Introducing the Offer Trial Feature for Subscription Products

Introduction

We’re thrilled to announce the Offer Trial Subscription feature for Utterbond Subscriptions! This feature allows you to provide a trial period for your subscription products with special discounts to help turn curious shoppers into loyal, paying customers. It's designed to enhance your subscription strategy by offering flexible discounts and personalized trial periods.

What Is the Offer Trial Feature?

The Offer Trial feature empowers Shopify merchants to offer a discounted trial period for subscription products. Customers get the chance to try the product at a lower (or even free) rate, which gives them confidence before committing to the full subscription. After the trial period, merchants can apply a new discount or revert to full product pricing. This flexibility enables merchants to create compelling offers that improve conversion rates and boost long-term customer retention.

Key Benefits of the Offer Trial Feature

1. Flexible Discounts

You can create a two-stage discount structure: one discount for the trial period and a different one for the post-trial period. For example, you could offer a 100% free trial for seven days, and once the trial ends, customers are charged the full product price. This flexibility encourages customers to try your product while providing a seamless transition to the regular subscription.

2. Customizable Trial Duration

Set the trial period duration according to your business model and product type. For instance, a 7-day trial may work well for digital services, while a 3-day trial could be ideal for fast-moving consumer goods. Customizing the trial period helps merchants align their offer with customer expectations and product cycles, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

3. Recurring Subscriptions with Trial Offers

This feature integrates seamlessly with recurring billing, ensuring that the transition from trial to subscription is automated. Once the trial ends, the first billing cycle starts immediately, and subsequent orders follow the predefined subscription schedule. This continuity ensures that your customers stay engaged without any gaps or confusion.

Example Setup

Imagine you offer a monthly subscription for skincare products:
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Subscription Plan: Pay-as-you-go with delivery every 1 month

Trial Duration: 3 days
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Trial Discount: 100% off (Free Trial)
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Post-Trial Discount: 0% (Full Price)

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How it Works:

A customer places an order on January 1st and enjoys a 3-day free trial.

On January 3rd, the trial ends, and they’re automatically billed the full price of the product. Subsequent deliveries are scheduled for the 3rd of each month, ensuring continuous product delivery and billing.

How the Offer Trial Works in Practice

This feature provides a frictionless customer experience:

• Trial Offer Activation: When a customer subscribes, the system skips the first billing date and starts with the discounted trial.
• Smooth Transition: Once the trial period ends, the next billing occurs automatically, ensuring uninterrupted service.
• Recurring Payments: After the first full-price payment, all subsequent billing happens on the same recurring schedule.

This setup eliminates confusion and manual intervention, ensuring that both you and your customers enjoy a smooth subscription experience.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

1. Incompatibility with Specific Day Subscriptions

The Offer Trial feature currently cannot be used with subscriptions that start on a specific day of the month. If you use the “Set order date on specific day” feature—for example, to always bill on the 1st or 15th of the month—trials will not be supported within that structure.

2. Discount Conflicts

If a standard subscription discount is applied, the Offer Trial feature will not be available for that subscription. Merchants must choose between offering a regular discount or a trial offer—they can’t run both discounts simultaneously on the same product. This ensures clarity and prevents conflicting discounts from confusing customers.

How to Set Up the Offer Trial Feature

Follow these steps to activate the Offer Trial feature on your subscription products:

• Open the Utterbond app and navigate to the Subscription Plan section. If you’re new to Utterbond, install the Utterbond Subscriptions app from the Shopify App Store to get started.
• Enter basic subscription details, including the product name, pricing, and other plan settings.
• Set the subscription frequency, such as monthly, weekly, or custom intervals.
• Enable the Offer Trial feature and specify the trial period duration.
• Set the discount rates for both the trial and post-trial periods. For example, apply a 100% discount for the trial and 0% discount afterward.
• Save the settings to activate the trial offer.
• Assign products to the subscription plan, ensuring that they are eligible for the trial offer.
• Save your configuration, and your trial offer will go live!

Conclusion

The Offer Trial Subscription feature is a game-changer for merchants looking to enhance their subscription offerings. By providing customers with the opportunity to experience your products at a discounted rate during a trial period, you can significantly increase conversion rates and foster long-term loyalty.

With its flexible discount structures, customizable trial durations, and seamless integration with recurring billing, this feature empowers you to create compelling offers tailored to your business needs. Although there are some limitations, the potential benefits far outweigh them, making it an essential tool in your subscription strategy.

Don’t miss out on the chance to attract more customers and convert them into dedicated subscribers. Set up the Offer Trial feature today and start experiencing the benefits of this innovative approach to subscription sales. For further assistance, remember to reach out to our support team—we're here to help you succeed!