Do You Really Want a Subscription for That?

Need a chuckle? Check out Ryan Lawler's TechCrunch article on subscription condom services. Joking aside, I agree with Lawler that subscription commerce can be great. I also agree with Lawler's assessment that, specifically in the case of condom-of-the-month clubs, subscriptions alone may not be the best idea.

Lawler hits the nail on the head with this statement, "The point is that all of us have ebbs and flows. But subscription commerce services, if done right, should be built on consistent and reliable actions." Whether it's buying condoms or organic vegetables online, you won't always need the same amount each month. The downside of the subscription only plan is that you buy too much for some months and not enough for other months. Instead of a flat subscription, condoms and other goods and services would be better sold base on the action of the user. Pun intended.

Activity-based billing allows customers to precisely tailor their activity to their purchases. So, for example, a customer might increase their order in advance of a wedding, blizzard, or other auspicious event. Instead of paying a set subscription fee, the customer's monthly bill could ebb and flow, just like their activity.