Would you buy Tide washing detergent if it was mailed to your home like a subscription to “People” magazine?
That’s the question Procter & Gamble is trying to answer in a test using Atlanta residents as guinea pigs.
The consumer products giant has rolled out a website, www.tidewashclub.com, in which fans of Tide Pods can have the product sent to them at regular intervals of their choosing based on their laundry needs.
Atlanta is the only city in the nation being offered the option as part of the test.
“We know that consumers are looking at new ways to purchase our products, including purchasing online” said Tracey Long, a spokeswoman for Tide. “We are trying to find out if this is appealing to them.”
Buying consumer products by subscription has become increasingly popular over the past few years.
Amazon offers everything from toilet paper to Pampers in its subscription service while Harry’s Razor Blades is one of several brands offering men the option to get their grooming needs online instead of in retail stores.
Unilever, owner of such brands as Vaseline and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, agreed this week to buy subscription-based Dollar Shave Club for a reported $1 billion.
Tide’s Wash Club allows customers to pick a plan that meetings their washing needs and have the Pods shipped to them for free. Customers do not have to sign a commitment in the plans and they can be cancelled at any time
Long did not know how long P&G would test its Tide Pods subscription or if it would be broadened to other cities. She said Atlanta was chosen because it has the demographics the company was looking for.
“A big factor was the population and the size of the city,” she said.
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