Are you busy? Do you work hard, rush from one activity to another, and bemoan the loss of downtime?
Do you LOVE shopping, driving on crowded roads to get to stores, and then walking miles to find what you were looking for, spending money on gas and hours of time when you have a million other things to do?
I would guess the answer would be “no.”
That’s why, all over the world, busy people with hectic lives are jumping in on popular monthly subscription services that deliver niche or needed products and services to your door.
What’s NOT to love about subscription services that help you enjoy life more by giving you the 3 “Cs”?
- Convenience
- Cost savings
- Comfort
Convenience: Monthly subscription services offer you convenience. Once you sign up, you don’t have to worry about remembering to order items, paying for them, or scheduling them for delivery. You’ve already done that, and items and services are delivered to your door on a consistent basis each month.
No worries. No stress. No mess.
Cost-Savings: Most monthly subscriptions offer discounts for signing up for specific time periods, like 6 months or a year. By signing up for extended subscriptions rather than a one-off purchase, you save money. Not only is the cost of your product or service less expensive than a single purchase, but most companies offer their subscribers additional discounts!
Comfort: It’s comforting to know that you won’t have to go out searching for the items you want when you’re short of time, overworked, or under the weather. There’s peace of mind when what you need is available at a lowered cost without you having to put forth the physical or mental effort.
There’s a limit to our “bandwidth,” after all!
If you want to kick back and enjoy life a little more, you’ll be interested in these monthly subscription services Americans love.
Meal Prep Kits
If finding recipes, making lists, shopping for ingredients, and planning meals is not your thing, you’ll appreciate meal prep kits that deliver boxes to your doorstep, giving you everything you need to fix great food for your family.
Hello, Fresh is the world’s most popular meal kit, with 7.2 million active subscribers, almost half of them, (3.5 million) in the United States.
Everyone needs food, and there’s something to be said for cooking it in your own home with fresh ingredients, premeasured to have the right amount for the recipe without waste or want.
When you see a good idea, you should pay attention, right?
That’s what Oliver Samwer did in 2011. He saw a Swedish company develop meal kits and experience rapid growth. Since Samwer was in the business of developing start-up companies, he latched onto the meal kit idea and started Hello, Fresh in Berlin, Germany. In 2012, he brought it to the United States, and after five years and some growing pains, Hello, Fresh became the world’s choice in meal prep kits.
With meal kit revenue currently worth 17 BILLION dollars, food industry experts predict that the growing popular industry will grow to 33 billion in revenue by 2026.
Doggie-Boxes, Literally
Americans love our dogs. More than 38% of the population owns dogs. That doesn’t sound like such a huge percentage until you figure out the actual number of households with pups…48,255 MILLION, most owning more than one dog, for a total of almost 77 MILLION dogs!
Tybee Jones is our dog, a Bedlington Terrier that we spoil rotten. But we’re not alone. In 2021, Americans spent almost $110 BILLION dollars on dog products.
That’s why people love BarkBox.
If your dog chews up toys periodically, loses the balls you throw, or brings you lots of joy by playing tug of war or fetch with you, you might appreciate BarkBox.
Launched in 2012, the monthly subscription box sends your dog toys and treats every month. You can specify what size of dog you have and what kind of toys you prefer. Within five years, BarkBox was profitable, selling more than $50 million in doggie delights.
A half million households now subscribe. Happy dogs everywhere!
You’ve Heard the Phrase, “Close-Shave?”
One of my greatest luxuries is getting a real shave from an area barber who uses the hot-towel and straight-razor method. Wow.
Since I can’t do that very often, I shave with regular razors, and it’s an issue trying to find a decent razor and good blades. It seems like every time I find a razor I like, the company discontinues it or I can’t find the right blades to go with it.
That’s the problem that Dollar Shave Club solved. Monthly subscription boxes send great, inexpensive razor blades direct to your home so you no longer have to roam the aisles of drugstores searching in vain for a decent razor and matching blade set.
Launched in 2011, Dollar Shave Club’s subscriber list skyrocketed. (That’s what happens when manufacturers and marketers solve a real problem for people!)
Now, the company offers shaving and grooming products for men and ship boxes every 2, 3, or 4 months for very affordable prices to more than 4 MILLION subscribers.
Fashion Plates, take note!
The pandemic wreaked havoc on many retail stores. Lane Bryant, Ann Taylor, and Stein Mart are no longer around.
Even before the pandemic, busy women didn’t have time to shop, or couldn’t easily locate the style or size of clothing they wanted.
That’s when a woman student at Harvard Business School, Kristina Lake, decided that shopping “was broken.”
She came up with an alternative way to shop: Stitch-Fix. Originally called, “Rack Habit,” the company launched in 2011, and within 2 years, it had delivered 100,000 “fashion fixes” to its subscribers.
Stitch-Fix pairs subscribers with personal shoppers who learn your style and your sizes. You determine how often you want a box sent, and what price range you want your items to be in. Your personal shopper puts together five things for you to try. If they don’t fit, you can return them and try a different size.
Tell your stylist – if you have special occasions coming up, or if you want to try specific things, and they will “style” you. Stitch-Fix even has a team of stylists who can answer questions for you.
If you love all your items and decide to keep them, you get 25% off them.
Stitch-Fix provides convenience, cost-effective shopping, and comfort with the ability to try clothes on in the privacy of your own home.
More than 4.2 million clients subscribe, and Stitch-Fix supplies their fashion needs with over 700 brands.
More of a Literary Sort?
If books are your thing, there are subscription services for you, too.
Book of the Month (BOTM) is the longest-running book subscription service in the country. Founded in 1926 by an advertising copywriter, Book of the Month Club provided choices of books to choose from each month.
When subscriptions began to decline due to competition from online sources like Amazon, Book of the Month was sold to John Lippman in 2012 for an undisclosed sum.
He revamped the program and reopened in 2015. Now, every month, subscribers can purchase a hard-cover print book for $15.99 per month, (almost half of the retail cost of $26 - $30 per copy.) Additionally, members can purchase “add-on” books for just $9.99 per copy.
Targeted to Millennial women born between 1981 and 1996, Book of the Month offers rewards for subscribers of more than a year, referral bonuses, and “The Blue Box Boutique,” an online store for the purchase of reading-influenced gifts.
A quarter of a million people currently subscribe.
Join the comfort lover's club!
ServiceOne Air Conditioning and Plumbing saw a need and solved a problem.
We care about your comfort, your cost, and the convenience of providing you service.
That’s why we created ClubOne membership.
You no longer need to keep track of calendars, remember when your system needs servicing, or pay for an entire year’s maintenance agreement at one time.
We have an easy, pay-by-the-month service agreement for your heating and air conditioning system!
Like other subscription services, we’ll deliver the service you choose on a regular basis, and you can pay a small, monthly fee to be covered for the entire year. Choose the level of service you want, but every level we offer provides convenience, cost savings, and comfort!
(Head-of-the-line-service. Discounts on products. No overtime charges. Just to name a few.)
Check out our new updated monthly payment plan for maintenance services.
Jump on the bandwagon!
Millions of people appreciate the benefits of various subscription services.
None of those cool subscription boxes are as important as keeping your home cool and comfortable – or warm and wonderful – on a daily basis.
Invest in a ClubOne membership to guarantee that your air conditioning and heating systems are running in the safest, most efficient way possible.
Like most subscription services, ServiceOne’s ClubOne membership makes a GREAT gift for your young-adult children in their first home, your elderly parents, or anyone who might benefit from guaranteed service on their home’s vitally important air conditioning and heating system.
Call us.
We’re here to serve.