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Selling Survival Subscription Boxes: A Lucrative Business Model for the Prepper Market

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In recent years, the survivalist industry has seen a significant increase in popularity, fueled by global events, economic uncertainty, and a growing awareness of the importance of self-reliance.

As a result, businesses catering to the needs of preppers and survival enthusiasts have been steadily emerging, offering innovative products and services to help individuals prepare for various emergency situations. One particularly lucrative and customer-friendly business model that has taken the preparedness market by storm is the survival subscription box.

Survival subscription boxes offer a curated selection of essential items, tools, and resources tailored to the needs of the prepper community, delivered right to their doorsteps on a regular basis. These boxes cater to a wide range of interests and skill levels, from novice preppers to seasoned survivalists, and cover diverse themes such as wilderness survival, urban preparedness, and homesteading.

In this blog post, we will delve into the world of survival subscription boxes, examining the various types available, the unique benefits they offer to customers and marketing strategies that will help businesses embrace this innovative model. We will also discuss tips for those considering starting their own survival subscription box business, providing valuable insights into this flourishing niche within the preparedness market.

So, whether you’re a survival enthusiast seeking new gear or an aspiring entrepreneur looking for a promising business opportunity, read on to discover the exciting world of survival subscription boxes.

Rise in Popularity of Subscription Boxes in the Survivalist Market

As more disasters, natural and manmade, happen across the US, people are becoming more and more anxious about how to survive. The definition of “being prepared” has changed from the extreme notion of nuclear war (which might not be far off) and its fallout to something much more approachable. Water in entire cities has become undrinkable. Food prices for necessities like eggs have skyrocketed. Violence in the streets has increased exponentially.

Hence, the rise in interest for the prepper market.

Subscription boxes provide a monthly delivery of products specifically selected to assist with specific prepping needs, ranging from tactical gear and emergency medical kits to MREs (meals ready-to-eat) and other specialized items. Each box may also include helpful tips, emergency preparedness checklist reminders, or even educational courses on topics like self-defense.

This comprehensive list of services makes subscription boxes an invaluable service for individuals who are committed to being better prepared when it comes to any potential disaster situation they may face. The wide variety of options available allows people from all levels of experience—novice or expert—to feel secure in their purchases, as each item is chosen with care by experts in the field who understand what products can best equip them for emergencies and long-term challenges.

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Customer Benefits of Selling Survival Subscription Boxes

Survival subscription boxes have become a popular choice among preppers and survival enthusiasts for a variety of reasons. These boxes offer a range of unique benefits that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of customers in the preparedness market. Here are some of the key advantages that make tactical subscription boxes an attractive option.

Convenience and Time Savings

One of the primary benefits of subscription boxes is the convenience they offer. Customers receive a hand-picked selection of survival gear and supplies delivered directly to their doorstep, eliminating the need to spend hours researching and shopping for individual items. This saves valuable time, allowing customers to focus on honing their survival skills and planning for potential emergencies.

Discovery of New Products and Brands

Subscription boxes introduce customers to new and innovative products, often from lesser-known or niche brands. This allows subscribers to discover high-quality items they might not have come across otherwise, broadening their knowledge of available survival gear and resources.

Customization and Personalization

Many survival subscription boxes offer various levels of customization, allowing customers to tailor the contents of their box according to their specific interests and needs. This ensures that subscribers receive items that are relevant and useful to them, catering to their unique survival scenarios and preferences.

Skill Development and Education

In addition to providing essential gear and supplies, survival subscription boxes often include educational materials, such as guides, tutorials, and expert tips. This helps subscribers develop new survival skills and improve their existing knowledge, making them better prepared for a wide range of emergency situations.

Cost-Effectiveness

Subscription boxes often offer better value for money compared to purchasing individual items separately. The bulk purchasing power of subscription box companies enables them to negotiate better deals with suppliers, passing the savings on to their customers. Additionally, the element of surprise in receiving new and interesting items each month adds to the overall value proposition.

Community and Support

Subscribing to a survival subscription box often connects customers to a like-minded community of fellow preppers and survival enthusiasts. Many subscription box companies maintain active online forums, social media groups, or newsletters, fostering a sense of camaraderie and support among subscribers. This helps individuals share knowledge, exchange tips, and stay motivated in their preparedness journey.

Gifting Options

Survival subscription boxes make excellent gifts for friends and family members who share an interest in preparedness and self-reliance. The element of surprise, coupled with the practical nature of the items included, makes these boxes an exciting and thoughtful gift choice.

Essential Elements of a Successful Subscription Box

Successful subscription boxes typically have several essential elements that make them attractive to potential buyers. These include:

  • expert-approved, high-quality gear reflecting the preferences and needs of the target customer base
  • replenishable items, such as fire starters, first aid kits, and batteries for flashlights
  • emergency supplies like carabiners, multi-tools, and field-tested survival kit goodies
  • first box discount or coupon included for next month’s new box
  • timely delivery with attentive after-sales service
  • competitive pricing which offers real value for money
  • discounts or special offers that incentivize signup or regular orders
  • quality packaging that ensures the safe delivery of goods along with other key essentials like disclaimers, instruction manuals, etc.
  • build trust with transparency across all levels from ordering practices to billing information

By combining all these essential elements together, businesses can create successful survival subscription boxes that are sure to appeal to preppers looking for reliable solutions in uncertain times.

For inspiration, take a look at the subscription boxes offered by companies like EDC, Barrel & Blade, Crate Club, BattlBox, APOCABOX, SHTF, and TacPack. These are some of the most successful survival subscription boxes are the market today and will undoubtedly give you inspiration.

Not sure how to get started? We can help!

Marketing Strategies for Selling Survival Subscription Boxes

One of the most effective strategies for selling survival subscription boxes to a prepper audience is focusing on the value-added benefits that these boxes offer.

Monthly subscription boxes provide an enticing and convenient way for customers to purchase items they may need during emergency situations while also providing additional features such as exclusive access, articles and content, product discounts, and more. By highlighting the various benefits offered by survival subscription boxes, prospective customers can easily understand why investing in one could be beneficial.

Another effective strategy involves targeting key demographics within the prepper market who would have a unique interest in purchasing a survival subscription box. This could include hunters and outdoorsmen who would benefit from having customized hunting/wildlife/outdoor gear or buyers looking to make money off future potential events—such as zombie apocalypse enthusiasts, ham radio aficionados, or natural disasters like hurricanes or wildfires.

Identifying niche markets within this demographic provides businesses with direct avenues for promoting their services without flooding potential subscribers with generic information about all types of emergency preparedness solutions available out there.

Finally, developing relationships with survivors of emergencies—from home invasions to floods—is highly recommended. Providing personal stories about how someone was able to weather an unexpected situation, thanks (at least partially) due to his/her own planning, creates an emotional call-to-action that directly connects subscribers hungering for solutions based on practicality.

The Future of the Survival Subscription Box Model

The survival subscription box model has become increasingly popular in recent years as a convenient and cost-effective way to get quality supplies and materials for preppers. This business model allows customers to receive regular shipments of emergency preparedness items such as food, water, and other essential supplies on a monthly or quarterly basis. This can provide peace of mind knowing that their families will be safe if a disaster strikes.

Overall, the future looks bright for those who want access to top-notch survival tools and resources but don’t have the time, knowledge, or energy necessary for obtaining them independently. The best survival subscription boxes will continue seeing growth in demand from those looking for quick solutions that offer flexibility at an affordable price point compared to shopping elsewhere.

If you’re looking to start your own subscription service for the prepper market, whether you’re new to the industry or a veteran, you need a high-risk merchant account. Just like your customers need security from future risk, so do you. Selling hand-picked survival gear is a high-risk business, there is no argument. You will not be approved by any standard merchant services provider, Stripe, or PayPal.

Get in touch with your team of high-risk merchant account experts to get set up right now for a successful future ahead.

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About the author

As President of DirectPayNet, I make it my mission to help merchants find the best payment solutions for their online business, especially if they are categorized as high-risk merchants. I help setup localized payments modes and have tons of other tricks to increase sales! Prior to starting DirectPayNet, I was a Director at MANSEF Inc. (now known as MindGeek), where I led a team dedicated to managing merchant accounts for hundreds of product lines as well as customer service and secondary revenue sources. I am an avid traveler, conference speaker and love to attend any event that allows me to learn about technology. I am fascinated by anything related to digital currency especially Bitcoin and the Blockchain.