Universal Fulfillment

How to Start a Subscription Box Business

Universal Fulfillment Subscription Box Fulfillment

Starting A Subscription Box Business

In the subscription box business, kits or bundles are shipped out to customers on a reoccurring basis, usually, every month, called subscription boxes. These kits typically contain different but related products. There are different types of subscription boxes, ranging anywhere from food items to skincare. They can be very specific and cater to unique markets. They can also make great gifts. Consumers enjoy surprise bundles where they don’t necessarily need to pick out each item that goes in the box. The recurrent aspect of the boxes allows customers to look forward to receiving them every month.

It’s never been easier to get started sending out your custom subscription boxes. However, it’s important to choose the right niche and product type for your customer base. Not doing proper research and not having a solid business plan can be a formula for failure. 

Here are some of the steps for setting up a successful subscription box business. 

Build an idea

The first step for any business is to build a sustainable and fresh idea. Look for gaps in the market. Narrow down your ideas and try to find the demand. Finding a niche that isn’t already being catered to can make a big difference. 

Always map out the customer profile, do some market analysis, and think of a product that will fit the demand. Two things that should be clear are: who the customer is and who the competitors are. This will allow you to decide what to create and what to avoid. 

Pricing

Develop the pricing structure for your subscription box. It needs to be affordable for your prospective subscribers and sustainable for the business. Consumers like subscription boxes that have a higher retail value and save them money. Keep a profit margin of at least 40 percent to ensure that the business can sustain itself in the long term. There are several costs toconsider before finalizing the price of the box. These include product costs, acquisition costs, subscription box fulfilment costs, packing and shipping costs, etc.

Prototype box

The next step is creating a prototype box that will resemble the final box. To create a prototype box, you need to decide on the box size, the packaging, the products, etc. this will give a feel of what the customers will receive in the final package.

Prelaunch marketing

Next, you need to start the prelaunch process. This process will involve creating a buzz on social media, designing a website, signing up on a market list, setting up social media, working on the shipping and product acquisition, etc.

Start shipping

After the buzz is created, it’s time to start shipping boxes to the customers who have signed up for a subscription. This can be made easier with the help of a fulfillment center like Universal Fulfillment.
Starting a business is not a simple task, however, doing proper research and choosing the right partners can make the entire journey smoother.

Contact us today!

Give us a call today and let’s discuss how we can make things easier for you. We are the logistics service you need for keeping your business on top.

Questions?
Fire away!

We are happy to answer your questions by email or phone.   Let us know what you’d prefer and how best to reach you.