Everything You Need To Know About Subscription Payments

The eCommerce industry has acknowledged that subscription payments may be the next big thing that could disrupt this industry. The very fact that it is driven by a need from the customers and its immense growth potential has made it a buzzword today. The success of subscription models is clearly seen in other businesses like cloud-based software services, publishing, and streaming-based entertainment. 

However, it is no less in the eCommerce industry as well. Some of the top players here have been identified as Amazon Subscribe and Save, Dollar Shave Club, Ipsy, Blue Apron, Birchbox, Sephora Play! and so on. Some of these players charge less than $10 per month, while there are many who charge high. Even though the monthly subscription payment is less, these businesses survive and generate their revenues through volumes. However, equal importance is given to generating innovative customer experiences, and providing guaranteed value for money to their customers, especially in the long term. This model also ensures that they have a guaranteed income per month, which they can rely on. However, there are certain things that eCommerce businesses need to do, to ensure that their subscription payments thrive and loyal customers do not cancel or stray towards other businesses.

Security

One of the greatest risks of online businesses happens to be payment security, as all transactions proceed online. There have been enough instances across the years wherein customer data, especially credit card data have been compromised. Also, the Internet is one place where the fraudsters and phishing scams also thrive. Hence, ensuring the safety of the customer data, especially confidential and highly sensitive information like credit card data, is very important. Please ensure that you have the necessary framework in place to handle any issues related to such transactions, and also that all necessary regulations and compliances are in place. 

The multiple ways in which you can set up your subscription payments are:

• Through a payment processor with whom you have tied up (Examples are PayPal, Braintree, or regular merchant solutions)
• Through an eCommerce solution, if you have created or implemented one (Examples Shopify, BigCommerce)
• Though a third-party service or app created for this specific purpose (Examples Recurly, Chargify)

The one thing that you need to make sure is to hire a developer to set up and integrate these solutions into your online business. Of course, if you have the expertise, you could do it yourself. There are many resources available online to help you through as well.

Custom Packaging

Another aspect that you need to keep in mind is to ensure that the packaging is appropriate as per product category and that it arrives undamaged at the customer’s doorstep. Also, instead of staid-all packs look-alike kind of standard packages, some bit of variation and customization is expected. You may need to bring in custom boxes as a promise into your subscription payments. The promise of something different, new and customized even though the delivery happens monthly for the same product, can keep the customer interest and loyalty going. Repetition and mundaneness are good enough reasons for your customer to cancel the subscription payments. 

You need to ensure customer retention through custom boxes that can be easily designed, in a cost-effective way using a packaging partner like Arka. Arka understands the psychology that drives this business and hence, can provide you with fast, low minimum kinds of solutions that can help you keep the subscription payments going. With eco-friendly materials and fast turnarounds, Arka is a blessing that helps you create great unboxing experiences with your customers every single time. You can check their premium custom shipper boxes or custom mailer boxes that help level up businesses!

Timely Deliveries

With all the things going for you, the one thing that you cannot afford to miss out on is to make sure that you have tied up with an efficient shipping partner. Timely deliveries are a very important part of the eCommerce subscription payment experience. Hence, if you mess this aspect up, you will end up losing customers, who are likely to cancel the subscriptions. Most of the online shoppers, especially the Millenials, are rather less on the patience side, and take instant decisions to switch. They are also not likely to come back to you again, as the choices out there are also multiple. Therefore, it is important that timely deliveries happen for your subscription payments, to keep customers happy and smiling. Being on time, every time also adds a great lot of value to their experience and builds trust. They also become your staunch ambassadors. All it takes for your business to succeed is one viral post or video about their experience with you. Of course, the vice versa holds true as well, as it takes one bad review and post. 

Customer Engagement

In an online world, it is tough to create and maintain reputations, hence you need to ensure that you have a team working on customer engagement. This would mean proactive emailing or texting to customers about their shipments, or subscription renewals, or exclusive offers for their loyalty. You should also ensure that every interaction is monitored and responded to and resolved in time. It could be a bad review posted on your website or on any of your social media channels. It is important for customers to see that you care and that you take your business very seriously. Also, keeping customers engaged through constant posts, teasers, challenges, and campaigns is also a good idea to keep them interested. This strategy will surely ensure the renewals of your subscription payments.

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