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

Life online: Subscribe to everything, own nothing

Excerpt from an article by Nicole Lee on Engadget

In March this year, we were told that the pandemic lockdowns would only last a few weeks. [But now,] the future has never been more uncertain.

There is one industry that seems to thrive on life’s unpredictability: subscriptions. No, not just to Netflix and Spotify, but to physical items, like cars, clothes and furniture. It’s a trend that’s been slowly catching on over the past couple of years, and in a lot of ways, we have technology to thank for it.

“I do believe that our experience with some of these digital services that most people have experience with, has helped open our minds,” said Amy Konary, the Vice President and Chair of the Subscribed Institute at Zuora, a think tank for subscription-based companies. “The advent of cloud, digital technologies, mobile and mobility, over the last twenty years have enabled these types of models that revolve around us.”

Read the full article on Engadget and read more about The Subscribed Institute led by Amy Konary.

Uber launches its Pass subscription across the U.S., minus California

Excerpt from an article by Paul Sawers on VentureBeat

Uber is launching its monthly Uber Pass subscription service across the U.S., following an extended test period in a handful of cities.

The ride-hailing giant first debuted a service called Ride Pass back in 2018, allowing riders to pay $15 per month to lock in a set price for any ride they take. This culminated last year in the all-encompassing Uber Pass that offers discounts on rides, food delivery, and micromobility (bikes and scooters).

A monthly subscription is designed to encourage customer loyalty, and both Uber and Lyft have dabbled with various plans in the past. The best way to keep someone from straying to a rival service is to get them to pay a fee upfront with the promise of saving money overall.

Read the full article on VentureBeat and learn more about 

Cox Contour adds Cinedigm’s subscription streaming services

Excerpt from an article by Ben Munson on FierceVideo

Cinedigm is launching its subscription-based video-on-demand services – CONtv, Dove Channel and Docurama – on Cox Contour and Contour Stream Player.

Cox TV customers can now sign up to receive these networks through the Contour platform. Cox subscribers can get a free 7-day trial by signing up within the Contour and Contour Stream Player platforms. After the free trial, CONtv, Dove Channel and Docurama will be added to customers’ service for $4.99 per month.

The partnership with Cox arrives after other recent deals for Cinedigm. Earlier this month, the company signed a distribution agreement with Littlstar, a streaming service that focuses on gaming content. In July, several films from Cinedigm’s library were included with NBCUniversal’s Peacock at launch and Cinedigm said that it will be rolling out more than 250 Films and TV series episodes on Peacock during the next months.

Read the full article on FierceVideo and read Zuora CEO Tien Tzuo’s thoughts on the Streaming Wars.

A Look at 3 Approaches to Content Monetization

Excerpt from an article by Kaya Ismail on CMSWire

Brands are constantly on the lookout for ways to optimize the revenue they generate from their content. This has led to a wide range of monetization strategies, and according to eMarketer, 44% of publishers are using subscriptions.

Subscriptions are a revenue model where brands charge a recurring fee for access to their content. “Not only do they provide organizations across any industry a stable source of recurring revenue,” explained JJ Xia, Director of Customer Strategy at Redwood City, C.A.-based Zuora, “but they offer access to rich customer data that provides a deep understanding of user preferences and behaviors.”

The Seattle Times, for example, introduced a paywall in 2013 that encouraged readers to become subscribers to access quality content. “The shift to subscriptions freed the publication from commitments to advertisers and enabled it to focus on high-quality content creation,” Xia explained, “further engaging its audience and growing its base.”

Read the full article on CMSWire and understand the true opportunity of the Subscription Economy.

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.