Subscription Based Model for Learning

Subscription learning is a method of online learning where e-learning courses or modules are divided into small consumable 'nuggets' of information. You get access to these nuggets for an annual/monthly subscription fee.

We are transitioning to a subscription culture where we pay for a variety of services, not simply the most popular entertainment providers like Netflix, Hotstar, Spotify etc. We have food delivery subscriptions, premium delivery services like Amazon Prime and even customized monthly subscription boxes for hobbies like knitting.

By 2023, 75% of all firms that sell directly to customers will offer a subscription service of some type, according to Gartner, a global research and advisory firm. This rise in popularity has been steadily increasing for a few years, but COVID-19 undoubtedly escalated the popularity of subscriptions, due to the need for easily accessible goods and services without having to make a trip outside.

The UK is most definitely a prime example of a subscription society, with the growing subscription economy currently worth £323 million. In 2020, monthly spending on digital and subscription services has climbed continuously. Individually, Brits spend £46 per month on subscriptions.

Benefits of learning subscriptions:

• A monthly subscription is not a big financial commitment and is much more manageable for people to afford.
• There is no commitment needed as the subscription can be cancelled if the learner changes their mind or doesn’t want to continue the subscription.
• Subscriptions can assist members stick to their commitments by reminding them that they have already paid for a service and want to get the most out of it.
• Flexibility is ideal because you can learn anywhere and at any time.
• It doesn’t cost extra to redo or giving over time to previous content if it was difficult. This makes it easier to understand and retain information properly. In real life, you might have to enroll in additional classes or pay extra to go over the material.

Impact of covid-19 and lockdown

As seen by the global surges in searches for 'learning subscription' over the last ten months, the pandemic has had a significant influence on demand for online learning. This trend makes sense for several reasons. First of all, many individuals have been working remotely, giving them more access to their computers and more time to focus on their jobs rather than having to drive to and from work.

Additionally, many people were placed on furlough or made unemployed due to businesses struggling to stay afloat, which meant that people had free time to upskill, pick up a new hobby or attempt to retrain. Retraining has been a large motivation for people signing up for learning subscriptions, especially in the second half of the pandemic. 

Moreover, a lot of industries have been hit really hard and people have been feeling a lack of security in their jobs. Wanting to pick up targeted skill sets with the intention of moving into a different career has been a huge motivator for many new learners. 

Finally, since many people’s financial situations have taken a hit, learning subscriptions have become an affordable option for people who want to take online courses. Paying all in one go can be off-putting or impossible, whereas a much smaller monthly subscription fee is more manageable during this time.

We’re all becoming more tech-savvy

We all know that today's youth and youngsters are tech-savvy, but older generations are becoming more comfortable with technology as well. As a result, the pool of prospective online subscription consumers is always expanding.

Most of us have numerous technological devices, including laptops, phones, tablets and Smart TVs. There are so many ways we can access learning content now, and also an increasing number of ways we can be reminded to learn something new or stick to our goals. Emails and phone notifications make sure we remember to finish what we started, and multimedia experiences on online courses such as interactive quizzes and videos help to hold our attention spans and make learning more fun.