Last Wednesday’s SubscriptionX felt like one of those rare industry moments where the conversations didn’t just skim the surface — they got properly into the mechanics of what makes subscription models stick. Loyalty – the stream MCed by InternetRetailing’s managing editor Amanda Vlietstra – was the thread running through everything, and not in the tired, points-and-perks sense, but as something much deeper and more operational.
Kunle Campbell, as ever, cut through the noise with practical clarity. His point about turning your subscriber base from a revenue line into an operating system really landed. It’s a shift in mindset: subscribers aren’t just customers to monetise, they’re the engine that informs product, marketing, CX — everything. When you treat them that way, you build something far more resilient than recurring revenue; you build a feedback loop.
There was also a lot of energy around the balance between emotional and transactional loyalty. Discounts and convenience will get people in, but they won’t keep them. The brands that stood out in the discussions are the ones investing in belonging, identity and ongoing value — the harder, less immediately measurable work.
It was a genuinely busy, energising day, packed with useful takeaways and honest perspectives. Huge thanks to all the sponsors who made it happen, and to the panellists and speakers who brought such openness (and plenty of healthy debate). Definitely one of those events you leave with more ideas than you arrived with — and a longer to-do list as a result.
