Retention discounts aren’t just about retaining revenue

Aggressive retention offers and “save rates” are about more than just clinging onto subscription revenue. Keeping subscribers onboard can help drive publishers’ businesses in various ways. As many subscription publishers shift their focus from subscriber acquisition to retention, aggressive discounts and “save rates” are increasingly common. As Poynter noted this week, news publishers in particular will often let subscribers effectively choose their own subscription rate if they attempt to cancel, particularly if a subscriber initially converted on a highly discounted introductory offer. Customer service reps, bots and retention flows are often instructed or designed to keep subscribers onboard at whatever price they can. It’s tempting to frame such practic