Discontinuing a product line can cause customers to defect

Every year I have to buy a new phone case.

Not because I've upgraded my phone, it's because I've worn out my old case.

Spending $20-$50 per year to protect a $600 device makes sense.

But it's a hassle because every year as it gets harder and harder to find the ones that fit.

There could be an entire business built around building and selling cases for older phones.

Selling products for older editions is big business in tech (e.g. keep old servers and software running for decades), but consumer products tend to chase the latest and greatest.

Something to think about as you plan your products this year, would it make sense to keep around the accessories and parts for some of your older best sellers?

You might have some long-term customers who'd rather stick with what they have now and not upgrade for awhile. Discontinuing their products could force them to decide to go elsewhere. They have to switch to something new, might as well see if a competitor is better right?

If you haven't installed Repeat Customer Insights yet, it's an easy way to get a detailed look at your customer behavior.

It comes with a 14-day free trial so you can see how it works before paying.

Eric Davis

Segment your customers automatically with RFM

Segmenting your customers has always been touted as a powerful marketing tool but many stores avoid it because it can be time-consuming.
Repeat Customer Insights will automatically segment your entire customer base for you based on the valuable data Shopify has already collected for you. Ranging from 5 to 30 to over 125+ different segments using RFM and other models, you can pick how much power you want to harness.

Learn more

Topics: Customer loyalty Product analysis

Would you like a daily tip about Shopify?

Each tip includes a way to improve your store: customer analysis, analytics, customer acquisition, CRO... plus plenty of puns and amazing alliterations.