Not Just Netflix, Indians Are Now Subscribing To Furniture, Home Appliances

The subscription economy is rapidly moving beyond OTT platforms and software services in India, with expensive consumer products emerging as the next frontier.

Industry leaders say changing consumer preferences, rising product costs, and the growing desire for flexibility are pushing more consumers towards subscription-led models, where users pay for access rather than outright ownership.

According to Jayant Jha, Founder & CEO, BytePe, the shift reflects a broader evolution in consumer behaviour that has already transformed industries such as entertainment, software, and mobility.

"People are increasingly comfortable paying for access rather than necessarily owning something forever," Jha said, noting that the same mindset is now extending to physical products.

The trend is particularly visible in consumer technology. With premium smartphones now costing upwards of Rs 1 lakh, many buyers are looking for alternatives to large upfront payments.

Jha explained that consumers increasingly want access to the latest technology without worrying about ownership-related challenges such as resale, depreciation, or device replacement after a few years. Subscription models offer that flexibility while lowering the initial financial burden.

For brands, the attraction is equally compelling.

Instead of relying on one-time sales, companies can maintain an ongoing relationship with customers throughout a product's lifecycle. According to Jha, this allows brands to remain engaged with users for longer periods while creating recurring revenue opportunities.

"Subscriptions create a much more ongoing relationship with the customer," Jha said, adding that brands are showing growing interest in models that combine convenience, flexibility, and regular upgrades.

The impact of this shift is also being felt in the marketing ecosystem.

Kumar Saurav, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at AdCounty Media, said subscription-led businesses are changing how companies acquire, engage, and retain customers. Unlike traditional sales models that depend on periodic purchases, subscriptions allow brands to build long-term relationships through continuous interactions.

Saurav noted that subscription businesses can use first-party customer insights to deliver personalised experiences, targeted communication, and tailored offerings. As Indian consumers increasingly seek convenience and customised experiences, he believes subscription models are becoming attractive across sectors ranging from entertainment and e-commerce to wellness, food services, and home solutions.

"In this competitive environment, success will belong to companies that blend technology, a customer-first approach, and customer engagement into a compelling experience worth staying with month after month," he said.

However, as the sector expands, industry participants believe the model must overcome a few challenges before becoming mainstream.

Jha stressed that clarity and transparency will be critical. Consumers must clearly understand what they are paying for and what additional benefits they receive beyond financing.

"If a subscription simply looks like another financing product, it becomes difficult to create meaningful differentiation," Jha said.

He believes the most successful offerings will be those that combine affordability with tangible benefits such as maintenance, protection, upgrades, service support, or enhanced convenience.

Trust is another key factor.

Because subscription businesses depend on long-term customer relationships, transparency throughout the customer journey becomes essential. Consumers need confidence that pricing, services, and terms will remain simple and predictable.

Jha said businesses that focus on customer experience and genuine value creation are likely to emerge as long-term winners as the market matures.

Looking ahead, industry experts believe the opportunity could stretch far beyond smartphones and electronics.

Jha said India remains in the early stages of its subscription economy despite the popularity of recurring-payment models in digital entertainment and software.

The concept, he argues, is much broader than monthly streaming plans. At its core, it is about reducing the friction associated with ownership and giving consumers greater flexibility.

That approach could find applications across sectors where products are expensive, technology evolves rapidly, or usage patterns fluctuate over time. Apart from consumer technology, Jha sees strong potential in mobility, wellness products, personal care devices, home appliances, education tools, and several lifestyle categories.

The furniture industry could be one such area.

Raghunandan Saraf, Founder and CEO of Saraf Furniture, said the subscription economy's influence is gradually moving beyond digital products and services as consumers increasingly value convenience and flexibility.

Saraf pointed to furniture and home lifestyle products as a category with significant potential. Urban professionals frequently relocate for education, career opportunities, or lifestyle reasons, while housing needs often change with different life stages. In such situations, consumers may prefer access to high-quality products without making long-term ownership commitments.

However, Saraf cautioned that subscriptions cannot succeed simply because the option exists. Customers will only adopt such models if they receive meaningful benefits in return.

Those benefits could include product customisation, maintenance support, upgrade options, or greater convenience, he said.

With Indian consumption patterns continuing to evolve, Saraf believes subscription-led models could eventually reshape industries that have traditionally depended on ownership-based purchases.

A generational shift is also helping accelerate adoption.

Younger consumers, according to Jha, are often less attached to ownership than previous generations and place greater value on convenience, access, and outcomes. As digital payments, embedded finance solutions, and logistics infrastructure continue to improve, he expects more businesses to experiment with access-based models across categories that have traditionally relied on outright ownership.

For companies seeking new revenue streams and consumers looking for greater flexibility, India's subscription economy appears poised to move well beyond OTT platforms and software subscriptions. The next wave could include everything from smartphones and appliances to furniture and lifestyle products, signalling a broader shift from ownership to access.