Subscription Boxes Are Paving the Way for Reliable Revenue in 2021
The pandemic gave us a hero we didn’t expect, and probably don’t deserve: Mail. Yes, we know; the pumpkin bread you sent Steve at Christmas took a month to get there, and the Save the Date for Kayla’s wedding never arrived. Nothing’s perfect. And newsflash, Kayla didn’t actually invite you.
But truly, what would we have done without mail for the past year? Cards and notes from distanced friends, safely delivering our prescriptions when it wasn’t safe to go to the pharmacy, ordering yourself a rubber chicken purse just to FEEL something. We have really loved opening that mailbox lately- which brings us to the rise of the subscription box trend- a $15 billion industry.
These things were trendy even before pandemic. A few years ago my friend Laura got a birchbox subscription and I was so jealous that I keyed her car. My friendship with Laura did not last, but the subscription box trend did.
During the beginning of the pandemic, 1 in 5 people started using a subscription box service. 22% of companies already selling subscriptions have seen subscriber acquisition rates grow. Companies like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh saw such a rise in their subscribers that they had trouble keeping up with the demand.
Consumers love subscription boxes for lots of reasons. They make shopping convenient and predictable, it’s a fun way to try new products, and everyone loves getting mail. Some people just order subscriptions because they enjoy the hell of some bubble wrap. Either way, the ROI of subscription boxes is usually good for consumers, and this trend is going to stick around for awhile.
Subscriptions boxes have become the way to market to your audience. There’s a subscription box for every type of person: The gardener, the uncreative boyfriend, murderers. And I’m sure one of these days I’ll find a nice subscription box of loose pills and funeral prayer cards for my grandma.
Amazon is on board with this box bonanza, with a whole page featuring the subscription boxes that sellers offer. So, go forth, like, and subscribe.
