--- title: "Why Subscription Boxes Could be a Smart Quarantine-Era Member Perk" id: "51669" type: "post" slug: "why-subscription-boxes-could-be-a-smart-quarantine-era-member-perk" published_at: "2021-01-13T21:00:49+00:00" modified_at: "2021-01-13T21:00:49+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/13/why-subscription-boxes-could-be-a-smart-quarantine-era-member-perk/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/13/why-subscription-boxes-could-be-a-smart-quarantine-era-member-perk.md" excerpt: "Subscription boxes, once seen as a fading trend, are showing signs of resilience during the COVID-19 era. Associations might consider the idea as a way to surprise and delight members when in-person interactions can't happen." taxonomy_category: - "Business Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "Membership" - "subscription" - "Trends" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Why Subscription Boxes Could be a Smart Quarantine-Era Member Perk Subscription boxes were already seen as a peaking craze nearly two years ago, [when Marketplace noted (opens in a new tab)](https://www.marketplace.org/2019/02/28/have-we-reached-peak-subscription-box/) that the industry had reached $10 billion in value in 2018. [They’d been picking up interest for years](https://associationsnow.com/2013/08/three-things-your-association-can-learn-from-the-birchbox-model/) before that. Might this be time for a comeback, perhaps as an association member perk? [Subscription value is close enough](https://associationsnow.com/2018/01/subscription-strategy-monthly-service-savvy-play/) to membership value that it could be a good idea to give the box model another look. At a time when in-person events are off the table, it could offer a much-needed personal touch. If you’re intrigued, keep in mind these points on the status of the subscription box in the COVID-19 era: **Many subscription box firms are growing because they fill a pressing need.** Many subscription box firms seem to be drawing interest because their products can keep people occupied at a time when they’re stuck at home more often. This is especially true of children, who no longer have their school routine, [noted the toy news website Kidscreen (opens in a new tab)](https://kidscreen.com/2020/04/02/why-subscription-boxes-could-do-well-during-covid-19/) . “All of the subscription services I spoke with are experiencing an uptick in members now, and for obvious reasons: They arrive at the house without families having to leave for pickup, with minimal human touch, and in answer to a parent’s specific need,” wrote the site’s Robin Raskin. “Toy subscriptions and online services for kids providers can offer predictability, constancy, and quality.” **The market is crowded and complicated, however.** A recent analysis of the subscription box business by the National Retail Federation explained that COVID-19 has increased uncertainty in the sector and could distract people who might otherwise be interested in the services. And the added competition could make it tough to stand out. “Subscription models require a high level of commitment on the part of the consumer,” [said Unity Marketing’s Pam Danziger (opens in a new tab)](https://nrf.com/blog/status-subscription-boxes) . “And it’s hard enough to get that commitment in normal times.” **Nonetheless, subscriptions are showing resilience.** In the latest edition of [Zuora’s Subscription Impact Report (opens in a new tab)](https://www.zuora.com/resource/subscription-impact-report/) [registration], the firm found that roughly half of the subscription companies it analyzed were maintaining the status quo with limited impact from the COVID-19 crisis, with some areas growing faster than others—in particular, video streaming (a 400 percent increase over the norm at the start of the pandemic), digital news and media (a 110 percent increase), and e-learning software (an 80 percent increase). Digital Media Solutions noted that the food-delivery service Blue Apron and the STEM activity kit seller KiwiCo [have been particularly strong (opens in a new tab)](https://insights.digitalmediasolutions.com/articles/subscription-boxes-growth) . **Getting started requires some good vibes.** Word-of-mouth is essential to building growth, [notes TotalRetail (opens in a new tab)](https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/3-subscription-box-trends-driving-e-commerce/) , and often a little boost from an influencer or a strong customer support game can make all the difference. “By partnering with websites like My Subscription Addiction or influencers who post unboxing videos on social media, businesses can gain an advantage over competitors and prove attentiveness to customer satisfaction,” author Georg Richter writes. (wingedwolf/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) [#subscription](https://associationsnow.com/tag/subscription/) [#Trends](https://associationsnow.com/tag/trends/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoThe Graham Report: New CEO Trends in 2024January 31, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/01/31/the-graham-report-new-ceo-trends-in-2024/) - [VideoIntroducing the Graham Report Short Intro V2December 16, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/12/16/introducing-the-graham-report-short-intro-v2/) - [VideoIntroducing the Graham Report IntroDecember 16, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/12/16/introducing-the-graham-report-intro/) - [VideoIntroducing the Graham ReportNovember 27, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/11/27/introducing-the-graham-report/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2021%2F01%2F13%2Fwhy-subscription-boxes-could-be-a-smart-quarantine-era-member-perk%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !