Fitbit is getting into the premium service industry with a $10 / month (or $80 a year) plan called “Fitbit Premium” that’s intended to help Americans sleep better, exercise more, cut salt from their diet, and lend a digital hand to a handful of other health-centric notions.
The difference between the new premium and the current free services? A higher customization level to the individual user.
Of course, the battle for Fitbit – and virtually all tech service plays – is getting people to actually fork over the money for something they haven’t been paying for previously.
CivicScience asked over 2,400 Americans 13 and older if they thought they’d give the premium subscription service from Fitbit a chance, and 9% of people said they’d be at least “somewhat likely” to try it.
With the service just getting ready to roll out in America this autumn, 16% of current Fitbit users have an interest in trying out the new premium subscription service. It’s noteworthy that 13% of Americans who intend to purchase a Fitbit product say the new premium service would be of interest to them.
The one major rosy picture for Fitbit? The age breakdown. Overwhelmingly, it’s Generation Z and, to a lesser extent, Millennials who plan on giving Fitbit’s premium services a whirl.
Here’s a blip that’s worth monitoring: Americans who don’t pay for any premium subscription services – no Netflix, no Amazon Prime, etc. – are just as likely to be interested in trying Fitbit Premium than people who subscribe to three or more of them. This could be the younger age factor. But it might be difficult to convince those with many paid subscriptions to add another one. Or, maybe not.
Would-be Fitbit Premium users, by and large, are already using apps to track their sleep, exercise, and food intake. Americans who don’t use “apps for that” are clearly going to need some convincing for hand over $10 a month for the service.
Lastly – and by a smallish 7-to-4 margin – Americans who think wearable fitness trackers won’t become any less popular in the coming year are more likely to give Fitbit premium a try.
Fitbit’s attempt to break into the premium services category looks entirely possible, but it may not happen right away. Clearly, the success or failure of Fitbit Premium will ride – at least at the start – with younger generations who are more open to give it a try.
