In the highly competitive world of ecommerce, even small UX shifts can spark big business results. For a recent Shopify theme upgrade delivered exactly that, transforming how customers shop and subscribe while laying the foundation for long-term growth.
The goal?
To make subscribing not only easy but the default.
By leading with a subscription-first approach, pre-selecting "Subscribe & Save" as the primary option on product pages, the brand saw a remarkable surge in new subscriptions, jumping by 119% in just five months.
Why a Subscription-First UX?
Prior to the change, customers could still opt to subscribe, but it wasn’t front and centre.
We recognised that a large portion of their customer base was already making repeat purchases. However, the friction in the journey, having to manually choose the subscription option meant that many were missing out on the benefits of a Subscribe & Save model.
The hypothesis was simple: by making the subscription option the default, more people would stick with it.
And the results speak for themselves.
Laying the Groundwork
During the first week of the upgrade we saw the percent of first-time subscription orders rose from 2.33% to 17.39%.
Over the next few weeks, the momentum built rapidly:
- Week 2: 20.42% of orders were first-time subs
- Week 3: 25.19%
- Week 4: 20.47%
Two months later, the brand was consistently generating 14-25% new subscriptions per week, compared to single digits just a month earlier.
What Made It Work
Several strategic design decisions contributed to this success:
- Pre-selected subscription option: Making “Subscribe & Save” the default removed decision fatigue and gently nudged users towards longer-term commitment.
- Clear value messaging: Pricing incentives and benefits (e.g. regular delivery, flexibility, and savings) were clearly communicated throughout the shopping journey.
- Mobile-first UX: The entire experience was optimised for mobile, where over 70% of this brand’s traffic originates, ensuring no friction on smaller screens.
- Faster page speeds & improved performance: The Shopify theme upgrade also led to faster loading times, improving conversion rates across the board.
A Blueprint for Growth
This case study highlights the power of subtle but strategic changes.
By flipping the default from one-off to subscription, the brand didn’t just increase orders, they created a recurring revenue engine that will pay dividends well beyond the initial upgrade.
For other DTC businesses looking to scale their subscription model, the takeaway is clear: make it the obvious choice.
Subscription-first design is no longer just a nice-to-have, it’s a growth lever waiting to be pulled.
