A couple of weeks ago, Claire Cain Miller of The New York Times wrote a great piece about the surge of consumer rental platforms that has surfaced over the past several years, and this piece resonated with us. From Uber and Lyft to Rent the Runway and Le Tote, there are now an unlimited number of ways to rent even the most basic services and products. And while the average consumer is spending significantly less money on certain aspects of their life, rental businesses everywhere are thriving, and the phenomenon only appears to be growing.
Most ecommerce sellers and subscription box owners are so focused on finding the social media “secret sauce” that they are ignoring one of the most valuable marketing channels: Email.
Many marketers claim that the inbox is a ghost town where spammy content and promotional clutter go to live unopened, but sending a good email is still the best way to capture leads and drive sales. In the last four years, customer acquisition through email has quadrupled. Adopting an email marketing campaign lets you enter the personal lives of people who have already “opted-in” to receiving information and deals from your company.
According to the Direct Marketing Association, email has an ROI of 4300%. This is easy to believe with simple and cheap solutions such as Mailchimp helping ecommerce storeowners automate and personalize attractive email campaigns. An effective email strategy requires time and planning, but you can jumpstart your creative process with these five awesome subscription box emails.
Cratejoy is an all in one subscription commerce platform that includes everything you need to start your own subscription box business online.
“Anything that is measured and watched, improves.” -Bob Parsons, Founder of Go Daddy
An online presence is practically a given in order for any small business to grow. However, just creating a website and hoping that people will find and engage with your content is not enough to propel your company into success. There are many powerful and free tools that can help you understand your web traffic, but Google Analytics is the best way to gain true, actionable insight. For 10 years homegrown and startup companies have been using Google’s software to improve their business. So can you
Online sellers have a lot of explaining to do. There’s no sales rep on the floor guiding customers through available inventory. Your buyers can’t touch or feel the quality of your product through a virtual storefront. In ecommerce, what you see is what you get—which makes contracting a professional product photographer absolutely essential to your success.
Beautiful, clear images sell. It is that simple. Photos add personality, context and value to your brand, even if what you’re selling inside your subscription box is always changing. While there are many tools and resources for DIY photography, hiring a professional is your best bet. They understand what works and can help plan shoots, scout locations and select props.
We caught up with Gerry Flynn, Cratejoy seller and owner of Austin’s paleo food service “Fixed Foods.” He gave us an inside look at how he hired a photographer to bring his brand and products to life for his online shop.
Choosing a name for your business is a daunting task. This is especially true if you have multiple partners and are trying to reach a consensus.
A name is the identity that will drive your company and will often be the deciding factor for customers choosing between two similar products or services. A great name tells a story, legitimizes your business and inspires brand advocates. The foolproof way to create a business name that sells is to embark on a good ol’ brainstorm session.
Here are four things to consider when brainstorming a company name:
Reddit is a risky marketing tool that can put your subscription e-commerce business right in front of your target audience and result in fast-paced growth. Reddit’s simple user-interface is prime real estate for finding communities of people talking about your products and industry.
There’s only one problem: Reddit is also territory for trolls, and trolls hate marketers. Navigating the Reddit waters might be scary because negativity online often catches fire and users will call you out publicly if they are suspicious of your sales pitch. In order to hack Reddit, enhance your brand and positively impact growth you must:
Buying local is a movement that has taken all types of commerce by storm. Individual consumers have taken a strong interest in knowing the story behind the products they buy: where they come from, who made them and under what conditions.
The evolution of artisan and craft marketplaces has also placed an emphasis on supporting homegrown businesses and quality, handmade goods. People are seeking out items that represent either familiar or uniquely interesting culture characteristics.
Several subscription boxes have begun to capitalize on this trend and offer regional products that give the buyer a taste of a state or city’s local flavor.
Here’s why owning and buying local subscriptions are worth your while:
Father’s Day is tricky business. You want to find a practical gift that is useful but also reflects personality. Heading out to a department store and picking out a card with cuff links is fine but lacks points for originality.
Monthly subscription boxes are a great way to purchase timeless gifts and present them in a new and exciting fashion. These 6 subscriptions were handpicked and stamped with Cratejoy approval by our engineering team.
*Gifting during a steakhouse dinner highly recommended, though not included.*
