The subscription economy is over $500 billion

Here’s how we got here:
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𝟏𝟗𝟎𝟎𝐬: The Magazine Book
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Harper’s, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue slashed prices, leading to explosive growth in circulation. Paying subscribers became the backbone of their revenue streams.
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𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟔: The Birth of Book of the Month Club
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In its first year, the club reached 4,000 subscribers.
By 1927, that number skyrocketed to 60,000.
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𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟑: Playboy Hits the Stands
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The iconic magazine featuring Marilyn Monroe sold 50,000 copies in just a few weeks. A cultural phenomenon was born.
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𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟓: Columbia Record Club Disrupts the Industry
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With its direct mail model, the club captured 10% of the music industry by 1963. Subscription-based music became a game-changer.
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𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟐: The Modern Subscription Boom
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Dollar Shave Club’s viral video paved the way. A Wired article captured the momentum, sparking a new era of subscription models.
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𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔: The Billion-Dollar Sale
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Dollar Shave Club sold to Unilever for $1 billion. Venture capital surged into subscription startups, fueling growth and fierce competition. Companies began doubling down on loyalty and lifetime value.
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𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑: The Subscription Economy Goes Mainstream
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No longer a novelty, subscriptions become the norm. Market size surpassed $250 billion, with digital subscriptions leading the charge.
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𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: The Subscription Economy hits $593 Billion
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The market is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2028, fueled by diverse subscription services across industries—from content and software to exclusive memberships and generative AI, reshaping digital subscriptions.