

For a subscription box, you also need to carefully consider the actual box and shipping materials. Consider the box, packing supplies and labels. And you’ll also want to make sure that you’ll be able to get those supplies in bulk to fulfill all of your orders each month.

Set Your Price

Each subscription box should also have a set price for each month. And you should establish that price point early in the process so you’ll have a budget for your products and shipping materials. Just make sure that the price is reasonable enough so your customers won’t have a problem paying it regularly, but high enough to cover your expenses and bring in enough extra to make the process worthwhile.

Design Your Boxes

When you’ve got the general idea about your products and shipping materials, you need to actually design the box. This doesn’t just mean decorating the outside of the box, though having a unique look to your shipments can be a nice touch.

You’ll also want to consider the actual unboxing experience. So create a prototype using your sample products and shipping materials to ensure that everything fits, ships safely and creates a great experience for your customers when they receive their order.

Find the Best Shipping Rate

Shipping costs can also be a major factor for subscription businesses. So take it seriously and shop around to get the best rate. In some cases, you may be able to get a bulk discount if you’re shipping all of these packages regularly. But make sure your choice makes the most sense based on the size and weight of packages and on how quickly your customers expect to receive their orders.

Plan Your Fulfillment Process

The actual process for fulfillment is another important step. Consider whether it makes the most sense for you to pack and ship orders in house or if you should hire a fulfillment service to do some of the work for you.

If you have just a few subscribers, for instance, it might be possible just to put together all of the boxes yourself. But if you are growing quickly and want to ensure a seamless experience for all your subscribers, then shop around for a fulfillment service that can help you.

Find Places to Sell Your Boxes

Of course, no subscription box can succeed if customers don’t have an easy way to sign up. Of course, you can do this on your own website. But to expand your customer base and get your subscription box in front of more eyes, you can also list it on marketplace sites like Cratejoy.

Build Buzz

Then, you need to build some buzz around your new offering to get people excited about signing up. Collect email addresses, post on social media and maybe even invest in some online advertising. You can also do a pre-launch where you offer an early version of your box to loyal customers and influencers to get even more people talking about your new offering.

Launch Your Subscription

Once you’ve done all of that, it’s time to officially launch your new subscription box. Of course, you’ll need to continue marketing and building buzz even after you launch. And consistently providing great products and a memorable customer experience can go a long way toward ensuring long relationships with subscribers.

Develop a Customer Retention Strategy

Before launching your subscription business, devise a strategy to retain customers over time. This includes understanding customer preferences, enhancing customer service, offering loyalty rewards or discounts for long-term subscribers, and regularly seeking feedback to improve the service.

A robust customer retention strategy will not only ensure a stable revenue stream but also create a loyal customer base that can advocate for your brand.

Analyze and Adjust Your Offerings

Regularly analyze customer feedback and subscription analytics to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Use this data to adjust your product offerings, pricing, or overall subscription model. Staying responsive to market demands and customer preferences is key to maintaining relevance and competitiveness in the subscription business sector.

Increase Social Media for Engagement

Utilize social media platforms to create a community around your subscription business. Regularly post engaging content, interact with subscribers, run promotional campaigns, and use social media analytics to refine your strategy.

A strong social media presence can help attract new customers and retain existing ones by building a sense of community and brand loyalty.

Collaborate with Influencers and Bloggers

Partner with influencers and bloggers in your niche to expand your reach. Influencer collaborations can introduce your subscription service to a broader audience and add credibility to your brand. Choose influencers who align with your brand values and have an engaged audience that matches your target demographic.

Subscription Box Business Logistics

Starting a subscription box business is a meticulous process that demands thorough planning and attention to detail to ensure a successful launch and continued success. Here are the essential steps to guide you through the logistics:

• Come Up with a Unique Niche: Identify a specific and distinctive niche that sets your subscription box apart from competitors. Consider focusing on a particular category, such as eco-friendly products or luxury items.
• Source Products: Find reputable suppliers offering products aligned with your chosen niche. Consider including sample-sized products or exclusive items to add value to the subscription.
• Source Shipping Materials: Select appropriate shipping boxes, packing supplies, and labels to ensure secure and attractive packaging. Explore bulk purchasing options to streamline fulfillment processes.
• Set Your Price: Determine a competitive yet profitable price point for your subscription box. Consider offering multiple subscription tiers with varying features to cater to different customer preferences.
• Design Your Boxes: Create an appealing box design that reflects your brand and enhances the unboxing experience. Test and refine the prototype to ensure all products fit securely and present well upon delivery.
• Find the Best Shipping Rate: Research shipping carriers and negotiate competitive rates for regular shipments. Optimize packaging to minimize shipping costs without compromising product safety.
• Plan Your Fulfillment Process: Decide whether to handle fulfillment in-house or outsource to a third-party service. Streamline order processing and shipping procedures to ensure timely deliveries.
• Find Places to Sell Your Boxes: Launch your subscription box on your website and consider listing it on marketplace platforms like Cratejoy. Utilize social media, email marketing, and influencers to attract new customers and increase visibility.
• Build Buzz: Create excitement around your subscription box through pre-launch promotions and sneak peeks. Engage with potential customers through social media campaigns and targeted advertisements.
• Launch Your Subscription: Execute a well-planned marketing campaign to launch your subscription box. Continuously gather customer feedback and make improvements to enhance the overall customer experience.
• Provide Excellent Customer Service: Prioritize customer satisfaction and promptly address any inquiries or issues. Implement a customer loyalty program to reward long-term subscribers and encourage referrals.

By following these steps and adopting a customer-centric approach, your subscription box business can thrive in the competitive ecommerce market, gaining a loyal following and delivering high-quality products to your delighted customers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, venturing into the world of subscription box businesses presents a promising opportunity to capture a devoted customer base and adapt to evolving shopping habits. As we have explored, careful planning and attention to detail are crucial for a successful launch and continued growth in this dynamic market.

By identifying a unique niche and sourcing products that align with it, your subscription box can stand out amidst the competition. Thoughtfully designing the boxes and optimizing shipping materials ensures a delightful unboxing experience for your customers, fostering brand loyalty.

Pricing strategies should strike a balance between competitiveness and profitability, while offering multiple subscription tiers caters to diverse customer preferences. Leveraging technology and marketplace platforms allows you to reach a wider audience and build buzz around your offering.

Customer satisfaction remains paramount, with excellent customer service and loyalty programs fostering long-term relationships and referrals. Embracing feedback and continuously improving your offerings will strengthen your position in the ever-competitive ecommerce landscape.

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, subscription boxes offer a way to stay innovative and engage with consumers on a recurring basis. By combining creativity, customer-centricity, and strategic planning, your subscription box business can carve its path to success and become a beloved choice among subscribers. Remember, dedication, adaptability, and a passion for delivering outstanding experiences will be the key drivers that propel your subscription box venture to new heights. So, embark on this exciting journey with confidence, and let your subscription box story unfold with resounding success.

Subscription Box Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “How to Start a Subscription Business in 14 Easy Steps” was first published on Small Business Trends