Unlock Recurring Revenue: Sell Course Subscriptions Through Shopify

Firmwater is pleased to announce we now support subscription selling as part of our Shopify eCommerce integration. We’ve partnered with Seal Subscriptions, a Shopify subscriptions app that works in tandem with the Firmwater LMS app to seamlessly deliver course subscriptions.

With this update you can offer course subscriptions as standalone products or alongside one-time course purchases, while still benefiting from Firmwater Shopify integration features like multiple payment options, course bundles, discounts, and more.

Firmwater customers can find our step-by-step subscriptions guide in our documentation here.

Whether you already sell courses online or are just getting into the game, there are many benefits from selling course subscriptions. We’ll review these benefits below along with a list of the key subscription selling features.

Why Training Providers Sell Subscription-Based Courses

1. Recurring Revenue: Subscriptions provide consistent, recurring income, making it easier to forecast future revenue and manage cash flow. When a customer subscribes to your course(s), they’re making a commitment, providing you with financial stability and predictable income. This allows you to plan for future business investments like new marketing campaigns or new courses.
2. High Value Conversions: Recurring billing means you're more likely to have long-term customers, so each sale represents higher lifetime value. Your revenue can grow over time without the need to constantly acquire new customers. You’ll save on remarketing and lead generation expenses because you’re converting one-time buyers into long-term subscribers, reducing the need to invest heavily in reacquisition.
3. Build a Loyal Customer Base: As mentioned above, subscription-based selling often leads to increased customer retention. Not only does this provide for recurring revenue, but it also gives you the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with your customers. You can do this by offering a rewards plan, engaging them through monthly newsletters or offering them first access to new courses or course updates. This will ultimately build trust and make it easier to upsell or cross sell products.
4. Save Time with Automatic Course Delivery and Billing: It’s cliché, but time is money. Many training providers wear multiple hats – a training business owner might have to design eLearning courses AND marketing campaigns to sell those courses. Alternatively, a manager might need to balance sales activities with LMS administration, so needs to manage their time efficiently. In a recent Firmwater interview, Jen Erb, Managing Director of Tallan Resources, notes how automating her course subscription sales “… frees up my time to do other things, which is huge…[and] it has doubled the number of online training clients." An LMS eCommerce integration positions you for growth by automating payments and course delivery, while providing a wealth of marketing tools.
5. Variety of Purchase Options: Selling one-time course purchases through LMS ecommerce integration already provides training providers with multiple ways to sell, such as bundling courses or offering different versions at varying prices. Subscription-based selling expands these opportunities even further: you can offer subscriptions alongside one-time purchases, provide different membership lengths, and set unique subscription rules for various courses or course groups. Altogether, these options allow you to attract diverse customer types and reach a broader audience.

“[automation]… frees up my time to do other things, which is huge…[and] it has doubled the number of online training clients."

Jen Erb, Managing Director, Tallan Resources