If you are looking to start an online store selling beauty products, pay close attention.
Because you are about to discover a beautiful way to sell beauty products using the power of a subscription box.
First, let me tell you why we are bullish about having a subscription box along with a traditional e-commerce business.
According to Mckinsey’s research, only 15% of online consumers have subscribed to a subscription box service. And with increasing awareness, this number is rising rapidly. The subscription box economy has gone beyond hype into mainstream business models. For instance, Nike is launching a shoe subscription box for kids. Likewise, we are seeing more and more subscription boxes in the beauty market.
The verdict is loud and clear. Subscription boxes are here to stay because they are instrumental in fostering brand loyalty and stronger customer relationships.
Of course, that is just a general overview of the subscription box. Let us switch gears and dive into the specifics of why a beauty subscription box makes sense.
Personalized Experience
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices on online shopping sites?
Sometimes a few minutes of quick shopping results in a couple of hours of reading reviews and finding similar products. The truth of the matter is – we are getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices available in each category. A subscription box allows your customers to ease up their decision-making process to a great extent. Since you collect the customers’ choices and preferences beforehand, the subscription box helps you deliver personalized products to your customer’s subscription
A modern subscription eCommerce platform helps you create quizzes and surveys to help you understand the unique choices and preferences of your customers.
Isn’t that the next level of eCommerce?
Sampling
This one is a biggie. Women always want to try out new beauty products. This experience is hard to get at home. Besides, who has the time and inclination to visit a physical store? A subscription box allows you to send samples of new items so they can try them from the comfort of their home. In case customers like the product, they can return to your site for ordering regular packs. Besides, product trials are tried and tested ways to attract new prospects and turn them into regular customers.
Convenience
We all use certain products regularly. But that doesn’t mean we always go to the same store to buy that product. Your customers are just like that. They don’t remember to buy the product they love even if they have bought from you in the past. That’s the reason why adding a subscription to your products allows them to receive their favorite products at regular intervals without needing to shop again and again.
Delight
A box full of beauty products is every woman’s dream come true. The sheer delight of receiving new products every month with some variety baked in can boost retention.
This is based on the popular psychological research called Familiarity Heuristics. According to this principle, we tend to favor familiar over novel places, people, or things. So, the more your customers get used to your beauty box, the more they are likely to continue using it. And like I mentioned earlier, if you deliver a personalized experience based on their unique preferences, it can create a stronger pull and keep your customers remain subscribed.
Serving Instead of Selling
Let’s face the harsh reality. Advertising costs are on a constant rise. Acquiring customers is getting more and more expensive by each passing day. And trying to sell to the same customer, again and again is becoming an uphill battle. A beauty subscription box allows you to build a deeper relationship with your customer and bring your focus on serving instead of selling. Instead of worrying about the next thing to sell, your focus shifts towards delivering the best experience to your customers.
Brand Loyalty
A beauty subscription box can foster brand loyalty. When your focus shifts from selling to serving, your customers will reciprocate. They’ll be far more likely to recommend your products to their friends and family. They’ll stick to your business. Simply because while other e-commerce sites are selling products, you are bringing a delightful experience. The one they won’t forget easily.
Niche Marketing
Subscription boxes are incredibly successful with niche audiences. For instance, if you are focusing on selling beauty products to women with skin allergies, your subscription box will have far more chances of success. Because these women have specific preferences and once they get used to receiving your allergy-friendly skin product box, they are less likely to cancel their subscription.
What About Traditional eCommerce?
You can still have a traditional e-commerce presence. The beauty of a subscription box is that it can run simultaneously with a traditional e-commerce. For instance, you can use a subscription box for sampling purposes. And when the customer makes a higher value purchase of a sample you have sent, you know they will buy more of that in the future. You then ask the customer to subscribe to the same product box to receive it on a regular interval.
Isn’t that smart?
The good news is – modern subscription e-commerce platforms such as 39Shops have the ability to support both traditional and subscription box e-commerce. Thereby allowing you to earn multiple streams of revenue and build a stronger relationship with your customers.
Got questions about your beauty subscription box business? Feel free to drop your question in the comment box below and I’d love to answer.
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