3 Reasons Product Subscriptions Make Sense for a Small Business

March 19, 2020


Small business owners already have enough to worry about, from serving clients and customers, to ensuring their bills get paid, to managing their employees. Buying office supplies you need (and use up all the time) shouldn't be yet another worry. 

Product subscriptions - getting certain supplies delivered to the business at regular intervals - have become more and more popular. You can make sure you have a ready stock of the office supplies you need regularly without having to worry about someone always remembering to reorder them.

Here are three key reasons product subscriptions can make sense for a small business:

1. You won't run out of the supplies you need most

You don't want your printer paper to run out, but it very well might if you or your staff don't pay close attention - and then you'll be scrambling. For products that you need and use up on a regular basis-whether that's paper, ink and toner , pens, toilet paper or coffee cups - you can subscribe to have them sent to your business however frequently you typically need to refresh your supply, whether that's weekly, biweekly or monthly.

2. They can save you money

Product subscriptions generally offer bulk-purchase discounts. The discounts may vary depending on the products, but the savings can add up. You might as well get the subscription discount on items you have to buy regularly anyway.

3. You can customize each subscription for your needs

Managing a product subscription can be generally easy through the supplier. If you find you need a product more or less frequently, you can easily change the interval at which you receive that product. If you want to increase or decrease the quantity you receive in each subscription, you can do that, too. Some suppliers even allow you to manage your subscriptions using a mobile app for extra convenience.

As a small business owner, time is money - and you probably don't have enough of it. Consider coffee subscriptions, snack box subscriptions, and other essentials as a way to manage your time more effectively so you can be more productive and stay focused on the tasks that make the best use of your time.


About the Author

Kelly Spors is a freelance writer and editor based in Minneapolis. She previously worked as a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering small business and entrepreneurship.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is,” and neither the author nor Office Depot warrants the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.