Subscription services are the best thing since sliced bread. Here’s how you can bring subscription software to your comic store and boost sales!
A traditional comic store offers a great, almost nostalgic, experience to customers. Many people can recall growing up with one, spending hours on end looking at comics.
While the old school feel is important to keep, it is also important to modernize how you do business. Subscription software is one example. How you help repeat customers who buy new issues of the same titles can influence how those customers view your business, how much money they spend with you, and ultimately how much profit you make.
Comic subscriptions are a virtually guaranteed source of recurring revenue which can help you improve your bottom line.
Here are some reasons why you should be using subscription software for your business.
The Old School Way
Traditionally, comic retailers have had to do a lot of manual work to help their regular weekly and monthly customers. They need to keep track of orders, personal preferences and even offer something unique to those customers. Many retailers keep an old school binder and paper file. Some retailers keep a spreadsheet or other electronic source for their files.While this adds a personal touch, it is also time consuming.
This is where subscription software can come in.
The New School Way
Manage Comics Dashboard
An online subscription service is an online system customers can access to reserve new issues of their favourite titles (both regular issues and TPB’s) as they are released. This system works for both brick and mortar stores as well as online ones. Even more importantly, it gives brick and mortar shops a leg up on their competition. Since everything is largely automated, this will free up your workload, allow you to order more accurately, and keep your service consistent.
Traditionally, any subscription system can be a bit difficult to set up at first, but it is worth the effort (and if you use our solution, we’ll do the heavy lifting for you). There are a variety of benefits you and your customers can expect once everything is running.
Benefits Of Subscription Software
Having subscription software for your comic store will help you in several ways, many due to the software’s automated nature. Automation can help you keep your workload consistent which will keep your service consistent.
As a retailer, you will know exactly how much of each title you need to order at a quick glance, who gets what, and your weekly pulls get much simpler because you get a detailed list of each customer’s weekly order featuring only the comics that you received that week.
Just as importantly, a subscription platform makes a customer’s buying experience more convenient. Their favorite comic titles will be automatically pulled, and the system can suggest new titles as well. Customers can also look back at previous orders or browse the catalog any time they want.
Customers Want More Control
A customer viewing her Manage Comics subscriptions
If you’re using an old school paper method, or even a spreadsheet, your customers rely totally on you to input their orders.
If you have an online subscription tool, customers are in control. They can add new titles when they are reminded about them because of something they read online, they can be informed of what’s new, and they can update their lists wherever they are.
You maintain a degree of control by putting “Final Order Cut Off” dates on their new additions so you don’t get stuck with too much product, or find yourself short on new release Wednesday.
Customers can be notified about their most recent pulls, they always know what is waiting for them. If you choose to, you can let them pay for their orders right from their computer, tablet, or phone. Then all they have to do is pick up their order.
The real power of a subscription model comes from repeat business. Customers are more likely to stick with your business for their comic book needs because of the convenience you can offer them. This will put you above your competition, especially if they lack similar services.
Making The Change
Having an online subscription service for your comic book store can be real advantageous for your business overall. If you decide to use one in your business, setting everything up will take a little bit of work. However, Manage Comics does most of the set-up for you, and once everything is up and running, you will begin to see the convenience this software will offer both you and your customers alike.
I’d like to show you the Manage Comics platform since it offers all the tools and features you need from comic software.
We’ve got a handy online guide that will help you get set up — Getting Started with Manage Comics, but if you’d like to just know more check out our blog, send us an email via NorthIQ, or get in touch with us on Twitter — @managecomics.
