[bombcar]

I'm starting to think that consumer subscription services that aren't marginally "free" are basically impossible to keep going long-term, unless subsidized by other parts of the business.

By marginally "free" I mean like cable TV - it doesn't cost much at all to enable some channels for a customer, even though you charge them $79.99.

But something that costs $50 to provide, sold for $80+, there's no margin there even though it appears there is.

Grocery stores have tried the "meal in a box" and failed; and they're best positioned for it.

[legitster]

I mean, that's basically it. Blue Apron was being evaluated purely based on revenue growth like a tech company. If you were buying their stock you were not actually looking at their product margins.

[bombcar]

Much of the last twenty+ years can be summed up as "low margin business sold as a high-margin tech company to investors".