Why Every Brisbane Business Owner or E-commerce Seller Wants Recurring Income
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re selling locally roasted coffee beans from West End or skin care products from a warehouse in Northgate—you know the stress of the "monthly reset."
On the first day of every month, your sales counter goes back to zero. You start the hustle all over again, hoping the Facebook ads work or that enough people walk through the door to cover the rent and the staff. It’s exhausting. It’s a treadmill that never stops.
Subscription marketing is the antidote to that stress. It’s about moving away from the "one-off" sale and moving toward a relationship where the customer pays you every month, fortnight, or quarter without you having to ask them again.
In this guide, I’m going to break down how to actually make this work. We aren't going to talk about "churn rates" or "LTV" in a way that makes your head spin. We’re going to talk about money in the bank, keeping your customers happy, and building a profitable store that doesn't eat all your time.
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The Two Ways to Do Subscriptions: Which One Fits You?
Before you spend a cent on software, you need to decide what kind of subscription you’re actually selling. Most people get this wrong and try to force a model that doesn’t fit their product.
1. The "I Need This Every Month" Model (Replenishment)
This is the bread and butter of subscriptions. Think coffee, pet food, vitamins, or cleaning supplies. Things people run out of.The Goal: Convenience. You are saving the customer a trip to the shops or the hassle of remembering to order. Why it works: It’s an easy sell. If they already buy it every month, why wouldn't they want it delivered automatically for a 5% or 10% discount? The Trap: If you don't offer a discount or some kind of "set and forget" perk, they won't sign up.
2. The "Surprise Me" Model (Curation)
Think of those "Wine of the Month" clubs or a box of local QLD snacks. The customer doesn't know exactly what they are getting, but they trust you to pick good stuff.The Goal: Excitement and discovery. Why it works: People love getting parcels. It feels like a gift to themselves. The Trap: This is much harder to maintain. You have to find new, cool stuff every single month. If the quality drops once, they cancel.
Which should you choose?
If you have a product people use up (consumables), go with Replenishment. It’s the fastest way to get more sales without having to reinvent the wheel every month. If you’re a boutique or a specialist, Curation can work, but be prepared for more work behind the scenes.---
How to Get People to Actually Sign Up
I’ve seen dozens of Brisbane businesses add a "Subscribe and Save" button to their site and then wonder why nobody clicks it. Usually, it’s because they haven't given the customer a reason to commit.
People are scared of subscriptions. They think they’ll get stuck in a contract or that it’ll be a nightmare to cancel. To get them to say yes, you have to remove that fear.
The "No-Brainer" Offer
You need to make the subscription significantly better than the one-off purchase. The Discount: 10-15% is the sweet spot. Anything less feels stingy; anything more might kill your profit margins. Free Shipping: This is the big one. If I know I’m getting my dog food delivered every month and I don't have to pay $12 shipping, I’m in. The First Box Perk: Give them a free gift in the first month. A local coffee roaster might include a free scoop or a branded tin in the first delivery.The "Easy Exit" Promise
Be blunt on your website. Say: "Cancel anytime with one click. No phone calls, no dramas." If people trust you, they are far more likely to give you their credit card details for a recurring charge.---
The Real Cost of Subscriptions (What No One Tells You)
Let’s talk turkey. Running a subscription business isn't free money. There are costs involved that can catch you out if you aren't careful.
1. Software Fees: Most website platforms (like Shopify or WooCommerce) will require an extra app to handle recurring payments. These usually cost $20-$100 a month, plus they might take a small percentage of every sale. 2. Credit Card Failures: This is the silent killer. People lose their cards, they expire, or they don't have enough money in the account. You need a system that automatically emails them to update their details, or you'll lose 5% of your customers every month just to expired plastic. 3. Shipping Hikes: If Australia Post raises their rates (and they will), and you’ve promised "Free Shipping Forever," your profit gets squeezed. You need to review your numbers every six months.
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Why Most Subscription Businesses Fail
I’ve seen it happen to great local businesses. They start strong and then fizzle out. Why? Because they focus on getting
new* customers and forget about the ones they already have.In a normal business, if a customer buys once and never comes back, it’s a shame. In a subscription business, if a customer cancels after one month, you’ve probably lost money because of the discount and the cost of the "free gift" you gave them to sign up.
The Secret to Staying Power: You have to keep the "romance" alive. Send them an email a few days before their box ships. Ask them if they want to add a one-off item to their delivery. If you can bundle products together, you increase the value of that shipment without significantly increasing your shipping cost.
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Practical Steps: What to Do First
If you’re ready to stop the monthly reset and start building recurring income, here is your game plan:
1. Pick your "Hero" product: Don't put your whole shop on subscription yet. Pick the one thing people buy most often. 2. Calculate your "Safety Margin": If you give a 15% discount and free shipping, do you still make enough money to pay yourself? If not, raise your base price first. 3. Choose your tool: If you're on Shopify, look at apps like Recharge or Bold. If you're on something else, talk to us at Local Marketing Group to see what fits your setup. 4. Test the "Cancel" process: Make sure it’s actually easy. If a customer has to email you to cancel, they’ll get annoyed and leave a bad review. If they can do it themselves, they’re actually more likely to come back later when they have more money.
Is it worth it?
Look, I’ll be honest with you. Setting up a subscription model takes a bit of time and a bit of tech-headache at the start. But once it’s running, it is the closest thing to "automatic money" you can get in business.
Imagine waking up on the 1st of the month and already having $5,000 or $10,000 in sales locked in. That’s the power of this model. It allows you to plan your stock, pay your staff with confidence, and maybe even take a weekend off down at the Goldie without checking your phone every five minutes.
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane business owners cut through the noise and build systems that actually work. We don't care about fancy buzzwords; we care about your bank balance.
If you want a hand setting this up, or you’re tired of your website just sitting there doing nothing, get in touch with us here. Let’s turn your one-off buyers into regular, loyal customers.