New Zealand Listener - November 5, 2016

I

f you’re so inclined, you could wake

up tomorrow morning to the dulcet

tones of Spotify’s carefully curated

morning playlist, before showering

using products delivered in a monthly

beauty box, then taking an Uber to

work.

GETTY IMAGESAt the gym in the evening, you could

exercise with a virtual personal trainer app

that encourages you through your head-

phones, before going home where your

groceries have been delivered, already por-

tioned into meals, so your only decision

is whether to have chicken or pork. You

could then settle in to watch television via

a streaming service that delivers season two

of The West Wing in just a few clicks.

This is the world of subscriber services

that, although not new, is rapidly replac-

ing the traditional view of owning “stuff”.

Subscriber services have been around a

long time – newspapers have been popped

into letter boxes for almost as long as they’ve

been printed. The big change is the degree

NOT SO SECRET

SERVICES

Why buy when you can get so much

more by renting? Welcome to the

world of subscriptions. by SOPHIE BOOT

30 LISTENER NOVEMBER 5 2016

MONEY