I. Introduction
The Otaku Box, established in 2017 by Liz Adkins, is a subscription service delivering a monthly package of anime-related products to its global clientele. Recognized as the premier subscription box for anime enthusiasts on Hulu, The Otaku Box specializes in catering to fans of Japanese anime, Manga, and related culture, particularly those with limited access to anime merchandise in their local markets.
Challenges Before Using Appstle
Before using Appstle Subscriptions, The Otaku Box faced several challenges with its previous subscription platforms Subbly and SamCart. Specifically, they faced challenges with the customer experience, their ability to offer different types of upsells and downsells, and effective retargeting. Additionally, they found it difficult to offer subscription products and had to resort to multiple third-party solutions in order to run their business.
II. Appstle Implementation
The Otaku Box found Appstle Subscriptions to be THE solution to their subscription problem. By using Appstle, they were able to move away from their smaller platform and gain more insight into their business and customers. Appstle is built on top of Shopify analytics, providing The Otaku Box with more data and insight into their growth and revenue engines. With Appstle, The Otaku Box was finally able to offer subscription items directly to their fan base (customers) and was able to provide more upsells and downsells.
About Appstle
Appstle is a B2B software company that builds and licenses customer retention tools and solutions for ecommerce businesses across the globe, across product categories. Appstle currently offers three core products, ‘Appstle Subscriptions’, ‘Appstle Memberships,’ and the newly released: ‘Appstle Loyalty & Rewards’ which are available on Shopify and Shopify Plus. Appstle currently has more than 14,000 businesses, including The Otaku Box, run their subscriptions, memberships, and loyalty program business models through it.
With over 1300 5-star reviews on Shopify, Appstle is ranked #1 in the subscriptions category across 50+ apps on Shopify and ranks in the top 10 (of 7000+ apps on Shopify) across all categories. This speaks to the quality and effectiveness of Appstle’s solutions.
Appstle’s focus is on providing compelling apps at compelling prices, across multiple pricing tiers starting from the Free plan to custom Enterprise plan, to help merchants of all sizes and across all geographies have a successful e-commerce journey. Their robust solutions solve strategic pain points of their merchant partners, enabling them to retain customers, build their loyalty, and increase their share of customer wallet. The company operates on a flat pricing model (as in, no transaction fee!) to keep things simple!.
Implementation process and timeline
According to The Otaku Box founder Liz Adkins, switching platforms can be a daunting task, especially when it involves moving customer data over seamlessly, and formatting it to fit perfectly. However, she was pleased with how the adoption of Appstle went, saying it was “probably the least painful” experience compared to previous platform switches. Bojan Majdov, who was responsible for managing operations at The Otaku Box, admitted that it was a huge task, but they managed to complete it successfully in a short time.
One of the significant concerns The Otaku Box had was ensuring that recurring billings went through smoothly during the transition from the old platform to Appstle, to avoid any interruption in the end customer experience. But, Appstle’s dedicated merchant success team was always available 24×7 to support and proactively jump in when any questions or doubts came up. The transition process went through seamlessly
Going Beyond for the Customer
Appstle’s customer support was a significant factor in The Otaku Box’s positive experience with adopting the platform. They appreciated the round-the-clock support and how the team was always available to help resolve any issues. Additionally, they appreciated the personalized service they received and how Appstle went the extra mile to ensure their billing went through successfully.
III. Results
The Appstle platform has improved the company’s operations in the areas of increased customer retention, improved customer engagement, increased revenue, improved customer experience, and improved data insights.
Improved internal processes, scalability, and competitive advantage
Before using the Appstle platform, customer support for subscriptions was time-consuming and required searching through multiple platforms and documents for information. Now, the company relies on the Appstle team for any question related to their recurring orders on their Shopify website. . As a result, the company has seen a significant improvement in response times, with around 90% of tickets completed within 24 hours and 50% done in less than one hour. This has streamlined the overall end customer experience, and allowed the company to focus on other areas of the business.
Offering More Subscription Options
The Appstle platform has also allowed The Otaku Box to offer more subscription options to their customers, including the ability to offer discounts for longer subscriptions to loyal customers who have been with them for a long period. By offering more subscription options, The Otaku Box has also been able to cater to a wider range of customer preferences and budgets, which has resulted in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, the ability to offer discounts for longer subscriptions has incentivized customers to commit to longer-term subscriptions by pre-paying and other mechanisms,, which has helped The Otaku Box to increase its recurring revenue and stabilize its cash flow.
The Appstle platform and subscriptions tool has also made it easier for The Otaku Box to manage its subscription / recurring order business by providing real-time data and analytics on subscriber behavior, which has enabled the company to make more informed decisions about pricing, product offerings, and marketing strategies, and smartly scale. Overall, the Appstle platform has played a key role in helping The Otaku Box to grow its business and succeed in the highly competitive subscription box industry.
Improved Data Insights
With Appstle’s platform, The Otaku Box has access to more data and insights than ever before. They can see which products are the most popular, how customers interact with their website, and what factors influence customer retention. This information allows them to make data-driven decisions and adjust their business strategy accordingly. They can also segment their customer base and tailor their marketing efforts to specific groups, leading to more effective campaigns and better results.
Improved Internal Processes
The Appstle platform has also improved internal processes for The Otaku Box. They can now manage their subscriptions and orders in one place, which has streamlined their workflow and made it easier to track and manage inventory. This has allowed them to scale their business more efficiently and reduce errors.
Scalability
Appstle’s platform has allowed The Otaku Box to scale their business more efficiently. They no longer have to rely on multiple third-party solutions to run their subscriptions model end-to-end, and can manage their subscriptions and orders in one place. This has reduced complexity and allowed them to focus on growth.
Competitive Advantage
By using Appstle’s platform, The Otaku Box has gained a competitive advantage in the market. They are able to offer more subscription options and upsells, streamline customer service, and make data-driven decisions. This has allowed them to provide a better overall customer experience and stand out in a crowded market.
IV. Conclusion
Overall, the Appstle platform has been a game-changer for The Otaku Box. They were able to overcome the challenges they faced with their previous subscriptions platform, and improve their operations across the board. By offering more subscription options, streamlining customer service, and gaining access to more data insights, they have been able to scale their business more efficiently and gain a competitive advantage in the market. The personalized customer support they received from Appstle was also crucial to their success. They plan to continue using the platform and are excited to see what the future holds for their business.
