Subscription Struggle: Why 83% of Shopify Stores Fall Short? 10 Hidden Reasons

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by admin 5 min read
Updated: April 3, 2025

Most merchants lose thousands by making these 5 avoidable mistakes—are you one of them?

Shopify subscriptions can be a game-changer for e-commerce businesses, offering a predictable revenue stream and improved customer retention. However, 83% of Shopify stores struggle to make subscriptions work effectively. Why? Because they fall into common, yet avoidable, pitfalls that drain profits and frustrate customers.

This article breaks down the five most common Shopify subscription mistakes, explores how to avoid them, and introduces you to the best Shopify subscription app, Drift Charge, to help you build a thriving subscription-based business.

Why Shopify Stores Fail at Subscriptions: 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Long-Term Success

1: Choosing the Wrong Shopify Subscription App

Many merchants make the mistake of choosing a Shopify subscription app based solely on price or popularity rather than features and compatibility. The wrong app can lead to poor customer experiences, limited customization, and integration headaches.

How to Avoid It:

Choose a Shopify subscription app that offers seamless integration with Shopify’s checkout and payment systems.
Look for features like flexible billing cycles, pause/cancel options, and robust analytics.
The best Shopify subscription app for growing businesses is Drift Charge, which offers powerful subscription management features, automated recurring payments, and a frictionless user experience.

2: Poorly Designed Subscription Plans

A confusing or rigid subscription plan can discourage customers from signing up or cause high churn rates. If customers don’t see clear value in subscribing, they won’t commit.

How to Avoid It:

Offer multiple subscription tiers to cater to different customer needs and budgets.
Provide incentives such as free trials, discounts on first orders, or exclusive perks.
Use analytics from Drift Charge to track customer behavior and optimize your pricing strategy.

3: Complicated Checkout Process

Avoid costly Shopify subscription mistakes such as complicated checkout processes. Streamline your checkout process to reduce cart abandonment rates and boost subscription sales. A lengthy or confusing checkout process increases cart abandonment rates, especially for subscription-based purchases.

How to Avoid It:

Use a Shopify subscription app like Drift Charge, which ensures a streamlined, user-friendly checkout experience.
Offer multiple payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, and Shopify Payments.
Keep form fields minimal to reduce friction and speed up the purchase process.

4: Lack of Subscription Flexibility

Customers want control over their subscriptions. If they can’t easily adjust, pause, or cancel, they are more likely to churn or avoid subscribing altogether.

How to Avoid It:

Use a subscription management app like Drift Charge, which allows customers to easily modify their subscriptions.
Provide clear options for pausing, skipping, or canceling subscriptions without hassle.
Communicate proactively with customers about their subscription status and upcoming renewals.

5: Poor Customer Communication and Support

Subscriptions require consistent engagement. Failing to engage them by any means is another Shopify subscription mistake to avoid. Many merchants fail because they don’t communicate effectively with their subscribers, leading to cancellations and customer dissatisfaction.

How to Avoid It:

Automate email reminders for renewals, upcoming charges, and subscription updates.
Provide top-tier customer support through live chat, email, and self-service options.
Drift Charge offers automated notifications and a customer portal for better subscriber communication and management.

6: Ignoring Subscription Analytics and Retention Metrics

Without tracking key subscription metrics, merchants can’t identify what’s working and what needs improvement. Failing to analyze churn rates, average subscription duration, and customer lifetime value can lead to declining revenues.

How to Avoid It:

Regularly monitor analytics to optimize your subscription model.
Use data-driven insights to refine your pricing, promotions, and retention strategies.
Drift Charge provides in-depth analytics to help Shopify store owners improve their subscription performance and boost long-term profits.

7: Not Offering Incentives for Long-Term Subscriptions

Many Shopify store owners fail to encourage long-term commitment from customers, which results in high churn rates.

How to Avoid It:

Provide discounts for annual or bi-annual subscription plans.
Offer exclusive benefits, such as early access to new products or premium support, to long-term subscribers.
Drift Charge allows store owners to create loyalty-based incentives for subscription customers.

8: Failing to Optimize for Mobile Users

A large percentage of eCommerce transactions happen on mobile devices, yet many Shopify stores don’t ensure their subscription flow is mobile-friendly.

How to Avoid It:

Choose a Shopify subscription app that is fully optimized for mobile checkout.
Test your subscription process on different devices to ensure a seamless user experience.
Drift Charge provides a mobile-optimized interface for better accessibility and user engagement.

9: Neglecting Payment Failures and Recovery Strategies

Subscription businesses often lose revenue due to failed recurring payments, leading to involuntary churn.

How to Avoid It:

Implement automated dunning (failed payment recovery) processes
Notify customers of payment issues and provide easy ways to update their payment information
Drift Charge includes built-in failed payment recovery tools to reduce involuntary churn

10: Not Offering Subscription Upsells and Cross-Sells

Many merchants fail to maximize revenue by not integrating upsells and cross-sells into their subscription strategy.

How to Avoid It:

Offer add-ons or premium-tier subscriptions at checkout.
Provide personalized recommendations based on customer purchase history.
Drift Charge includes advanced upselling features to increase average order value.

Set Up for Subscription Success with Drift Charge Subscription Management App

Shopify subscriptions can be a game-changer for eCommerce revenue, but only if implemented correctly. By avoiding these 10 Shopify subscription mistakes and leveraging a powerful Shopify subscription app like Drift Charge, you can create a seamless and profitable recurring payment system for your store.