What's Working for Subscriptions on Shopify in 2025, and What Might Get You Sued?

Subscriptions aren’t just about shaving kits and snack boxes anymore. The Shopify brands that are winning are the ones treating subscriptions like a long-term relationship, not a quick sale. In this episode, I chat with Adam Levinter, author of The Subscription Boom and winner of the 2025 Subscription Impact Award, to unpack what’s working in subscription commerce right now... and what might get you slapped with an FTC fine. We’re talking about the $1 trillion subscription economy, why your cancellation flow could be a legal landmine, and how to create loyalty programs that don’t suck

KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
- The subscription economy is projected to hit $1 trillion by 2028. Shopify brands should absolutely care
- The FTC's Click-to-Cancel ruling is already live. If your cancellation flow is confusing, you're at risk
- Paid VIP memberships outperform free loyalty programs in retention and revenue
- Most subscription churn happens early. Your onboarding game needs to be tight
- Referral strategies are massively underutilized by Shopify brands
Voluntary churn and payment failure churn are two different beasts. Treat them accordingly
- mazon is no longer the enemy of DTC. It’s a smart secondary channel for Shopify growth
- If you're afraid to email your subscribers, your offer isn’t valuable enough

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