Key takeaways
- ZitSticka sells pimple patches, skincare and supplements on monthly subscription, and came to RetainUP through Heyday in May 2024 to fix low retention.
- RetainUP built 5 core automations for ZitSticka in 2 months, each pitching the subscription, including a cancelled subscription email with 25% off.
- In the first month, ZitSticka's automations made $39.65K, conversions rose 43% and the click rate doubled.
The Brand
ZitSticka sells pimple patches, skincare and supplements for treating and preventing acne. It sells to teens and young adults who take care of their skin early and want science-backed products.
The Challenge
ZitSticka found us through Heyday, a digital brand platform, at the end of May 2024, the same month as Boka and FreshCap. The brand sold monthly subscription programs for its products, and retention was low.
It had 339K people on its email list and no regular campaigns going to them.
What We Built for the Subscription
We worked on automations and campaigns at the same time, with the subscription first, to get more repeat buyers.
Automations
In 2 months we built 5 core automations: welcome, browse abandonment, cart abandonment, incomplete checkout and canceled subscription.
Every automation showed the subscription benefits and the discounts that came with them. A subscriber who cancelled got a survey and 25% off the next order.
Campaigns
We planned a monthly campaign calendar around the best-selling products. The tone was conversational and young, to match the audience. The designs were modern and bright. One in four campaigns each month had a section for the subscription.
List Building & SMS
To grow the list, we built welcome pop-ups that named the visitor's pain point and what ZitSticka offered for it: a solution and a discount.
As the list grew, SMS carried the time-sensitive offers.
The Results
In the first month, ZitSticka's automations made $39.65K, 3.88% higher than before. The click rate doubled, and conversions rose 43%.
Campaign AOV went from $64.45 to $69.76, 8.24% higher. The campaign click rate rose 1.82%.
Deliverability rose 57.08%, with 999,838 emails delivered. We kept testing subject lines on the automations to hold it there.
FAQ
What did RetainUP build for ZitSticka's subscription?
5 core automations in 2 months: welcome, browse abandonment, cart abandonment, incomplete checkout and canceled subscription. Each one showed the subscription benefits, and one in four campaigns each month had a subscription section.
What happens when a ZitSticka subscriber cancels?
They get a survey and 25% off the next order.
What results did ZitSticka get in the first month?
Automation revenue reached $39.65K, 3.88% above the past level. Conversions rose 43%, the click rate doubled and campaign AOV rose 8.24%.
Which other subscription brands came through Heyday?
Boka, whose 90-day repeat purchase rate went from 41% to 63%, and FreshCap, whose returning customer rate went from 69% to 79%.
How do I see where my own subscription program leaks?
Get the free Subscription LTV Scorecard. It scores your program on 48 checkpoints across 8 dimensions, from public data, and lands in your inbox within 24 hours.
One email a week on subscription retention: the numbers, the strategy, and what to fix first.
Rahi Jain
Rahi Jain is a subscription LTV specialist who helps $1M to $10M DTC brands reduce subscription churn and maximize LTV on Recharge, Skio, Stay AI and Loop.
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