6 tips to select products for your subscription box

Subscription box service is a fantastic way to delight your customers with a personalized experience while generating recurring revenue for your store. Because of the potential and profitability of the subscription market, many businesses around the world begin to offer this service in their stores.

In the previous post, we have shared about How to choose the right types subscription box model for your business. After deciding on a suitable model, you should think about what products to include in the subscription box. The product is an important factor in determining whether or not customers will continue to subscribe to the service, so choose products wisely. This article will reveal 6 tips to select products for your subscription box.

Define the niche and target market 

The market is extremely massive and your business can not satisfy the demands of all customer segments. Therefore, the best strategy is to define a target market and focus on it. Regarding the target market, you should understand who your target customers are, what are their common characteristics and what are their pain points. Besides, it is necessary to know about your competitors and what aspects that your business can do better and not as well as they do. 

Highlight the value of your box and the story behind

The value of your subscription box goes far beyond its monetary value. It is the story, message, or idea you want to share with your subscribers. Basically, the reason you’re offering exactly what you’re offering, and in a specific way.

First and foremost, consider how to make the entire experience enjoyable and rewarding, from unboxing to actual consumption. You will not only focus on nutritional values but also on the philosophy of happy, energetic living. Combine it with the design, selection, and arrangement of products to make it perfect.

Failing to maintain the value of your business can harm your reputation and possibly drive customers away. Verify if the products you’re selling are connected with the values promoted in your company.

Include a reasonable number of products 

There is no specific answer about how many products in a subscription box are enough. Because it depends on various factors including product categories, subscription box price, customer preferences, etc. For example, a meal kit subscription box may contain from 5 to 7 products. Meanwhile, apparel can be less than 5 items. After all, the collection of products in a subscription box should be enough to give customers great value for money, but not too much that overwhelms them.

Whenever you decide the number of products in subscription boxes, asking yourself a few questions can help you a lot

• What do you expect when a customer opens subscription boxes?
• Are there any products in subscription boxes that have the same function?
• Can products be used together to bring out better results? 

Keep in mind that each product in your subscription boxes should have its own function and it should be coherent and consistent in terms of usability. 

Decorate the subscription box

The presentation of your products and your subscription box should align with your brand story and brand personality. The first thing is to define 3 colors that are associated with your brand. From 3 basic colors, you can design the presentation of your subscription box with creative patterns, shapes, etc. 

Besides,  the package of subscription boxes should be made from sustainable material. According to a research of Shopify about eCommerce trends in 2021, ¾ US subscribers prefer a product packed sustainably. Many people are willing to pay more for zero waste packing. 

Maintain high quality and trust 

Once you’ve got everything in order, the goal is to keep the same level of quality, trust, and subscriber satisfaction for months or years to come.

Try to stay away from a wide range of items. Take product selection seriously and arrange these products in a sensible, logical package. For instance, socks and earrings should not be kept in the same box unless they have a similar design or should be worn together.

Also, in order to keep the quality consistent and improving, collect feedback on a regular basis and analyze the findings. Tracking which items were well-received, which boxes generated joyful unwrapping screams, and which ones were not especially fascinating or valuable.

Find subscription box suppliers

Vendors are friendly folks who supply goods for your boxes. It goes without saying how critical it is to establish and maintain a good relationship with your vendors. Your company is reliant on its products, but they will also benefit greatly from all of the promotion and revenue generated by your subscription boxes.

Let’s focus on the quality, reputation, and trustworthiness of the providers you choose just in case. Keep in mind that this is the most important element of your subscription service.

Remember to choose trusted vendors who have proved to deliver value time and time again. Make use of all available channels and ensure that you have completed all necessary calculations.

Here are a few suggestions to find subscription box suppliers:

Local product suppliers

The most simple way to source products in a subscription box is to go to nearby local stores. A local supplier is a manufacturer or distributor who can deliver your products or raw materials to your business location. Local suppliers play a critical role in your organization, from procuring supplies to working directly with manufacturers and distributing items to clients.

Advantages

• More reliable: The local suppliers are near your store so you can easily work with them if there is any rising problem. Besides, you will be able to visit the location where your products are manufactured and shipped, giving you greater control over the development and quality.
• Long term relationship: Close collaboration among local firms are more likely to result in long-term relationships. You don’t have to be concerned about losing a supplier as much
• Fast shipping: Customers prefer convenience when purchasing products, and working with a local supplier ensures that your product is shipped quickly and efficiently.
• Environmentally friendly: Sourcing locally will reduce your company’s carbon footprint and fuel emissions because it takes less fuel to transport goods across the state than it does from different countries.

Disadvantages

• Not suitable when your business grows bigger: For starters, it may be more difficult to grow your business because these vendors may not be able to scale with your growth. If they are unable to meet rising demand, this can have a negative impact on your bottom line. Thus, you’ll have to put in a lot of time and effort to find and work with new vendors. They’re probably not set up for wholesale deals.

Online niche product suppliers 

Small businesses, artisans, and designers who sell their products online are ideal subscription box suppliers. These are people who already cater to the demographic you’re targeting, therefore their items are likely to appeal to your target market.

Advantages

• Easier to get good deals: Because these businesses are often small to medium-sized, they are more open to consider arrangements that will benefit both parties. For example, you could develop a partnership, offer bulk pricing, or conduct a product trial run.

Disadvantages

• High cost: The disadvantages of niche product sourcing are mostly financial. Many of these companies operate on a smaller scale, and shipping can be costly. You’ll also want to keep non-product costs to a minimum. Working outside the limits of any platform customers already use is your best bet, or you’ll end up paying a fee to a third party for each transaction.

Wholesale product suppliers

Going straight to a manufacturer or distributor is the third option for product sourcing. Because many huge direct-to-consumer companies also have a wholesale division, this is considerably easier than it appears. A large number of vendors provide dropshipping, so you might be able to get into that market as well.

Advantages

• Strong brand recognition: One of the biggest advantages of this model is that these businesses already have a lot of brand recognition. As a result, you’ll be able to ride their coattails to boost your own company’s visibility. 
• High credibility: It also provides your brand with trust badges of high quality. Thus, customers are more likely to trust your products, allowing you to raise your prices and profit margins.
• Lower price per product: Ordering greater quantities saves money. Plus, backordered items are significantly less likely to cause problems for these businesses, and you can also save money by ordering in volume.

Disadvantages

• High cost: The main disadvantage of sourcing wholesale products is that the initial costs are higher. These businesses are less likely to make price or minimum order quantity concessions.

Wrap up 

In conclusion, selecting the right products to include in the subscription box is one of the important elements to create the success of your subscription box service. You should experiment with product selection, arrangement, and variety on a regular basis in order to keep your subscription boxes as fresh as daisies. So above are 6 tips to select products for your subscription box we would like to share with you. I hope that you find it helpful for your brand.

And don’t forget to stay tuned for our next blog about Pricing subscription boxes to maximize your profit. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us via live chat. We are more than happy to help you start and successfully run your subscription box business.