Introducing Entitlements: Unlocking the Next Generation of Membership and Loyalty

At Elastic Path, we’re constantly looking for ways to help businesses excel in the world of recurring revenue, membership models, and loyalty programs. Over the past year, our Subscriptions product has seen rapid adoption by brands that rely on tier-based memberships. But as these businesses continued to grow, they needed more than just billing and renewals—they wanted a streamlined, automated way to grant (and revoke) premium access to specific content, discounts, or special perks.

That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce Entitlements, a new capability that lets you instantly control what each subscription tier can access. Whether it’s a premium content library, exclusive discounts, or unique usage-based perks, Entitlements help you manage everything in one place. This means you can welcome new subscribers with immediate, tier-appropriate benefits, automatically remove perks when memberships expire or downgrade, and eliminate the need for manual adjustments along the way.

How Entitlements Work

When you create a membership tier (for example Gold, Silver, Bronze, or any custom level), you can now attach specific privileges to it—think of it as giving each tier its own set of keys. Once the tier is purchased by a subscriber, Entitlements seamlessly unlock those privileges in real time. If the subscription lapses or is canceled, the “keys” are taken away just as quickly. This simple setup frees your team from juggling spreadsheets or modifying access permissions manually, so you can focus on delivering great customer experiences and growing your business.

Other Types of Entitlements

• Member Discounts: For instance, a Gold-tier member could automatically receive a 25% discount on all products, while a Bronze-tier member might only get 10%. No coupon codes, no manual approvals—just set it up and let Entitlements handle the rest.
• Limited Downloads: Suppose you offer monthly eBook downloads. With Entitlements, you might allow Silver subscribers to download three eBooks per month, while Gold subscribers enjoy unlimited access. If a Gold subscriber downgrades to Silver, their download limit is instantly adjusted.
• Loyalty-Based Perks: Even if someone isn’t on a paid subscription plan, they could qualify for specific perks by joining your loyalty program. For example, you could grant loyalty members early access to seasonal product releases or free shipping on all orders, simply for registering. As their engagement grows, so do their perks.

Why This Matters for Your Business

First, Entitlements offer a higher level of personalization. Today’s customers want to feel like they’re getting the perks they deserve, tailored to their subscription level—no more confusion over who should see what, and no more friction when upgrading or downgrading plans. Second, automated entitlement management reduces operational overhead. By defining each perk just once, you remove the risk of human error and ensure consistent access rules across your entire subscriber base. Finally, Entitlements lay the groundwork for expanded loyalty offerings. Over time, you can tie entitlement features to advanced rewards structures like point systems or real-time perks triggered by specific customer behaviors—whether they’re paid subscribers or simply loyal community members.

What’s Next

We see Entitlements as a stepping stone toward a richer loyalty platform. In the near future, you’ll be able to set monthly download quotas, offer more complex tier-based discounts, and seamlessly integrate real-time triggers such as customer sign-ins and total purchase volume. We’re also exploring more personalized offers that reward specific behaviors or milestones, like:

• Spending Threshold Discounts: Imagine awarding a premium discount to customers who spend over $500 in a month, letting them unlock “super VIP” pricing for the next billing cycle. The more they buy, the more they save.
• Membership Duration Perks: If someone stays a paying member for six months straight, you could automatically grant them a special promotion—like a free product upgrade or exclusive event access.
• One-Time Upsell Bonuses: If a subscriber upgrades from Silver to Gold, they might get a one-time discount on select items or early access to limited-edition merchandise as a thank-you for leveling up.

Our goal is to equip you with a flexible toolkit that not only retains subscribers but also encourages them to explore higher tiers and unlock additional benefits.Get Started Today

Get Started Today

If you’ve been waiting for a better way to handle membership perks or want to evolve your loyalty program, Entitlements is ready to help. It’s available directly through Commerce Manager or via our API. Once you set up Entitlements, the system automatically handles the rest—from granting immediate access to premium resources to revoking them when a subscription ends. No extra coding, no guesswork, no hassle.

We’re excited to see how Entitlements transform your membership strategy and drive deeper customer loyalty. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to expand this new feature and work toward building a truly comprehensive loyalty ecosystem. If you have any questions or want to learn more about adding Entitlements to your offerings, reach out to our team—we’re here to help you elevate your membership game.