A recent blog post by Sean Percival outlines an emerging trend in online consumer services, something he calls Subcom. The business model is one where customers pay a monthly fee and have tangible goods arrive by mail on a monthly (or quarterly) schedule.
Sean says:
Personally I love the model so I’m bullish on the opportunity here. I’m going to both build and invest into the space, so lately I’ve been doing a lot of research on it.
At Initio we tend to agree with Sean. So much so in fact that when Sean lists a number of companies playing in the space, FOUR of them are part of our portfolio.
Sean mentions:
Hoseanna: an auto-ship service lets busy women automate the delivery of ‘monthly must-haves’ straight to their door.
Craft Coffee: a selection of artisan roasted coffee delivered fresh to your door.
Artsicle: rent art by up and coming artists and have it delivered to your door. Either purchase it or trade it and try something new, anytime you want.
GuyHaus: Always be prepared for life and the ladies. A man’s essential’s delivered to his door.
As the Internet continues to shift consumer culture and how people purchase the products they love we expect to see Subcom become a household concept and are glad to be a part of the evolution.