Product swapping lets you replace one product in a subscription with another, based on subscription milestones. It is commonly used for subscriptions where the first order includes a starter kit or bundle, and future orders contain only the recurring item.
Here are some common scenarios where product swapping is useful:
A coffee subscription where the first order includes a roaster and beans, and future orders include only the beans.
A water purifier subscription where the first shipment includes the purifier unit, and recurring orders include only replacement filters.
A grooming brand that ships a complete kit in the first order and only refill blades or cream in future deliveries. This is commonly known as the razor blade model.
A pet brand that includes a starter toy or bowl in the first order and sends only treats or food from the second order onward.
Flows automate these transitions based on the conditions you define, so you do not need to update each subscription manually. This article covers how product swapping works and how to set it up using flows.
How product swapping works
A product swap replaces Product A in a subscription with Product B. With flows, this happens automatically when the conditions you set are met. The graphic below shows how a product swap works.
Here is a real-world example. A brand sells a scrubber as a one-time purchase with a subscription attached.
The customer buys the scrubber, and flows automatically swap it to replacement brushes delivered every 3 months. The first order includes the main product, and all future orders include only the accessory.
Setting up a product swap using flows
This walkthrough uses a real scenario to show how the setup works. Say you want to offer a subscription where the first order includes a coffee machine starter pack (a roaster and a pack of beans). From the second order onward, the subscription should deliver only the coffee beans at the selected frequency.
Follow these steps to set it up:
Navigate to Loop admin > Retain > Flows, then click Create your own workflow.
Name the flow. For this example, use "Remove coffee roaster."
Select the When trigger. Since the swap should happen after the first order, choose "A new subscription is created."
Learn more: When conditionsIn the If condition, select a product-based condition and choose "Product in subscription" as the coffee roaster and beans pack. This is the product you want to swap out.
Learn More: IF conditions
In the Then condition, click Add action and select Swap product. Configure the following:
Old product(s): Select the product you want to replace. For this example, choose "Coffee machine and beans starter pack."
New product: Select the product that should replace it. For this example, choose "Coffee beans pack."
Quantity: Choose how the quantity of the new product should be determined. There are three options:
Same as old product keeps the quantity identical to what the old product had.
Static value lets you set a fixed quantity (for example, 1).
Dynamic value lets you increase/multiply the quantity by a specified number
Product pricing: Choose how the new product should be priced. The options are:
Keep the price and discounts same as that of the old product.
Use the price of the new product and apply existing discounts. For prepaid subscriptions, the new product is added at base price.
Use the price of the new product and apply discounts from the selling plan associated with the new product. If no applicable selling plan is found, existing discounts are applied. For prepaid subscriptions, if no applicable selling plan is found, the product is added at base price.
Use the price of the new product and apply a custom discount.
Choose Reward notifications. This step is optional. You can configure how your subscribers are notified about the swap:
Send email to customers from Loop notifies customers when the flow has triggered for them.
Publish event to 3rd party apps like Klaviyo lets you create marketing automations specific to each flow using custom events.
Add reward text in the upcoming order email includes reward details in the upcoming order notification sent through Loop or 3rd party apps.
Display reward banner on customer portal shows applied and upcoming rewards on customer portal.
Set the status to Active and click Save.
You can customize the flow further if you want to adjust any of these settings after saving.
Subscriber experience during product swap
Once a product swap is triggered through a flow, here is what your subscriber sees:
The customer purchases the product as a subscription from your storefront.
After the purchase, the flow triggers based on the conditions you set and swaps the product. From the second order onward, the new product (in this case, "Coffee beans pack") is delivered at the defined interval.
You can verify the swap by opening the specific subscription in Loop admin (Navigate to Loop admin > Subscriptions > Click on the specific subscription ID) and checking the activity logs. The logs confirm that the flow triggered and the product swap completed..
FAQs
Can I implement the Razor blade model using flows in Loop?
Can I implement the Razor blade model using flows in Loop?
Yes! This setup works perfectly for a razor-blade-style subscription. You can create a flow where the first order includes both the main product (e.g., a razor handle) and the consumable (e.g., blades). Then, for subsequent orders, the flow swaps the product so only the consumable is shipped. This way, you deliver the initial main product once, and all following orders focus on the recurring refill.
Can I swap a product right after the first order?
Can I swap a product right after the first order?
Yes, you can set up a flow that triggers when a new subscription is created and swaps the product from the next order onward.
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Loop Subscriptions team 🙂