I’ve been under a rock or something, because it wasn’t until last night that I found this out: Lululemon’s been testing out a paid membership loyalty program in the Edmonton market since late October, called Lululemon Practice. What is it exactly, and what can the rest of us expect if the pilot program goes well?
How much is it?
An annual membership is currently $128 CAD. If the program catches on and increases in both popularity and geographical reach, it’s possible the cost could rise.
What do I get?
From what I’ve read, perks include free shipping (but don’t we get this already? I’m going to guess it’s free faster shipping), access to local workout classes (think Classpass), a pair of pants or shorts (a la SeaWheeze) and access to “curated events”.
Is it worth it?
Too soon to tell. It hasn’t even been two months, so I haven’t been able to pull up too many reviews, tweets or photos online about the Practice program, but I was able to find some photos of the welcome kit on the ‘gram.
IMO, lululemon smartly followed the SeaWheeze model and included a special edition item with enrollment. With how die-hard some lululemon fans can be, that alone warrants an enrollment fee on par with a price tag comparable to an off-the-rack price.
If it were in my area, I would most definitely join if the price remained within reason. Aside from running and CrossFit, I’m always a bit too timid or lost to try any local yoga studios, and would welcome a little bit of curated help to get out there and broaden my fitness horizons.
Paying for benefits isn’t all that new of a business model, special credit cards and larger retailers like Amazon & Costco have been doing it for years, but it’s definitely a newer thing for more widely known ‘niche’ brands to expand on.
Is anyone reading this from the Edmonton area? If so, was this program publicized heavily, or was it more of a soft launch? Curious on everyone’s thoughts about it, and if it comes to your city soon…
Would you join Lululemon in their Practice?
Read the Articles
Lululemon Tests Amazon Prime-Style Subscription for Yoga Lovers – Bloomberg
Will ‘Practice’ make for perfectly loyal customers at Lululemon? – Retail Wire
Lululemon Reveals its New Mobile Payments Push In Loyalty Program Operations – PaymentWeek
Lululemon Expands Test Loyalty Program With $128 Annual Fee – CNBC