US Subscription Ecommerce 2022

Essential Goods Will Drive Growth, but Subscription Fatigue Looms

Report by Blake Droesch  | May 19, 2022
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Table of Contents
Key Points
How Big Is the Opportunity?
Major Players: Brands, Retailers, and Delivery Services Are All Banking on Subscriptions
Trends that Will Shape the Future of Subscriptions
How Subscription Services Can Win Business
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Subscription models are driving customer loyalty in online sales of groceries and other essential goods, but fatigue among consumers threatens long-term growth.
Topics
Ecommerce Tactics
US
Table of Contents
Key Points
How Big Is the Opportunity?
Major Players: Brands, Retailers, and Delivery Services Are All Banking on Subscriptions
Trends that Will Shape the Future of Subscriptions
How Subscription Services Can Win Business
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery

Essential goods—like groceries and personal care products—make up some of the fastest-growing segments in US ecommerce. To lock in customer loyalty, retailers, brands, and delivery services are using subscription models that offer value and convenience to buyers of these essential goods.

3 KEY QUESTIONS THIS REPORT WILL ANSWER

  1. What are the different subscription models offered by retailers, brands, and delivery services, and what are the best practices for driving customer loyalty?
  2. What product categories are best suited for the subscription model?
  3. What are the challenges of the subscription model, particularly as pandemic restrictions subside and consumers spend more time outside of the home?

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? Our subscription ecommerce sales forecast, an overview of retail and delivery memberships, and a look at how subscription models can set up for long-term success.

Product Category Share of Subscribers Worldwide, 2021 (% of total)
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KEY STAT: More than half (54.3%) of worldwide subscriptions come from two categories: food and beverage and beauty and personal care.

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Table of Contents

  1. Key Points
  2. How Big Is the Opportunity?
  3. Major Players: Brands, Retailers, and Delivery Services Are All Banking on Subscriptions
  1. Trends that Will Shape the Future of Subscriptions
  2. How Subscription Services Can Win Business
  3. Read Next
  1. Sources
  2. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Product Category Share of Subscribers Worldwide, 2021 (% of total)US Subscription Ecommerce Sales , 2019-2024 (billions, % change, and % of total retail ecommerce sales)
US Digital Subscription Buyers, 2019-2024 (millions, % change, and % of digital buyers )US Subscription Ecommerce Sales per Digital Subscription Buyer, 2019-2024 (dollars and % change)
US Subscription Ecommerce Sales, Buyers, and Sales per Digital Buyer , 2019-2024 (% change)Which Retail Membership Services Do US Adults* Pay for? (% of respondents, by demographic, April 2022)
US Amazon Prime Users , 2020-2025 (millions, % change, and % of population)Monthly Recurring Revenues of Subscription Businesses Worldwide, by Product Category, 2020 & 2021 (millions and % change vs. prior year)
US Meal-Kit Subscription Ecommerce Sales, 2018-2022 (billions, % change, and % of total subscription ecommerce sales)HelloFresh US D2C Ecommerce Sales, 2018-2022 (billions and % change)
Blue Apron US D2C Ecommerce Sales , 2018-2022 (billions and % change)US Chewy Ecommerce Sales, 2018-2022 (billions, % change, and % of total retail ecommerce sales )
US Retail Ecommerce Sales Growth, by Category, 2022-2026 (% change)Most-Seen US D2C Brands on TV, Ranked by Ad Impressions, Jan 1-June 15, 2021 (billions of impressions and % change vs. same period of prior year)
Primary Reasons US Adults Are Using Retail Subscription Services, Sep 2021 (% of respondents)Reasons Shoppers Worldwide Will Purchase Products Directly from Brands Instead of Buying from Retailers, Nov 2021 (% of respondents)
Actions US Adults Take When a Retail Subscription Free Trial Ends, Q4 2021 (% of respondents)Aspects of Subscription Services that US Digital Buyers with Subscriptions vs. Without Subscriptions Dislike, May 2021 (% of respondents)

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authors

Blake Droesch

Contributors

Whitney Birdsall
Senior Forecasting Analyst
Sky Canaves
Senior Analyst, Retail & Ecommerce
Bianca Carasus
Researcher
Suzy Davidkhanian
Principal Analyst, Retail & Ecommerce