?? Big Game Subscriptions, Valentine’s Gifting Trends & TikTok’s Bold Move—What’s Next for 2025?

Welcome to Subscriptions Weekly!

The subscription industry is always evolving, with brands looking for ways to keep customers engaged and drive long-term growth. Whether its new subscription models, the latest payment innovations, or shifts in streaming habits, businesses that act now will lead tomorrow.

Here’s what’s making headlines this week:

?? TikTok Tests New Subscription Model for Shop Platform

?? Apple Pay Adoption Surges: A 266% Spike in 2024

?? The Big Game’s Impact on Subscription Growth

?? YouTube TV Subscriber Growth Freezes

?? Comfort Viewing & Subscription Growth: Why Audiences Love What They Know

?? Valentine’s Day Subscription Trends: Love That Lasts All Year

?? Recurly’s What's Next Series: First Stop… Miami!

??TikTok tests new subscription model for shop platform

TikTok is rolling out a subscription feature for TikTok Shop, allowing users to subscribe for repeat deliveries, similar to Amazon’s "Subscribe & Save" model.

?It’s a win-win strategy:

• ?Sellers benefit from steady revenue
• Customers enjoy effortless reordering
• TikTok is expanding its monetization strategy

If successful, this could reshape social commerce and subscription-based shopping, making recurring purchases more seamless for users.

?? Read more about TikTok's subscription feature

???Apple Pay adoption surges: A 269% spike in 2024

Apple Pay transactions jumped 269% last year, reinforcing the growing shift toward Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) in digital commerce.

?By the numbers:

• 85% of U.S. retailers now accept Apple Pay
• 42 currencies used in global transactions
• Apple Pay is available in 80+ countries

For subscription businesses, offering Apple Pay and other APMs can increase conversions and reduce friction at checkout.

?? See how PayPal, 2,200 global brands, and 67M+ subscribers are shaping the future of payments & subscriptions.?

???The Big Game’s impact on subscription growth

The Super Bowl isn’t just about football—it’s a major moment for subscription businesses.

• Streaming platforms saw record-breaking engagement with Peacock’s exclusive NFL deal leading the way.
• Subscription brands launched free trials, discounts, and exclusive upgrades to attract new subscribers.
• ?Loyalty programs and premium add-ons gained traction, especially in sports-related subscriptions.

With 126 million viewers tuning in across platforms, the Big Game has become a prime opportunity for subscription brands to drive growth.

?? Read more on The Big Game streaming trends

?? YouTube TV subscriber growth freezes?

After years of steady growth, YouTube TV’s subscriber base has hit a plateau.

?The numbers:

• ?YouTube TV's base plan price increased from $72.99 to $82.99 in January 2025.
• Subscriber growth has slowed as customers reassess costs.
• The platform now faces stiffer competition from lower-cost AVOD and FAST services.

As subscription prices rise across the board, more consumers are pausing or canceling services, making flexible retention strategies more critical than ever.

?? Read more about YouTube TV’s growth freeze

?? Comfort viewing & subscription growth: Why audiences love what they know?

Consumers continue to return to their favorite shows, creating new opportunities for subscription services.

Streaming habits proving "comfort viewing" is here to stay:

• Old favorites dominate streaming charts, with Friends, The Office, and Schitt’s Creek leading engagement.
• FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) and AVOD (Ad-Supported Video On Demand) services are growing as consumers seek affordable access to familiar content.
• Ads are more accepted during "evening escape" viewing moments—66% of audiences say they are more receptive to ads when watching reruns or feel-good content.

?For subscription services:

?? Leverage personalization—Recommending nostalgic or familiar content boosts retention.

?? Ad-supported models are thriving—FAST/AVOD is a rising alternative for price-sensitive consumers.

?? Loyalty programs that offer access to "comfort content" can strengthen retention.

?? Read more about comfort viewing and AVOD trends

?? Valentine’s Day subscription trends: Love that lasts all year

?Subscription gifting is booming this Valentine’s Day, offering a more meaningful alternative to traditional gifts.

?Top trends this year:

• ?Personalized subscription boxes featuring curated self-care, wine, or book clubs.
• ?Experiential subscriptions—food & wine tastings, fitness classes, and spa services.
• ?Flower subscription services for recurring floral deliveries beyond Valentine’s Day.
• Custom packaging & special editions that elevate the unboxing experience.

Building long-term subscriber relationships:

?? 33.7% of free trials convert into paying subscribers—first impressions matter!

?? Subscription “pauses” increased by 66%—flexibility keeps customers engaged.

?? 20% of new subscribers in the past year were returning customers—reactivating past users is key.

?? Get the full picture—the 2025 State of Subscriptions Report breaks down key trends, benchmarks, and retention strategies that leading brands are using to drive lasting subscriber relationships.

?? Download the full report now

?? Now available on demand: must-watch subscription webinar!

Missed the live session? No worries! ?? Watch industry experts from Chegg, Lucidchart, and Codecademy as they break down the 2025 State of Subscriptions Report, covering:

?? Key trends shaping the subscription economy ?? Benchmarks on acquisition, retention, and churn ?? Winning strategies to maximize subscriber growth

Get the insights you need to stay ahead. Watch now and take your subscription strategy to the next level!

?? Watch On-Demand Now ??

From the Recurly Blog:

• Key takeaways from 2025 State of Subscriptions: Industry benchmarks & trends
• Introducing the What's Next Series: Shaping the future of subscriptions—together
• Building trust: The key to keeping subscribers around

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