Visa Brings Convenience and Control to Booming Subscription Economy

Rhea-AI Summary

Visa (V) launches Subscription Manager service to help cardholders track subscriptions easily, aiming to simplify managing recurring payments in the growing $406B global subscription market. The service offers a centralized platform to view, manage, and stop recurring payments, addressing consumer concerns about hidden charges and subscription complexities.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The introduction of Visa's Subscription Manager service is a strategic move that aligns with the growing digital economy and the shift in consumer behavior towards subscription-based services. This service could potentially lead to an increase in customer satisfaction and retention rates, as it addresses the pain point of managing multiple subscriptions. From a financial perspective, this initiative could also enhance Visa's value proposition to financial institutions and strengthen its competitive position in the digital payments market.

Moreover, the service could generate additional revenue streams for Visa through partnerships with financial institutions. It's important to monitor the adoption rate of the Subscription Manager and its actual impact on Visa's financials in the coming quarters. The success of this pilot could lead to wider adoption and possibly become a standard feature across Visa's network, potentially increasing the volume of transactions processed and reinforcing Visa's market share in the digital payment sector.

Market Research Analyst

Visa's launch of Subscription Manager taps into the burgeoning subscription economy, which is forecasted to grow significantly. This reflects a keen understanding of market trends and consumer needs, as managing subscriptions has become increasingly complex. By providing a centralized solution, Visa not only improves user experience but also positions itself as an innovator in the financial technology space.

Consumer comfort with digital-only finances and the uptick in mobile wallet usage provide a fertile ground for the adoption of such services. The potential benefits for Visa include increased engagement with its digital enablement suite and reinforcement of its brand as a customer-centric company. However, it will be important to observe how this service differentiates itself from existing third-party subscription management tools and how Visa leverages its vast network to ensure widespread adoption.

Consumer Behavior Specialist

Visa's Subscription Manager service is a direct response to the evolving consumer demand for convenience and control over financial transactions. The rise in subscription services has led to a phenomenon known as 'subscription fatigue,' where consumers struggle to keep track of their recurring payments. By simplifying this process, Visa is not only enhancing the user experience but also tapping into the psychological need for consumers to feel in control of their finances.

The long-term implications include potentially altering consumer spending habits, as increased visibility of subscriptions may lead to more prudent financial decisions. This service could also influence consumer loyalty, as cardholders might prefer Visa for the added value it provides. It will be interesting to see how this service impacts consumer behavior in the long run and how it might drive changes in the subscription services market itself.

• New Subscription Manager service lets consumers track subscriptions at a glance

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The global subscription market is on a steady rise, expected to reach a staggering $406B by 2025¹. As the trend of consumers subscribing to services in sectors such as retail, food and more increases, so does the challenge of managing their payments. Recognizing this, Visa (NYSE: V), a world leader in digital payments, today announced the launch of Subscription Manager, a new, all-in-one service for financial institutions to provide Visa cardholders with a simple, convenient way to track their subscriptions, all from the palm of their hands.

In the era of subscription overload, consumers are grappling with the complexities of managing multiple subscriptions across a web of apps. Navigating through each platform’s unique terms can potentially lead to unnoticed charges, even after a subscription is cancelled. Visa’s new Subscription Manager streamlines key aspects of recurring payments in one place, allowing cardholders to see where their card details are stored, view which recurring payments are attributed to their card, and stop recurring payments.

“Managing subscriptions can often feel like a maze, with consumers sometimes feeling trapped in a cycle of confusing charges," said Kathleen Pierce-Gilmore, global head of Issuing Solutions at Visa. "Our goal is to make this process simpler and ensure cardholders know exactly where their money is going, and when.”

As consumer expectations for seamless, secure digital payments grow, it's crucial for issuers to keep pace. A forthcoming Visa report supports this trend, revealing that 63% of surveyed consumers are comfortable with a future that relies entirely on digital money². The rapid introduction of new digital financial tools and services is propelling this shift, with consumers increasingly turning to apps and mobile wallets to manage their finances. The same report also found that over half of the consumers surveyed have adopted the use of mobile wallets in just the past year³.

Subscription Manager is the newest addition to Visa's Digital Enablement product suite, a comprehensive set of tools and flexible solutions aimed to help issuers offer better digital experiences for their cardholders. The new solution supports Visa’s ongoing efforts to increase transparency and control in the subscription economy, building on initiatives such as its 2020 mandate that requires merchants to obtain cardholder consent after free trials or introductory promotions before initiating billing.

Subscription Manager is currently in pilot in select regions. For more information on this, as well as Visa's issuing solutions and other value-added services for businesses, please visit the Visa Developer Center.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

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1	Juniper Research, Subscription Economy Future Strategies & Market Forecasts 2022 – 2026
2	Visa, 2024 Consumer Segment Analysis: How Digital Maturity Shapes Consumer Financial Behavior (to be published this spring)
3	Visa, 2024 Consumer Segment Analysis: How Digital Maturity Shapes Consumer Financial Behavior (to be published this spring)

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240403865133/en/

Media Contact

Julianna Bryan

jbryan@visa.com

Source: Visa Inc.

FAQ

What service did Visa (V) launch to assist cardholders in tracking subscriptions?

Visa (V) launched Subscription Manager, an all-in-one service to simplify managing recurring payments and provide cardholders with a centralized platform to track their subscriptions.

What is the expected value of the global subscription market by 2025?

The global subscription market is projected to reach $406 billion by 2025.

Who is the global head of Issuing Solutions at Visa (V)?

Kathleen Pierce-Gilmore is the global head of Issuing Solutions at Visa (V).

What is Visa's (V) goal with the Subscription Manager service?

Visa's goal with Subscription Manager is to simplify the subscription management process for cardholders, providing transparency on their recurring payments.

What is Visa's (V) Digital Enablement product suite focused on?

Visa's Digital Enablement product suite aims to offer better digital experiences for cardholders by providing tools and solutions to issuers.