Welcome back to Subscriptions Weekly! This time, we discuss how price-conscious offers and loyalty rewards help streaming businesses curb churn. We review Twitch’s new requirements for its Partner Plus program, Google’s Pixel subscription shutdown, and Pret’s international expansion to the U.S. and France. 

1 in 3 people with streaming subscriptions share accounts with other households

Deloitte estimates that 35% of people with access to a subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) service are sharing at least one of their subscriptions with other households, and 21% of them have canceled an SVOD service in the last year, with the rising cost-of-living a driver in cancellations. Churn continues to be a significant challenge for SVOD providers as there’s growing pressure for services to become profitable. Learn more on Cambridge Network. 

Starz is lowering the price of its annual subscription

Existing Starz subscribers will see the price adjustment from $74.99 to $69.99 for their annual plan in their next billing cycle. The change comes a few weeks after the company increased its monthly subscription price from $8.99 to $9.99, Starz’s first price increase since 2016. 

Alison Hoffman, President of Domestic Networks, stated, “Our annual plan subscribers are some of our most valuable customers, so we wanted to find ways to drive more people into the plan and reward our existing customers.” Read more on TechCrunch. 

According to our recent consumer survey, loyalty incentives are the best reward—86% of Boomers, 77% of Gen Z, and overall, 80% of respondents say it would encourage them to subscribe.

Want to learn what else drives subscriber sign-ups and renewals? Our new report, Boomers to Gen Z: A guide to subscriber preferences, gives you insights into the consumer demands and expectations across generations to design unforgettable experiences. 

Twitch just made it a little easier to qualify for the Partner Plus program

With the launch of Twitch’s new Partner Plus program, streamers could qualify to take 70% of their earnings if they maintained a minimum of 350 paid subscribers for three straight months. Now, the streamer announced that higher subscription tiers will count for extra toward meeting the 350 paid subscriber requirement. Read more on TechCrunch. 

Google kills Pixel Pass without ever upgrading subscriber’s phones

In October 2021, Google launched a new Pixel Pass subscription program alongside the Pixel 6 series of phones that promised mobile services, device protection, and regular device upgrades for a $45 monthly fee. However, Google has shut down subscriptions or renewals. Users are also losing out on access to bundled services they’d enjoyed as a part of the package. Learn more on The Verge. 

Pret to expand coffee subscription service to U.S. and France

After its success in the United Kingdom, British sandwich and coffee chain Pret-A-Manger will expand its coffee subscription service to the United States and France. The service allows consumers to enjoy up to five barista-prepared drinks daily and a 10% discount on all food, snacks, and additional drinks for a £30 monthly fee. Read more on PYMNTS.

🎦 Watch on demand! Delighting subscribers: Unlocking the power of payments

How do you keep up with the latest payment trends while staying compliant and secure? Hear from payment experts at GoCardless, Sling TV, and Optimized Payments, and learn the importance of payments in driving long-term subscriber growth. Watch now. 

From the Recurly blog

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