Steps to Set-Up Subscriptions on your Shopify Store

Shopify provides a range of features and tools that make it easier to offer subscription products directly through your store. While you do need an app to fully automate the subscription process, Shopify’s own features help manage things like pricing, billing, and product setup. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Choose the Right Subscription App

To offer subscriptions, you'll need to use a third-party app that integrates with Shopify. Some popular choices include:

• Shopify Subscriptions: Shopify’s built-in subscription service helps you set up and manage recurring payments directly from your Shopify admin. It offers robust features, like custom billing intervals, flexible order management, and seamless integration with your store.
• Loop Subscriprions: A powerful app that helps you create, manage, and scale your subscription business. It provides great customization options and makes it easy to integrate subscriptions into your existing product catalog.

Step 2: Install the App

To begin offering subscription products on your Shopify store, install the subscription app from the Shopify App Store.

• Head to the Shopify App Store and search for “subscriptions.”
  
  
• Select your preferred app (e.g., Shopify Subscriptions, Loop Subscriptions, or another of your choice).
  
  
• Click Add app and follow the installation instructions to integrate it into your store.
  
  

Step 3: Set Up Your Subscription Product

Once the app is installed, it's time to configure your subscription products.

1. Select the Product to Offer as a Subscription: You’ll need to choose which products you want to offer on a subscription basis. This could be a single product or multiple products depending on your business needs.
   
   
2. Create a Subscription Plan: Define how often you want the subscription to occur (e.g., weekly, monthly, or quarterly). Consider your product’s use cycle and choose a timeframe that aligns with your customers' needs.
   
   
3. Set Pricing & Discounts: Most subscription apps allow you to set up tiered pricing, promotional discounts, and shipping rates. You can offer new subscribers a discount or reward loyal customers with special deals.
   
   

Step 4: Customize the Subscription Experience

Create a seamless and engaging subscription experience for your customers:

• Subscription Management: Allow your customers to easily manage their subscriptions, modify their plan, skip a delivery, or cancel at any time.
  
  
• Customer Communication: Set up automated emails to notify customers about upcoming deliveries, billing reminders, and product updates.
  
  

Step 5: Launch Your Subscription Service

Once everything is set up, you can promote your subscription offering across your store and other marketing channels. Display subscription options prominently on your product pages, offer incentives to sign up (like discounts or exclusive perks), and use customer testimonials to build trust and credibility.

Subscription Apps for Shopify: A Few Popular Options

While Shopify offers a basic subscription feature, there are also other third-party apps that can provide additional customization, better subscription management, and flexibility. Here are a few to consider:

• Loop Subscriptions: Loop Subscriptions is an all-inclusive subscription management software intended to help DTC brands boost customer retention and improve ease of operations. With a 5-star rating on the Shopify App Store, it has features geared toward subscription-based businesses. Some of its features include: 

1. Customer Portal: Customers can access a self-service customer portal that decreases support tickets by 25% or more. There are also features such as password-less logins and simplified management of subscriptions.
2. Loop Flows: Automate customer journeys with personalized products, reader rewards, and discounts programmed for each subscriber to develop engagement and loyalty.    
3. Retention Management: Using retention tools, you can push alternative options to customers on cancellations through custom cancellation flow and win-back campaigns designed to push cancellation rates down by 30% or more.
4. Dunning Management System: Allows you to manage and recoup failed payments with care through successful retries, continuing a consistent cash flow.
5. Upsell Opportunities: Offer suggestive items related to customer subscribers to increase average order value with suggested upselling.

Loop Subscriptions integrates with Shopify so your subscribers can keep their experience front of mind, with a great UI and analytics to confirm your subscription services are helping your brand grow, manage costs, and create customer retention and satisfaction.

• Bold Subscriptions: This app offers a variety of customization options, allowing you to add a subscription model to any product type. Bold’s user-friendly interface and customer retention tools can help you grow your subscription business easily.
• Seal Subscriptions: For those who want simplicity and ease of use, Seal Subscriptions is an excellent choice. It allows you to easily set up subscription products and automate recurring billing.

Marketing Your Subscription Products

Once you have set up your subscription service, marketing is key to its success. Here are a few tips to help you grow your subscription business:

• Use Discounts & Promotions: Offer limited-time discounts or exclusive deals to entice new customers to sign up for subscriptions.
  
  
• Create Engaging Content: Share stories, unboxing experiences, and tutorials that highlight the benefits of your subscription products. Engaging content is an excellent way to connect with potential subscribers.
  
  
• Leverage Email Marketing: Use email campaigns to target users who have shown interest in your products. Send out reminders, personalized offers, and subscription updates to keep your customers engaged.
  
  
• Offer Flexibility: Customers appreciate flexibility in their subscription plans. Allow them to skip deliveries, swap items, or adjust the frequency of their orders to cater to their changing needs.
  

Monitor Your Subscription Performance

Once your subscription service is running, it’s important to keep track of its performance. Use Shopify’s analytics and reporting tools to monitor metrics like subscription sign-ups, churn rates, and revenue growth.

The insights you gather will help you make adjustments to your pricing, product offerings, and marketing strategies to continually optimize your subscription model.

Conclusion

Offering subscription products on Shopify is a smart way to build a loyal customer base and create consistent revenue. With Shopify’s user-friendly setup process and the help of third-party subscription apps like Loop, you can easily integrate a subscription model into your store and start offering recurring deliveries to your customers.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to turning your Shopify store into a subscription-powered business. The future of e-commerce is recurring, and with the right tools and strategies, your store can thrive in this growing trend!