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Unleashing the Benefits of Hardware Subscriptions: A Guide for Merchants

Updated: May 16

The hardware industry is experiencing a significant shift towards subscription-based models, and it's not difficult to see why.

Fairown's CEO Hendrik Roosna
Fairown's CEO Hendrik Roosna

The days of planning a budget for a specific purchase and shopping for music and movies on CDs and DVDs are gone. Subscription services like Netflix and Spotify have revolutionised the way we consume entertainment, offering access to a vast library of content for a flat monthly fee.


Transition to Subscription Extends Beyond Industries

The transition to subscription-based models isn't just limited to the entertainment industry. As consumers increasingly perceive more value from using rather than purchasing products, the shift towards hardware-as-a-service is gaining momentum.


The success of companies like Netflix and Spotify in selling their value proposition to consumers is a prime example of how businesses can convince customers to switch to subscription-based models. By offering a compelling value proposition and steering focus towards a new price point with added value compared to the traditional retail price, companies can win over customers and drive adoption of subscription-based models.


However, merchants in industries like consumer electronics have been slow to embrace the shift towards subscription-based models and have limited choices when it comes to providing a subscription experience. As a result, these merchants risk falling behind their competitors and missing out on the benefits of the subscription-based model.


Some options that merchants can choose from are:

  • in-house rental;

  • third-party rental;

  • financed purchase with a buy-back service.


1. In-House Rental

How does it work? This process involves a merchant producing or acquiring a product, recording it on their balance sheet, and offering it to customers on a monthly payment basis rather than as a traditional sale.


What does it mean to the merchant? If customers perceive rental services as highly valuable, it could become the dominant business model, replacing sales revenue with recurring rental revenue. This shift would transform the company from a producer/retailer to a rental company, resulting in a significant change in unit economics and potentially affecting shareholder perception.


2. Third-Party Rental Like Grover, Wesub

How does it work? The third-party rental company obtains the product from the merchant and enters into an agreement with the consumer, taking on all associated rights and responsibilities for the product.


What does it mean to the merchant? When the merchant replaces the sales revenue it would have received from customers with the revenue it receives from a third-party rental company, it essentially transfers the customer relationship and related responsibilities to that third party. Hence, the third party has the rights and obligations towards the customer that the merchant would have had otherwise. If the third-party rental company provides a good value proposition to the customers, it can become the main source of revenue for the merchant. However, this also means that the merchant becomes dependent on this one rental company, which increases concentration risk.


3. Financed Purchase with a Buy-Back Service Like Fairown

How does it work? The customer purchases a product and buyback service from the merchant, with the purchase being financed through a payment schedule provided by a third-party bank.


What does it mean to the merchant? The merchant will continue to conduct business in the same manner as before, generating revenue by selling products directly to their customers. There will be no significant change in the company's sales model, and they will continue to interact with their customers in the same way as before.


To sum it all up, here’s a comparison of the three payment models.

IN-HOUSE RENTAL

THIRD-PARTY RENTAL

FINANCED PURCHASE WITH BUY-BACK SERVICE

STRENGTHS

Stand out in competition


No dependence on a third party


Recurring revenue


Stand out in competition

Low cost of entry and maintenance

Good value proposition for short-term usage

Stand out in competition


Low cost of entry and maintenance


No change in revenue structure


Good value proposition over preplanned periods


Lower cost to provide, so monthly price is more attractive


WEAKNESSES

Ties up capital

Expensive to launch and manage


New type of risks (credit, fraud, funding)


Compliance requirements


Heavy dependence on the third party


Rental company has a high cost to facilitate funding, credit and inventory risks


Too expensive price point over longer periods


Change in revenue structure and concentration


Light dependence on the third party


Less flexibility than rental


OPPORTUNITIES

New customers who like subscription


Completely customised experience


Increased loyalty

New customers who like subscription


Better flexibility offering

New customers who like subscription


Lower monthly price point for longer periods


Preplanned recurring sales revenue


Increased loyalty

THREATS

Too high customer price to the perceived value


Customers won’t find the offering attractive enough


Losing focus on core business


Not able to manage new risks and processes effectively


Not getting enough business value from transition


Higher than expected costs from transition

Approval rates depend on the rental provider


Too high customer price to the perceived value


Not enough customers who need products in short term


Sales concentration


Transferring customer loyalty to the rental provider

Too high customer price to the perceived value


Approval rates depend on the bank



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