Subscribing to New Opportunities

Long standard operating procedure for gyms and streaming accounts, subscription programs are growing in popularity among convenience retailers. Why? The question is why not. Subscription programs present huge opportunities to drive revenue and weave a brand into customers' daily lives — even more than it currently is.

Sheetz Inc. offers a subscription service for its "fryz" for $9.99 a month and an unlimited self-service drink subscription for $14.99 a month through its mobile app. 7-Eleven Inc. has the 7NOW Gold Pass subscription delivery service. Circle K customers can sign up for its Sip & Save beverage subscription program.

In a recent Convenience Store News webinar, Ryan DiLello, content specialist at Paytronix Systems Inc., outlined several advantages to getting into the subscription game. Chief among them is driving additional purchases and differentiating one c-store retailer from its competitor down the street.

In addition, according to Paytronix, consumers spend $640 annually on subscriptions and 34 percent of respondents will increase the number of subscriptions they have over the next two years.

With those advantages in the plus column, subscription programs are sure to pique a retailer's interest. But like most things, sometimes getting started is the hardest part. According to DiLello, there are seven key elements to consider: product, price, limits, payment platform, communications, channel usage and a rollout plan.

Subscriptions have become ingrained in consumers' lives. Convenience stores have become ingrained in consumers' lives. Sounds like a perfect match.