Explainer
The subscription model we refuse to run
Dark patterns in consumable subscriptions are well documented. Here are the five we deliberately do not use, and what we do instead.
Consumable subscriptions convert well because of inertia, and a lot of businesses monetise that inertia deliberately: cancel flows that need a phone call, hidden "reactivated" checkboxes, reminder emails that arrive after the charge, and discount cliffs that only exist on the first order.
We do the opposite, on purpose. One-off purchase is the default on every product page. Subscribe & save is a single clearly-labelled toggle worth 15% and free shipping — a real, ongoing benefit rather than a first-order hook. Cancelling is one click in any order email, no retention maze, and we never make you talk to a human to stop paying.
The bet is game-theoretic rather than altruistic: in a repeat-purchase category, the expected value of a customer who stays because the product works is far higher than the value of one who stays because leaving is difficult. Losing a trapped customer costs you their referrals and reviews; losing one you treated fairly often gets them back.
If you ever want out, reply to any email with the word "cancel" and it is done before your next dispatch.