[Installed in over 3,000 stores] The ultimate Shopify subscription app in Japan! A comprehensive guide to "recurring purchases"

This is Nishihara from the development department!

In this blog, we will introduce Recurring Purchases a subscription app for Shopify developed and provided Huckleberry Inc.,

*Shopify Expert is the highest certification rank among the many Shopify partners. It indicates that the partner is able to create, build, and develop e-commerce sites using Shopify, which is a more specialized field

[Updated March 2022: Information in the article has been updated.]

How do I subscribe on Shopify?

Subscription businesses are extremely effective in increasing LTV. Even if you decide to get started, your business model will change, so you'll need to reassess your systems and the metrics you should be looking at

Developing a system in-house is costly, but Shopify apps solve this issue because subscriptions are available simply by installing them

Until now, the only apps that allowed users to start subscriptions on Shopify were made overseas, and they required translating the English into Japanese

To address this issue, Huckleberry, which has developed seven apps to date, released the "Subscription Purchase" app in February 2021. The app supports Japanese and has all the functions necessary for subscription purchases. It
has already been installed in over 3,000 stores, allowing many stores to easily start a subscription business.

What is a "Subscription" app?

" Subscription Purchase " app is the most installed Japanese subscription app. Some stores have achieved monthly sales of 20 million yen within the second month of using this app. It has three main features:

● App features are informed by the operational know-how of 7,300 stores
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In addition to "Subscriptions," Huckleberry offers 10 other Shopify apps, used by over 7,300 stores, making us the No. 1 app vendor in Japan.
This allows us to understand the challenges of running a Shopify store more than any other company and to see many successful store cases. Therefore, the "Subscriptions" app is packed with experience and knowledge gained through working with many stores. We
are constantly developing and updating the features truly necessary for a successful subscription business.

● Highly acclaimed customer support
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They provide complete support, from technical support for implementation and customization to sharing the know-how necessary to successfully implement a subscription model.
100% of questions are answered within two business days.
They also have a support system in place via email and online meetings.

● Extensive integration with external services
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The "Subscription" app has extensive integration with external services. For example, it can be integrated with LINE, Klaviyo, and Next Engine. Integration with various services is planned for the future.

"Subscription" function

The "Subscription Purchase" app is packed with features that are great for both stores and customers. Here are some of them.
If you want to know more about the features, try downloading the in-depth explanation document for free here

How to install

This "subscription purchase" app has a variety of functions. Installation and initial setup takes just 5 steps

■ Install the app
the Shopify app store and click "Add app" from the subscription app's details page. Then, allow the connection and follow the steps on the dashboard to set it up.

① Easy installation to your theme!
After installing the app, first install the template to your shop theme so that the subscription button can be displayed.

With the "Easy Installation" feature, you can display subscription plans on your shop's product details and cart pages simply by clicking the install button. There's no need to edit Liquid, so you don't have to ask an engineer. If you'd like to set it up manually, customer support will guide you through the process based on your theme

② Create a membership rank!
It is said that the cost of attracting new customers is higher than the cost of acquiring repeat customers. Since customers have made regular purchases, you want to increase their loyalty so that they become good customers.

In subscription apps, you can set membership ranks based on the number of orders. You can set discounts for each rank, which can lead to an increase in repeat customers. It also helps prevent cancellations

In the "Member Rank" tab, segment by the following conditions:

・Rank name
・Promotion conditions (cumulative order amount)
・Discount rate (percentage setting)

③ Create a subscription plan!
Once the installation is complete, register your subscription business model from the "Plan" tab.

On the plan settings screen, you can register multiple subscription plans such as "monthly delivery" or "weekly shipping," and you can also set detailed items to accommodate a variety of products. Set the following:

・Create plan groups (groups that can be linked to multiple plans)
・Set purchase intervals (selectable from days / weeks / months / years)
・Minimum number of purchases (selectable from 0 to 100)
・Maximum number of purchases (selectable from unlimited to 100)
・Discount settings (selectable from none / discount a specified amount / percentage)
・First-time discount (selectable from none / discount a specified amount / percentage)

Once you create a plan, you will be able to select which plan to associate with each product from the product management page

④ Link a plan to a product!
You can assign a subscription plan to a product from the product management page.
You can also set whether or not a product can be purchased as a one-time purchase from the product management page.

⑤ Check that it works and start selling your products!
Once you've reached this point, you'll be able to purchase products on a regular basis. Check that it works in test mode and start selling your products!
If you're having trouble purchasing products on a regular basis, please contact support.

Case study of using a "regular purchase" app

● Mr. Takeuchi, Utena Plus (Cosmetics)

, Utena Co., Ltd. -
What was the reason for introducing the "Subscription" app?
- I originally used another overseas subscription app, but I was worried because the member page was still in English even right before launch. Even with a translation app, I couldn't translate it properly, so I eventually gave up.
Then I discovered the first Japanese subscription app and thought, "This is it!" It was very appealing that it supported Japanese and that the subscription function could be used simply by adding the app.
The functionality (at the time of launch) was also great, as it included essential features such as the ability to select subscription frequency, discounts, and the ability for customers to skip or cancel subscriptions.
-
How was the support when you introduced the "Subscription" app?
- It was extremely good! lol
One of the reasons it was good was that they handled inquiries directly via ZOOM. With most apps, you don't know when you'll get a reply or when your issue will be resolved, so I was surprised to see such support. The response time was also very quick, which was very helpful.
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*Click here for the full article: https://huckleberry-inc.com/case/utena-plus

● MART (Health Foods)

/ Mirai Kikaku Co., Ltd. Mr. Ono :
Please tell us what prompted you to introduce the "Regular Purchase" app and details about the products you sell.
We decided to introduce a subscription system for customers who purchase the same products every month, such as daily consumables and supplements. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many customers who purchased in-store and liked the app have switched to a regular purchase online.
We chose your app because it supports Japanese and Japanese yen. We found it far easier to use than overseas versions.
We currently use the "Regular Purchase" app to sell domestically produced organic products and products certified by major organic certifications around the world on a regular basis.
"
Regular Purchase" app? Please tell us your impressions and what you liked about it.
The response to our questions was very thorough.
We were a little worried about introducing the app during the development of our e-commerce site, but the speed of response when we encountered a problem was amazing. Thank you.
Please
tell us about the benefits you've experienced since introducing the "Regular Purchase" app.
Since we can predict shipment numbers in advance, it's now easier to secure product inventory. In addition, approximately 10% of sales have shifted to regular purchases, leading to stable sales.
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*Full article here: https://huckleberry-inc.com/case/mart

summary

What did you think?
To reiterate, you can easily start a subscription business on Shopify by using the "Subscription" app.
"Subscription" is the number one subscription app made in Japan, with a proven track record and solid support and security. Why not try installing it for free first?

lastly

I am a member of the system development service site "SEKARAKU Lab."
Beyond offers a one-stop service for everything from server design and construction to operation, so if you have any problems with server-side development, please feel free to contact us.
SEKARAKU Lab: [https://sekarakulab.beyondjapan.com/](https://sekarakulab.beyondjapan.com/)

https://apps.shopify.com/huckleberry-subscription?locale=ja

*For inquiries about the "Subscription Purchase" app, please contact us at
[email protected]

* We are also distributing a free "Subscription Explained in Detail" white paper, perfect for those who are interested in subscriptions but haven't yet started!
have already implemented subscriptions but want to review them!
starting out with e
-commerce! Please feel free to download it from the link below.
https://huckleberry-inc.com/subscription-form