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The Subscription Economy

Pricing Plans, Tiers and Free Trials

Firms offer tiers with different features, free trials and annual discounts to segment customers and encourage commitment.

Pricing is a design choice.

Tiers

Basic, standard and premium plans let customers pick what suits them.

Trials

Free or cheap trials reduce risk for new users.

Annual plans

Discounts for paying yearly lock in customers.

Psychology

The middle plan often looks like the best deal by comparison.

A three-tier menu

Streaming offers a basic plan with ads, a standard plan and a premium plan with more screens.

Assuming price is set only by costs

Customers' willingness to pay matters.

Key takeaways
  • Tiers segment customers.
  • Trials reduce risk.
  • Annual plans lock in users.
  • Decoys shape choice.
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