Amazon is testing pricing for non-Prime members to get free shipping in selected areas, raising the threshold from $25 back to $35 – the same as for shoppers who aren’t members of Walmart+ – as it probes the potential to increase order value when shoppers add items. Amazon has yo-yoed the order threshold as it reads the tea leaves of analytical data on shopper behavior and pulls the levers.
With the opportunity for so much online revenue at stake, it’s critical to delight consumers with optimized ecommerce packaging that delivers products without damage. Packaging enhancements need to go beyond functionality, using materials that can be reused or recycled. This is good for the business and the environment, and increasingly attractive to consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission has filed suit against Amazon, alleging it duped millions of consumers into signing up for its Prime subscription program, then made it difficult for them to quit, an allegation the company vigorously denies. The FTC claims Amazon intentionally complicated the cancellation process, adding it “slowed or rejected changes that would’ve made it easier …”
Not every ecommerce subscription plan is well designed. In fact, some can result in customer experience (CX) failures leading to dissatisfaction, churn and brand detractors. This in turn hits the bottom line, transforming a win-win into a lose-lose. Here are some tips to help boost loyalty by making your program more attractive.
Just under a quarter of monthly Amazon Prime subscribers (23%) dropped the service for some period of time in the past year, with 41% having it for six months or less, most likely dipping in and out as their needs or checkbook dictate, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) data.
Boxed, purveyor of bulk home products that likened itself to an online Costco, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after failing to find a buyer and enduring sustained weak revenue and earnings, a far cry from the promise of its SPAC IPO in December 2021. An affiliate of its main creditor may purchase its software service.
By dialing up loyalty strategies, subscription-based businesses can foster strong customer bonds as they ride out unpredictable fluctuations, creating an infrastructure where commerce and loyalty converge. Here are 5 takeaways marketers can employ to drive retention and scale while creating powerful brand experiences that drive stickiness.
Walmart is offering half off on new sign-ups to its $98-a-year Walmart+ subscription program, an offer which expires today, in a bid to boost membership ahead of Cyber Weekend and the rush to the conclusion of the peak holiday season. The giant retailer is also throwing in access to early Black Friday deals starting Nov. 7.
Beauty retailer Sephora is upping its convenience game, launching an unlimited same-day delivery subscription for $49 per year, through its website or the Sephora app, a service not offered by main rival Ulta Beauty, which charges $9.95 per delivery without the app option. The program has no minimum and there is a 30-day free trial.
Nearly six months after doing so in the U.S., Amazon is increasing the cost of Prime in the UK and Western Europe by up to 43%, as it too battles inflationary pressures and higher operating costs. German Prime members will see a 30% increase, with a 20% bump in the UK; Spain, Italy and France will see annual increases between 39%-43%.