Data Brief: 25 Percent Of Consumers Using D2C Subscriptions Exclusively

Features that subscription brands require to switch more ‘subscription-curious’ free trial-takers over to full-blown subscribers are spotlighted in the 2021 Subscription Commerce Conversion Index, a PYMNTS and sticky.io collaboration. The Index contains a treasure trove of insights — especially on the demographic and direct-to-consumer (D2C) preferences that are now vital to this dynamic sector.

Noting that “subscription-curious consumers are the driving force behind subscription commerce growth in the U.S.,” with this group now using an average of 3.4 different subscription services — up from an average of 2.5 services in February — this Data Brief excerpt focuses on the balance of services and preferences, as seen in the survey of over 2,000 U.S. consumers.

“A particularly strong increase occurred in the share using D2C subscriptions to avoid having to remember to make regular trips to the store,” the report states, finding that 13 percent more D2C subscribers “used their subscriptions to avoid regular shopping trips in May than in February,” signaling that the “bring it to me” economy is in full swing in the second half of 2021.

On the whole, consumers report being quite pleased with their subscription choices and the value these services deliver, according to the 2021 Subscription Commerce Conversion Index.

“It was clear that consumers felt they were getting more from their D2C commerce experiences and that their satisfaction with D2C services was leading to boosted numbers. Thirty-four percent of all subscribers in May 2021 used both D2C and non-D2C subscription services, while 25 percent used D2C subscriptions exclusively. Together, they accounted for 57 percent of all subscribers in the U.S. in May 2021. This represented a quarter-over-quarter increase of 2.4 percent,” per the report.

Depending on the subscription type, demographics are influential, as the chart below shows, with millennials, bridge millennials and Gen Z “the most subscription-curious consumers of all. These age cohorts are also the most likely to use D2C subscriptions exclusively.”

Subscription love really blossomed in spring 2021, per the report, as “consumer interest in signing up for D2C subscriptions was up across the board in May, as more consumers expressed interest in every segment we studied. Interest in using D2C subscriptions for household supplies jumped 6 percent between February and May, while interest in D2C health and wellness products rose 4 percent. The greatest increase occurred among consumers who might like to use D2C subscriptions for pet supplies and groceries.”