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Subscription model and retention: from kit buyer to regular customer

Reviewed by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, molecular biologist and founder of Novogenia · Updated: 15 October 2026 · Reading time: 9 min

In short

A genetic test is bought once; personalized supplements are consumed and reordered. At Novogenia, one delivery lasts for 90 days; the 90-day subscription runs with automatic reordering and is billed either through Novogenia or through your own system. The genetic analysis does not need to be repeated for this: with every new production run, the formula is recalculated using the current age and, where applicable, new data from a questionnaire, blood tests or genetic analyses. Retention comes from support between deliveries and a cancellation that is as easy as the order – in Germany with a cancellation button (Section 312k BGB).

Four deliveries a year – one for every season

A genetic test is bought once. A personalized supplement is consumed and reordered. At Novogenia, one delivery lasts for 90 days – roughly one season. A customer who starts in spring gets the next box in time for summer and the one after that for fall. A single purchase turns into a rhythm that carries through the whole year.

What keeps people in that rhythm? A strong hint comes from the Canadian NOW trial. 140 participants in a weight management program received either the standard program or the same program with gene-based nutrition advice. Only the group with gene-based advice significantly reduced the share of fat in their energy intake by the 12-month follow-up, from 36.0% to 30.2%, and they stuck to the recommendations on total and saturated fat better in the long term (Horne et al., BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 2020).

The trial looked at eating behavior, not at subscriptions. But the logical conclusion is this: people who know why a recommendation fits them are more likely to stick with it. That personal reason is exactly what the genetic analysis provides – and it works not only for the first purchase but with every delivery.

From kit to subscription: the decisive moment

In retail, a subscription does not start with a click on “subscribe” but with a kit. The decisive moment comes later: when the report arrives and your customer sees for the first time what their genes say about their diet. That is when the next step should feel natural.

Show the route in advance: Explain when the kit is bought that a personal supplement can follow the report – on the product page in your online shop, and in your store through your own instructions in the branded kit.
Separate one-time purchase and subscription: Both options are clearly side by side, and nothing is pre-ticked.
Show price and rhythm: For subscription contracts, the total price you must state before the contract is concluded includes the total costs per billing period (Art. 6(1)(e) Directive 2011/83/EU).
Connect store and online: If your customer buys the kit in your store, the personal product arrives by direct shipping. How the subscription is billed and attributed to your store is set in your contract with Novogenia.

For drugstores and supermarkets, this means: the shelf sells the kit, and the subscription continues by direct shipping. Your store nevertheless remains the place where the relationship began – and where questions about the report can be answered on the next shopping trip.

The 90-day rhythm at a glance

A 90-day subscription has few deliveries – and long breaks in between. That keeps shipping and packaging lean, but it requires your brand to stay present between deliveries.

Moment	What happens	What you do
First delivery	The personal box arrives.	explain how to take the daily sachets and what is in them – factually, without health promises
Between deliveries	Your customer uses the sachets every day.	useful content on diet and everyday life, answers to questions
Before the next delivery	The reorder is coming up.	a reminder before every charge; options to reschedule or pause
New production run	The formula is recalculated.	point out that the composition may change
Cancellation	Your customer opts out.	make it as easy as ordering – and briefly ask why

If you plan your communication in quarters rather than months, you match your customers’ rhythm. More on subscription variants, billing and pack sizes is in the contract manufacturing guide under Subscription models: recurring revenue.

New data instead of a new genetic test

Sooner or later, the question comes up: “Do I have to repeat the test?” The honest answer is no. Genes do not change, so repeating the same analysis yields no new insights. What changes is the life around them – and that flows into the formula.

At Novogenia, the formula is recalculated with every new production run:

Age: recalculated from the date of birth for every production run.
Questionnaire: An updated questionnaire on diet and lifestyle feeds into the next formula.
New analyses: New blood values or further genetic analyses can refine the formula; blood values take precedence.

For retention, this is a gift: every new piece of information is a reason to talk, and the box grows with its owner. But explain from the start that the composition may change as a result – otherwise a different-looking box will trigger questions.

Retention through support, not fine print

A subscription is only as valuable as it is long-lived. Most levers are not discounts but good support:

A reminder before every delivery: A message before the charge avoids surprises.
Flexibility: Customers who can reschedule or pause a delivery are less likely to cancel altogether.
Self-service: Address, payment method and delivery date can be changed without a phone call.
Failed payments: Expired cards end subscriptions unintentionally – a friendly reminder can save them.
Trained staff: In a store, a team that can put questions about the report into context helps. Staff can prepare with the free NOVO Academy – about 5 hours of video per language, in German, English, Czech, French, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch.
Ask for reasons: A short question with every cancellation teaches you more than any survey.

Important for the partner model: in the partner shop, end customers may switch their sales partner at any time and without restriction under Novogenia’s partner terms (terms, Part C). Retention there comes from satisfaction alone – which is the best way anyway.

Metrics along the journey

In retail, the subscription starts earlier than in a pure subscription shop – with the kit. So measure every stage, without benchmarking yourself against other people’s averages:

How many kits sold arrive at the lab as samples?
How many customers order a personal product after the report?
How many stay on after the first and second delivery?
Why do customers cancel?
How many subscriptions are at risk from failed payments?

The first figure shows whether your post-purchase reminder works; the second shows whether your transition from report to product is convincing.

Staying fair: term, cancellation and withdrawal

A subscription that feels like a trap costs more than any cancellation. The rules differ from country to country:

EU: For contracts for the regular delivery of goods, the 14-day withdrawal period starts when the consumer receives the first good (Art. 9(2)(b)(iii) Directive 2011/83/EU). Goods that are clearly personalized are excepted from the right of withdrawal (Art. 16(c)). Details in Distance selling and withdrawal for personalized products.
Germany: If consumers can conclude a contract for an ongoing obligation on your website, you need a clearly legible cancellation button labeled, for example, “Verträge hier kündigen” (“cancel contracts here”) (Section 312k BGB). In standard terms for the regular delivery of goods, a binding term of more than two years is invalid, among other things; a tacit renewal is only permitted for an indefinite period with a notice period of no more than one month (Section 309 no. 9 BGB).
Austria: Contracts for repeated deliveries concluded for an indefinite period or for more than one year can be terminated by the consumer with two months’ notice at the end of the first year and at the end of every six months thereafter (Section 15 KSchG).
Switzerland: The Swiss Code of Obligations (OR) grants a right of withdrawal only for offers made, for example, at the workplace, in residential premises, on public streets or by phone, if the customer’s payment exceeds CHF 100 (Art. 40a and 40b OR). Orders in an online shop are not listed there. Clear subscription terms matter all the more. In Switzerland, the genetic analysis also follows its own route through health professionals.

A good model for fair changes: for ongoing contracts such as subscriptions, Novogenia Marketing announces intended changes in text form at least two months in advance; if the consumer does not agree, the previous terms continue to apply. Have your own subscription terms checked by an expert for each target country.

Checklist: does your subscription model hold up?

When the kit is bought, it is already clear what happens after the report.
One-time purchase and subscription are clearly separated; nothing is pre-ticked.
Price per delivery and the 90-day rhythm are shown before the order.
Billing and attribution to your store are set out in your contract with Novogenia.
Your customers know that the formula may change with every production run.
Reminders, pausing, rescheduling and self-service work.
Canceling is as easy as ordering – in Germany with a cancellation button.
Term and cancellation rules have been checked for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The metrics along the journey are tracked from the very first kit.

How we do it at Novogenia

At Novogenia, the subscription is ready to go – you decide how much of it you handle yourself:

90-day subscription: with automatic reordering; one delivery of personalized supplements lasts for 90 days.
Billing: through Novogenia or through your own system, with us as your fulfillment partner.
Direct shipping: On request, we ship directly to your customers – under your brand with white label.
Formula update: With every new production run, we recalculate the formula – with the age from the date of birth and, where applicable, an updated questionnaire or new blood or genetic analyses.
Partner shop: You receive a commission per order under the partner terms; we discuss specific rates with you personally.
Training: The NOVO Academy is free of charge and optional – about 5 hours of video per language, with a certificate for each completed topic.

Frequently asked questions

How often does a subscription deliver?

With personalized supplements from Novogenia, one delivery lasts for 90 days, and the subscription runs with automatic reordering at that rhythm. So plan your communication in quarters, not months.

Does the genetic analysis have to be repeated for the subscription?

No. Genes do not change, so repeating the same analysis yields no new insights. The formula is still recalculated with every production run: with the current age and, where applicable, an updated questionnaire, new blood values or further analysis results.

Can a customer from my store sign up for a subscription?

Yes. They buy the kit in your store, and after the analysis the personal product is shipped directly to their home. How the subscription is billed and attributed to your store is set in your contract with Novogenia – through Novogenia or through your own system.

What do I need to consider for cancellations?

In Germany, websites on which consumers can sign up for subscriptions need a cancellation button (Section 312k BGB), and there are limits on contract terms in standard terms (Section 309 no. 9 BGB). In Austria, consumers can terminate contracts for repeated deliveries concluded for an indefinite period or for more than one year with two months’ notice at the end of the first year and every six months thereafter (Section 15 KSchG). Have your subscription terms checked for each country.

Do the subscribers belong to me?

In the partner shop, end customers may switch their sales partner at any time and without restriction under Novogenia’s partner terms. So plan for retention through good support, not through contract clauses.

Personalized products for your shop?

Tell us about your brand and your channels – we will show you which model fits.

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Note: This guide is general information for businesses and professionals and does not replace medical or legal advice. The genetic traits determined in a genetic analysis are well documented (each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies); recommendations derived from them are logical conclusions, not scientifically proven. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted.