Every week, we bring you the top stories and analyses from the global Subscription Economy.

Rivian eyes subscriptions for electric trucks

Excerpts from an article by Lindsay Chappell in Crain’s Chicago Business 

Rivian, the electric-truck startup that keeps attracting support from the industry establishment, is looking to offer a subscription service as part of its factory-direct retail model after it launches next year, its CEO said here last week. Subscriptions have emerged as a new model in the luxury sector to give customers access to a range of vehicles for a monthly fee.

“We talk about inflection points, and this is one that allows us to interact in different ways with the customer,” Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe said. “You may use one solution to get to and from the office during the week. But on the weekend, you may want a subscription program.”

The concept has been pioneered, with mixed results, by other automakers, including Cadillac, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. The high-end nature of its early proponents has led many to perceive the concept as a program for wealthy consumers.

“As we think about how you consume miles, 96 percent of the miles in the United States are consumed through ownership. But we see that changing,” Scaringe told a private industry audience at the headquarters of one of its key new investors, Cox Automotive. “Not just on the moderate price side, but also on the premium side, on the aspirational side. And we see those worlds living together in a meaningful way.”

The company plans to produce a number of electric vehicle models at its plant in Normal, and sell them directly to customers without a traditional franchised dealer network, Scaringe said.

For more, read the full article on Crain’s Chicago Business and learn how Zuora helps auto companies launch subscriptions here.

GoodRx is coming for subscription prescription services with the launch of GoodRx Care

Excerpts from an article by Jonathan Shieber in TechCrunch 

Several months after discreetly acquiring the online prescription service HeyDoctor, GoodRx is launching a new service based on the acquisition, GoodRx Care, and offering a direct challenge to online prescription services like Hims, Hers, Nurx, Ro and others.

Already a billion-dollar giant in the world of prescription fulfillment through its cost-comparison and discount medication fulfillment business, more than 10 million consumers use the company’s services already.

With GoodRx Care, customers can use the online medical service to get a consultation, treatment, prescriptions and lab tests from doctors. The array of services on offer, which covers conditions and ailments from urinary tract infection treatments and birth control pills to erectile dysfunction medication and hair replacement supplements, mirror those pitched by white-glove online prescription services like Ro, Hims, Hers and Nurx .

For more, read the full article on TechCrunch.

Atari VCS will have a retro game subscription service

Excerpts from an article by Eric Abent in Slash Gear 

Back when Atari first revealed the VCS, the company said it would be a platform for both modern and retro games. It turns out that it wasn’t kidding about the console’s retro gaming chops, today announcing that it’s partnered with Antstream Arcade to supply the VCS with “thousands of retro games.” Antstream will do so by offering its retro gaming subscription service on the console.

That subscription service is already available, but Atari announced today that Antstream will be making a special “Atari Edition” library specifically for the VCS. In addition to the retro games that Antstream already offers, it will add 50 classic Atari games for VCS subscribers.

All of the games offered through Antstream will be compatible with all of the VCS controller options, whether you’re using the classic joystick or the modern controller. The Atari titles will be available in standalone form and in compilations that were first available for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

For more, read the full article on Slash Gear and learn how Zuora helps gaming companies launch subscriptions here.

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