Subscription Economy News: Week of 05/25/20

Every week, we bring you the top stories and analyses from the global Subscription Economy.

Google finally testing Android TV one-click subscriptions feature

Excerpt from an article by Brittany A. Roston on SlashGear

A little more than a year ago, Google revealed plans to bring one-click subscriptions to its Android TV platform.

The company has confirmed that it is testing one-click subscriptions with “select” partners; it has also published a support document related to the feature.

One-click subscriptions are exactly what they sound like — a feature that enables Android TV users to directly sign up for a subscription service, eliminating the need to pull out a phone or other third-party device. This feature is already available on a number of competing platforms, including Amazon’s Fire TV and Prime offerings.

It’s unclear which apps are part of the Android TV one-click subscription pilot. The pilot indicates that the feature will get a wider release in the near future, but additional details aren’t forthcoming at this time.

For more, read the full article on SlashGear

Netflix to Cancel Inactive Streaming Video Subscriptions

Excerpt from an article by Dana E. Neuts on Subscription Insider

Last week the streaming video on-demand service announced it plans to cancel inactive memberships. Members who have not used their account in more than a year will receive emails and in-app notifications from Netflix to ask users if they want to keep their streaming video subscriptions. If Netflix does not receive a response, they will automatically cancel the dormant accounts.

“We’ve always thought it should be easy to sign up and to cancel. So, as always, anyone who cancels their account and then rejoins within 10 months will still have their favorites, profiles, viewing preferences and account details just as they left them,” Netflix said.  “In the meantime, we hope this new approach saves people some hard earned cash.”

“At Netflix, we’re acutely aware that we are fortunate to have a service that is even more meaningful to people confined at home, and which we can operate remotely with minimal disruption in the short to medium term.”

For more, read the full article on Subscription Insider and learn how Zuora’s customers are doing right by their users amid these challenging times.

Subscription company Fernish raises $15 million

Excerpt from an article by Anne Flynn Wear on Furniture Today

Fernish, a subscription furniture e-commerce company, has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Khosla Ventures, Real Estate Technology Ventures and PLG Ventures.

“Raising capital in the current climate is a testament to our team’s unwavering focus on fundamental business economics and providing an amazing customer experience,” said Michael Barlow, co-founder of Fernish along with Lucas Dickey. “Strong business economics are a prerequisite to building and scaling a start-up in 2020. And for a tech-enabled physical asset business like Fernish, executing against those economics gets more complex as we grow.”

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barlow said the company has seen a 300% increase in home office orders and a 90% increase in orders for accessories and décor.

For more, read the full article on Furniture Today

 

For more Subscription Economy resources and events, head to www.subscribed.com and subscribe to Zuora CEO Tien Tzuo’s Subscribed Weekly newsletter, coming to your inbox every Saturday. 

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