# Retail Membership Tests Urban Outfitters is Testing a Paid Membership Service for Its Brands By Daniel Johnson | Published 2021-03-05 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paid-membership-service References: [retaildive](https://www.retaildive.com/news/urban-outfitters-tests-paid-membership-program-to-boost-loyalty/596133/) & [urbanoutfitters](https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/) [Urban Outfitters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/on-rotation) Inc. launched a paid membership service that offers free shipping and returns to consumers for all of its sub-brands, including [Anthropologie](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anthropologie-2) and Free People. The paid membership service was launched as a test in February, and the company plans to run it for a period of six months to a year. The service is named UP and it is being tested in both Atlanta and Dallas with two different price points, one at $48 and another at $98. "The ability to access benefits at all Urban brands, for the price of one membership fee, offers a key differentiator for our program," said Richard Hayne Urban Outfitter's chairman and CEO. Hayne said that the service will help the company assess how customers respond after becoming a member. Image Credit: Shutterstock ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 34% | Freshness: 10% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Paid Membership Services:** Opportunity for other retail brands to explore and test the effectiveness of paid membership services in driving customer loyalty and repeat business. - **All-brand Membership Services:** Opportunity for retail brands with multiple sub-brands to offer an all-brand membership service model to provide greater value and attract a wider range of customers. - **Membership Service Testing:** Opportunity for retail brands to test different pricing points and benefits to determine their effectiveness in driving customer acquisition and loyalty. ### Where This Applies - **Retail:** Opportunity for other retailers to explore the use of paid membership services to drive customer loyalty and repeat business. - **E-commerce:** Opportunity for e-commerce brands to test the effectiveness of paid membership services in driving customer loyalty and repeat business, which could lead to increased sales and revenue. - **Fashion:** Opportunity for fashion brands with multiple sub-brands to offer an all-brand membership service model to provide greater value and attract a wider range of customers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Retailer-Backed Rewards Cards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-circle.md) - [Phygital Membership Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfridges-unlocked.md) - [Runner Loyalty Perks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/loyalty-perks.md) - [Luxury Resale Memberships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rebag-membership.md) - [Expanded Membership Benefits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uber-one-family-sharing.md) - [Advanced Members-Only Offers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uber-one-member-days.md) - [Invite-Only Membership Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nylon-membership.md) - [Gen-Z-Targeted Retail Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/on-rotation.md) - [E-Commerce Membership Tiers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flipkart.md)