1、1 DRIVING SUCCESS IN CAR SUBSCRIPTIONSNot so long ago,the idea of car subscriptions was,to many automotive industry observers,a passing fancya product in search of demand.Naysayers questioned whether the market for subscriptions could ever reach critical mass.OEMs were wary that if it did,it might c

2、annibalize new car sales.So far,the failures have outnumbered the successes.The fundamental challenges this business model entailsheavy assets that require significant upfront capital,big marketing expendituresare daunting.Even so,subscriptions have gone from a fringe idea to a legitimate,growing bu

3、sinessparticularly in western Europe,where notable success stories include UK-based Onto and Germany-based Finn as well as more established players such as MeinAuto and Fleetpool.And while most car-subscription providers are still relatively new and mod-est in scale,a clearer picture is emerging abo

4、ut what it takes to win.Recently,Finn shared with us aggregate data on customer patterns and demographics,which,along with our own research and client experience,sheds light on the enabling factors and key practices that lead to success.This inside look at a subscription provider also highlights the

5、 misconceptions and constraints that have held some providers back.Why Some Providers Struggle In its brief history,the subscription business model has evolved considerably.Consumer trends have been advanta-geous:the general shift from ownership to usership and from offline to online transactions;th

6、e growing interest in sustainability;and the constant pursuit of greater conve-nience.Direct-to-consumer selling is also becoming more commonplace.So,what makes subscription providers stumble?Mainly,the following:An ambiguous value proposition.Without a clear sense of the most promising customer seg