At Cratejoy, we don’t just celebrate new feature releases or new integrations. In fact, one of the most rewarding parts of what we do is seeing hardworking sellers on our platform find success.
Going forward, we’ll start profiling some exciting seller stories here on our blog. If you aren’t quite sure whether the subscription business model is right for you, we suggest following this series for a dose of inspiration.
Meet Wrestle Crate.
For the past 15 years, Edward Allen lived his life just like any other person. He went to work every day, came home to his family, and woke up the next day to do it all again.
And like most people today, Edward craved more. Edward saw his son growing up and wanted to cling onto those memories.
This inspired Edward and his son Aiden to begin a simple passion project that combined their love for wrestling and Edward’s desire to take charge of his life. Little did they know, this passion project was just months away from becoming a full-blown career.
Wrestle Crate: A dream come true
Edward and Aiden are wrestling mega fans and are extremely active in the wrestling community. Whether it is a wrestling superstar in the WWE or a powerhouse underground wrestler, the Allen family knows all there is to know about them.
While trying to find vintage wrestling memorabilia to add to their collection, their search came up short.
They looked for a subscription that catered to wrestling fans, but could not find any. Edward and Aiden immediately knew that they had to start one. They knew there was an immense demand for rare and hard to find wrestling memorabilia.
Knowing the mega-fan audience, Edward saw the opportunity for a loyal customer base that wanted to maintain a connection to their passion by receiving new wrestling products every month.
Edward evaluated various business models, but it was clear to them that the subscription model was the best fit. It provided a steady stream of products to subscribers, while also providing a stable cash flow and predictable purchasing. They decided to take a chance and dive into the subscription box world, forming what would ultimately become Wrestle Crate.
After Wrestle Crate launched in March of 2015, Edward was already sending out over 250 boxes. Two months later, Wrestle crate was sending out close to 1000 boxes. Today Edward is taking steps to make Wrestle Crate his full time focus.
In three short months, this father and son passion project officially became Edward’s career.
The success of Wrestle Crate has been phenomenal, and they’re just getting started. These impressive results have allowed Edward to get more out of life: a dream job he loves, a brand new house to better suit his family, and an even stronger bond with his son.
What started as a fun project to share the love of wrestling with Aiden and fans alike, now allows Edward to live on that passion. As Edward explains,
“I was familiar with the subscription business and knew it was a good model. It changed my life drastically from a financial standpoint, from a personal standpoint. It’s the first time I’ve really liked going to work.”
When asked about how Wrestle Crate’s success has impacted his relationship with his son Edward, endearingly, remarked: “He truly is my best friend.”
It’s hard not to smile at what this father and son duo have been able to do together using the subscription business model.
Creating The Wrestle Crate Product
Edward and Aiden’s hard work began by forging relationships with vendors like Mattel®, Topps®, and Fathead®. By establishing these relationships, they were able to focus on their offerings and fill them with products they knew could be trusted and what their customers’ deserved.
Wrestle Crate then created their two offerings:
- The Standard Wrestle Crate
- The Ultimate Wrestle Crate
The Ultimate Wrestle Crate, most popular among subscribers, consists of Elite and Defining Moments Mattel WWE Figures, vinyl figures, autographs, T-shirts, and the best of the best that Wrestle Crate has to offer. With both offerings, you simply go to the site, choose your subscription and shirt size, and then wait for your Wrestle Crate to be delivered straight to your door.
Marketing to the Customer
To find his customers, Edward tackled two big strategies:
1. First, he tapped into the community of influencers. With a new and powerful business model in hand, Edward met with several influential members in the wrestling community. He sent them sample boxes of what Wrestle Crate had to offer. These people were then more than happy to review Wrestle Crate, and spread the powerful story of why people need to purchase a Wrestle Crate box.
2. Next, he knew that social media works. The impact of social media, blogs, and video blogs on YouTube reached wrestling fans around the world. Wrestle Crate ships to over 800 customers in the US, Canada, Australia, Mexico, and the UK. Edward dedicates a significant amount of time searching through both Facebook and Twitter for potential customers, wrestling fans, and ways to help or answer questions for existing customers.
As Edward’s business continues to take off, so has his place in the wrestling industry. Former, current, and underground wrestlers in the industry now know Edward’s Wrestle Crate as the go-to for promotional distribution. Unless you are of the few wrestlers featured in the WWE, it is hard to maintain a fan base or even a profit. Through Wrestle Crate, these wrestlers are able to elevate their career while maintaining the business aspect, as well. Without a service like Wrestle Crate, it would be nearly impossible for wrestlers to maintain their brand with their audience.
Edward has singlehandedly created a direct channel for wrestlers to reach their fan base, and has even expanded the appeal of the sport to a broader demographic.
The Subscription Business Model = A Path to Success
“If I had a store, I wouldn’t know how many customers would even walk in… The Subscription Model changes that.”
Once Edward joined the subscription industry, he was amazed by how it expanded his network. He’s constantly meeting with people in the industry, investing time into customers, working with different quality vendors, and has even established relationships with current and former wrestlers.
As Edward says, “The subscription business has allowed me to meet and connect with these incredible people to develop trusting and helpful relationships.”
Edward found that the subscription model gave him a way to create a more established and trusting relationship with his customers. By constantly being “in the know” and maintaining a connection to his subscribers, he stays tuned in with what his customers crave. “I have the same passion my customers have. I know what’s popular in the industry, and I know what my customers want,” explains Edward. From a business perspective, he elaborates, “If I had a store, I wouldn’t know how many customers would even walk in.”
With the subscription model, though, Edward has the ability to track accurate trends with his customers and therefore know how to better cater to them.
When asked what motivates him, Edward says that he is truly driven by the excitement customers experience when they open their Wrestle Crate, full of special gifts hand picked by him. It’s an opportunity to help people live their passion, and that’s what makes it such a fun business model.
In Edwards’ advice to those considering the subscription business, he encourages them to “Know the industry, read up on it and learn as much as you can. Know what you’re talking about product wise. It was my hobby, and now it’s awesome that I love what I do.”
