How Does a Retention Manager Test with Intelligems?

You're responsible for keeping customers coming back. Repeat purchase rate, subscription retention, LTV... these are your metrics. But retention strategies are often built on assumptions, not data.

What discount depth actually drives a second purchase without creating dependency? Does your subscription offer cannibalize one-time buyers? When a customer churns, was it the price or the experience?

Testing gives you the answers. Here's how retention managers are using Intelligems to find them.

Test Your Subscription Offer Structure

The subscription vs. one-time tradeoff is rarely straightforward. A higher discount might boost subscription sign-ups but attract customers who churn the moment they can.

What to test:

• Discount depth: 10% vs. 15% vs. 20% off subscriptions

• Prepay incentives: 3-month commitment with extra savings vs. cancel-anytime flexibility

• Trial structures: First shipment discounted vs. steady pricing throughout

The goal isn't maximum sign-ups. It's maximum retained revenue over time. Track profit per visitor across cohorts, not just initial conversion.

Find the Right Winback Discount

When a customer lapses, the instinct is to offer a discount. But how much? Too small and they ignore it. Too large and you've trained them to wait for deals.

Test winback offers by segment:

• Customers who purchased once vs. twice vs. three+ times

• Recent churns (30 days) vs. older churns (90+ days)

• High-AOV customers vs. low-AOV customers

Different segments respond differently. A loyal customer who lapsed might come back for 10% off. A one-time buyer might need 25%... or might never return regardless of discount.

Measure Loyalty Without the Discount Crutch

Some of your most profitable customers never use discounts. Others only buy on sale. Understanding this split changes how you allocate retention budget.

Test holding back discounts from segments that buy anyway. It sounds counterintuitive, but you might find:

• Your loyalty program members convert without promo codes

• Email subscribers who clicked through buy at full price

• Repeat customers don't need the reminder discount

The data often reveals that discounts accelerate decisions rather than create them. Knowing which customers fall into each camp is worth discovering.

Test the Subscription Cancellation Flow

The moment a customer hits "cancel" is a testing opportunity. What saves them?

Options to test:

• Pause vs. cancel: Offering a pause option before showing cancel

• Discount to stay: 20% off next shipment vs. free gift with next order

• Skip flexibility: Letting them skip a shipment vs. standard cancel flow

Each of these changes the math differently. A pause might just delay churn. A discount might save the customer but hurt margin. Test to find what actually improves lifetime value.

Your Data Points the Way

Retention testing is fundamentally about understanding customer behavior over time, not just immediate conversion. Here's what to watch:

• Subscription retention by discount tier: Are 20% subscribers stickier than 15% subscribers?

• Winback response by customer value: Do high-LTV customers need different offers?

• Repeat purchase rate without discounts: What happens when you hold back the promo?

• Cancellation save rate by offer type: Which intervention actually works?

The answers are in your data. Testing reveals them.

The IntelliJAMS team discusses how retention marketers specifically can leverage Intelligems for testing.

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