How to Create a Monthly Subscription Box
Subscription boxes have become a really popular way to shop these days.
They allow consumers to have fun experiences based on different themes and products.
Checking the mail becomes a lot of fun when you have subscribed to some legit business’s subscription offer.
It is pretty easy to create a monthly subscription box that offers you a stable financial income with loyal customers.
You can pick any niche you like, but as long as you are following the 7 steps below, you will definitely find success.
Here is how you build a subscription box.
Have a Great Idea
The first thing you need to do is to identify which niche you are going for and what market exists for this niche.
Any strong business is based on a good idea.
To create a monthly subscription box, you need a specific idea that needs to be as detailed as possible.
Some basic questions you should consider are:
- What is your niche?
- Who are your main competitors?
- Who are the target customers?
This will help you design a basic outline for your business.
Pricing Your Subscription Box
You need to figure out a price that ensures that your business is profitable.
Mispricing the box will prevent it from becoming scalable and will affect your profit margin in the end.
A rule of thumb recommended by most experts is to keep around a 40% profit margin so that it is a sustainable venture.
While you build a subscription box, you need to keep costs for products, boxing, packaging, shipping, fulfillment, platform, fixed, and acquisition costs in mind.
The customers also need to resonate with the price, so you should keep your audience in mind when you are setting the price.
You can provide offers and send out questionnaires to the target market to see if the general public would pay for your subscription box.
Putting Together a Prototype
The next step would be to create one prototype box which you can market to your target audience.
There is a misconception that you should already have the first shipment in the works before you begin any marketing efforts, but this isn’t true! As you are preparing for the launch of your business, it may even slow you down.
The prototype box will help any potential subscribers from the target customer base to get an idea of your brand or the kind of products they will receive monthly.
The box will also come in handy when you are creating content for your social media page and website.
Here are the basic steps you need to follow to create a monthly subscription box prototype:
- Choose the products
- Select the box
- Select the packaging materials
- Take some nice pictures
When it comes to pictures, you should make sure to take plenty from different angles, including unboxing, flat lays, and lifestyle use.
The Prelaunch
You have to generate some buzz to come up with leads for potential subscribers.
You need to market the box during the prelaunch, which will help you collect email sign-ups and gauge the interest of the audience.
Another thing you need to do is to decide the date of the launch; the prelaunch period shouldn’t be too long since people may end up losing interest.
You should have a sign-up goal as well.
Do you want to launch the box with 20 customers? 40? 80?
This will definitely impact your conversion rates, and if you don’t accomplish your sign-up goals, it is an indication that this particular audience isn’t interested in this niche.
You also need to launch your social media pages during this time.
Any marketing campaigns, including email lists, should be launched too.
You can work well with giveaways and countdowns on social media pages. The more creative your strategy, the better.
During this time, you also need to work on the logistics of the launch. This includes basic things like product sourcing and shipping.
Setting Up the Website
You need to have your website ready for the launch day as well as list your business in marketplaces if it counts.
Your online store needs to be set up so that you can begin to take orders.
For people who don’t know how to code, it can be daunting to set up online platforms, but there are plenty of eCommerce platforms that are easy to use.
Taking Orders and Shipping the Boxes
Now that you have created a monthly subscription box business, you can start taking orders and shipping the items.
You should take the time to notify your customers of the first shipment dates.
Your tracking emails should be ready, and any last-minute sneak peeks and promotions should be launched at this time.
If you have the logistics and assembly process nailed down, even if you become inundated with orders, you will be able to keep up with the flow.
All of this should be done before you start to take orders.
Getting the Hang of It
The best part about building a subscription box is that you will have a stable, recurring monthly income.
When your first subscription box starts to ship out, you should take the time to reflect on your success!
It is a good time to analyze if the operations of your company for the first time have been good for your customers and profit margin.
You should take some to re-examine your expectations for customers, niche, and products.
Now that you have built a subscription box business and know how to create a monthly subscription box in the niche of your choice, you can focus on increasing your subscription base.
You can enjoy putting together new items and engaging with your customers every month from now!