Subscription toggle on by default: early lift in new subs, no figure
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing two separate purchase options with a single toggle that defaults to subscription showed promising early results for new subscriptions, though no figure was shared.
Wuffes, a pet supplement brand, ran the test in-house on a paid-traffic landing page, and it was published as a Replo case study.
Treat this as an early read, not a final result.
- New subscription rate: described as promising early results. No percentage, sample size or confidence was shared.
- Wuffes optimizes for cost per new subscription, but no figure for that metric was reported for this test.
- Effects on one-time purchases and overall conversion were not reported.
The change
Two separate purchase options vs one toggle that defaults to subscription
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The buy box showed two separate options to pick from: Subscribe & Save and One-Time Purchase.
Variant
The buy box showed one toggle, switched to subscription by default, so shoppers had to turn it off to buy once.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Defaults are powerful: many shoppers keep whatever option is preselected.
- One toggle is simpler to scan than two option blocks, which may speed shoppers to checkout.
- A subscription default can also lower conversion for shoppers who want to buy once, so the net effect needs checking.
Caveats: This is an early read with no number, and the result may not hold up. It was self-reported in a vendor case study, with no sample size or duration shared.
Who ran it
Wuffes ran this test for Wuffes and published the results (Replo case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Wuffes →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we replace two purchase options with one toggle that defaults to subscription, then new subscriptions will rise because shoppers tend to keep the default and the buy box is easier to read.
- Primary metric
- New subscriptions per visitor (or cost per new subscription)
- Guardrails
- Overall conversion rate
- Refunds and early cancellations
- Support complaints about unwanted subscriptions
- Who should test it
- Subscription-led brands selling consumables like supplements or pet food. Make the toggle and the recurring charge very clear; a hidden default can cause chargebacks and break consumer rules in some places.
Questions
Should subscription be the default option?
It often raises subscription take-up but can lower total conversion.
Test it and judge by revenue or cost per subscriber, not subscriptions alone.
Is a preselected subscription allowed?
Rules vary by country and state. Show the recurring price and terms clearly, and make it easy to switch to one-time.
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