Subscription clubs: selling the same product every month
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
A subscription club means customers pay automatically every month to receive a product without reordering. It suits products that run out and need replacing (coffee, pet food, cosmetics, supplements, flowers, bread) and things people enjoy receiving as surprises (tea boxes, wine, books). For stores, it means predictable revenue and customers you need not win back every month.
After a major occasion such as Mother’s Day, many stores have a product that sold well and a list of people who liked it. That is a good time to ask “would you like to receive it monthly?”
Which products fit, and which do not?
| Suitable | Unsuitable |
|---|---|
| Runs out predictably: coffee (500 g per month), pet food, shampoo, filters | Lasts years: furniture, electronics, jewelry |
| People always buy the same thing: bread, prepared meals, weekly flowers | People want to choose each time: clothing, gifts |
| Variety makes a pleasant surprise: tea, wine, craft beer, books | Surprises may go wrong and cost dearly: perfume, shoes |
| You can produce and deliver on time every month | Depends on fluctuating stock or unreliable suppliers |
The deciding question: would customers buy this again in 30 days without a subscription? If yes, subscriptions remove ordering effort. If not, you are forcing recurrence into a product without it.
How should you price and collect payment?
Subscriptions need to be slightly cheaper than individual purchases or include something extra (shipping, gifts, early access). Between 5% and 15% below individual pricing usually suffices; customers subscribe to stop thinking, not to save a huge amount.
Billing is where most small clubs break. Options:
- Pix Automático. Customers authorize once and the amount is debited monthly without boletos or cards. For small businesses, it is usually simplest. Setup is explained at https://avilaops.com/guias/como-usar-pix-automatico-para-cobranca-recorrente/.
- Recurring credit card. Works, but includes transaction fees and cards expiring or being blocked, requiring follow-up.
- Manual Pix monthly. That is a reminder, not a subscription. You request payment, customers forget, you request again. Avoid it.
In an online store, subscriptions are products with a “receive monthly” option connected to Pix Automático billing. Without a store, the club becomes a spreadsheet of who paid and who did not, and by month three nobody knows anymore.
What should you avoid so the club survives beyond three months?
- Mandatory commitment. “Six-month minimum” drives away people wanting to try. Allow one-tap cancellation anytime; people stay because they like it.
- Late delivery. Customers paid on the 5th expecting delivery by the 10th. One delay is forgiven. Two lead to cancellation. Subscriptions sell confidence in arrival.
- No variety when products allow variety. Coffee can feature different beans each month; pet food cannot.
- Difficult cancellation. If people must call, email, and wait, they cancel Pix through their bank and complain. Canceling should be as easy as subscribing.
- Forgetting subscribers. They do not order or converse, just receive. One monthly message (“June’s box is on its way, with Cerrado beans”) keeps the relationship alive. Subscribers are often your most loyal customers and deserve the same care as store buyers: https://avilaops.com/guias/o-que-e-fidelizacao-sem-programa-de-pontos/.
Example: a roastery sells 200 coffee packs for Mother’s Day, many as gifts. In June, it messages opted-in buyers: “Want 500 g monthly, with different beans each time, for R$ 5 less than individual purchases? Cancel anytime.” Some subscribe. From then on, those packages go out on the 5th without anyone selling again.
What to do now
Choose a product passing the 30-day test. Define subscription price, delivery day, and cancellation rules on one page. Offer it first to repeat buyers. A store with subscriptions and automatic Pix, with no sales commission: avilaops.com/loja-virtual or contact us on WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.
Frequently asked questions
How many subscribers do I need to make it worthwhile?
It depends on delivery costs. Calculate subscription price minus product, packaging, delivery, billing fees, and each subscription’s share of fixed costs. If margin remains with 10 subscribers, start with 10.
Can I offer subscriptions without an online store?
Yes, for up to about 20 subscribers, using Pix Automático and a spreadsheet. Beyond that, or with multiple products, tracking who paid, what ships, and when requires a system or delivery errors appear.
Can customers pause instead of cancel?
They should be able to. Travel, tight budgets, stock at home. Pausing one month is better than canceling, and most return.
Turn what you learned into your next step.
Tell us about your company and what you want to improve. We can explore the right tools, integrations or custom project together.