Drivers of purchase intention for predetermined subscription services

: the case of menstrual products in Portugal

Abstract

The modernized subscription business model was initiated by Birchbox in 2010. With yearly market growth of over 100%, consumer goods subscriptions had reached 15% of e­commerce buyers by 2016. Predetermined Subscription Services (PSS) are an online service and distribution mechanism that consists on the replenishment of commoditized items. At a global scale approximately 26% of women in reproductive age menstruate each month. Online purchase has been gaining traction in the feminine hygiene category, with a trend a trend of increasing social media promotion and sales via e­commerce platforms.Little scientific research over the subscription business model and the gap is especially apparent for tangible consumer products.It is the purpose of this research to study consumers’ adoption of menstrual productssubscription models in the Portuguese market, with an emphasis on the impact of functional and emotional benefits on purchase intention, focusing on i) consumption drivers and ii) consumer demographic profile.The present study aims to provide implications and recommendations for companies seeking to optimize their marketing strategies utilizing PSS. It exposed that price advantage, as well as addition of an extra bonus to a otherwise commoditized product subscription were the biggest drivers of purchase intention of PSS the feminine hygiene category in Portugal. The study also revealed that the consumer profile with the highest purchase intention was 18 to 24 year old high school graduate working students, with monthly income below €500.

Date of Award	24 Jan 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Miguel Rita (Supervisor)