Zuora Helps Creativebug Launch New Video Offerings Faster and Support Parent Company’s Retail Goals

Zuora, Inc., (NYSE:ZUO) the leading cloud-based subscription management platform provider, announced today that its customer Creativebug, a video content provider owned by a leading craft retailer, is using the Zuora Central platform to speed up the launch of new on-demand offerings, increase customer engagement, and expand globally. Creativebug is also using Zuora Collect to reduce subscriber churn.

Contrary to popular belief, the brick-and-mortar world is not dying. In fact, eMarketer says the global retail sector is projected to reach nearly $28 trillion in sales by 2020. Providers of consumer goods are shifting their sales strategy to start with customer experience rather than with a product according to KPMG. Zuora is a firm believer that a new consumer buying trend of favoring “access over ownership” will have a long-term impact on businesses, with companies able to reap the rewards as they shift to pay-as-you-go subscription models.

Launched in 2012 by two cousins who aspired to bring arts and crafts to the world, Creativebug started with a small amount of seed money. By 2014, the company had already seen exponential growth of 550 percent, and by 2017 Creativebug had more than 1,000 on-demand, high-quality arts and crafts videos, while continuing to add new videos daily.

Creativebug has proven itself an expert at generating customer engagement with its ever-expanding diversity of classes and creative projects. But, prior to implementing Zuora, building out content offers was more complicated and time-intensive. As Creativebug grew, the company realized it needed a technology partner to help with subscription management, flexible pricing and packaging, and global payments.

Now on the Zuora Central platform, Creativebug can get a new promotional offer to market in just one to two weeks, including development, internal testing, and roll out. According to Liana Allday, General Manager at Creativebug, “We find it can take five touches to build momentum with customers. Zuora gives us the flexibility to be creative with pricing and packaging so that we can see what resonates with customers, and what doesn't.”

As Creativebug continues to grow its subscriber base, the focus is broadening to include churn management. Zuora Collect helps Creativebug better optimize payment operations by increasing revenue collection while decreasing involuntary churn caused by payment failures and hard credit card declines.

According to Allday, as the company continues its commitment to making the world a more beautiful place, she is “looking to expand our products and our offerings to better reach a larger audience and make it easier for customers to participate in our creative community, however it fits into their lifestyle.”