Subscription-based businesses are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. They offer convenience, affordability, and a steady stream of revenue for businesses. However, not all customers want to commit to a subscription for an extended period of time. Providing a pause option can help businesses retain customers who may need to take a break from their subscription for various reasons.
This feature is especially important in Shopify, a popular e-commerce platform, where subscription businesses are thriving. By offering a pause option, businesses can provide their customers with flexibility and control, ultimately increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. In this way, providing a pause option is a vital strategy for customer retention in subscription-based businesses.
How can pause options increase customer retention?
Here are some ways that providing a pause option in a subscription-based business can increase customer retention:
Flexibility: By giving customers the option to pause their subscription, businesses can show that they are understanding and empathetic towards their customers' needs. Customers may appreciate the flexibility and feel more inclined to continue their subscription in the long-term.
Customer satisfaction: When customers feel that they have control over their subscription, they are more likely to be satisfied with the service. By providing a pause option, businesses can improve the overall customer experience and increase the likelihood of repeat business.
Avoid churn: Customers may cancel their subscription altogether if they are unable to pause it when needed. Providing a pause option can help businesses avoid churn and retain customers who may have otherwise canceled their subscription.
Cost-effective: From a business perspective, retaining customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. By providing a pause option, businesses can increase customer retention without spending a significant amount on marketing and customer acquisition.
Competitive advantage: In a crowded market, businesses that provide a pause option may have a competitive advantage over those that do not. By offering this feature, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors and attract customers who value flexibility and control in their subscriptions.
How to update my pause options?
Subamplify makes it easy for merchants to manage their pause option settings. Here are the steps to update your pause options settings in the merchant dashboard:
Open your Subamplify dashboard
Click the side menu item Storefront
Then click the Customer Portal sub menu item
Navigate to the Pause Options section
From here you can enable or disable Pause Option functionality
Edit existing pause options fields by specifying duration and duration identifier, such as month, day or week
Click Save when you're done
All changes will be reflected instantly to your customers
Here is an example of how it would look for your customers if pause options are enabled:
If a customer chooses to still proceed to cancel (rather than pause), they will see the following screen:
