For many fitness and wellness businesses, reaching new customers is an important investment. Paid media, Google, and social campaigns can represent a meaningful customer acquisition cost for many small businesses. ClassPass can support those efforts by using our scale across the fitness and wellness category to drive demand and introduce partners to new audiences.
The ClassPass trial program is intended to give eligible ClassPass users an opportunity to discover participating partner businesses through a first visit, which partners may then seek to convert into repeat attendance.
According to ClassPass data, ClassPass trial users are a variety-driven audience and can become valuable customers. 49% of surveyed ClassPass trial users are new to studio fitness, and 80% return to businesses they visited during their trial once they become paying ClassPass members. The trial program is designed to introduce partner businesses to ClassPass users who may not otherwise have visited.
A better way to think about ClassPass trial visits
Every business has to decide how to invest in growth, whether that’s spending money on social ads, promotions, and referral incentives. Each option comes with a cost, and there’s never a guarantee that a new customer will convert.
The ClassPass trial program works differently. Instead of paying upfront to reach a broad audience, you offer a first experience to a ClassPass user actively browsing fitness classes. That visit gives you a chance to showcase your space, your team, and the experience that sets your business apart.
The updates below are designed with that goal in mind.
Stronger trial protections
We know repeat trial redemptions can create operational headaches and have a financial impact on your business.
To help address this, we’re improving the way ClassPass detects, reports, and compensates for repeat trial redemptions.
ClassPass is investing in more fraud detection measures. If we identify a trial reservation that doesn’t meet qualifying criteria, we will review and take appropriate action.
The goal is to reduce the burden on partners. In most cases, you shouldn’t have to spend time investigating, collecting details, or contacting support to recover value from repeat trial activity.
What this means for partners:
- When a trial reservation meets all qualifying criteria as determined by ClassPass, partners may be eligible for a payout.
- Payouts are issued at the applicable reservation floor rate.
- These reservations will appear as paid in partner reservation reports in the dashboard.
Improved dashboard reporting
Your team may also spot repeat trial behavior in person. That’s why we’re also improving the partner-initiated reporting experience directly in your dashboard. If you believe a reservation reflects a repeat trial program redemption, you can now flag it more easily.
When you report a user through the dashboard as Trial Program abuse, ClassPass will review and take appropriate action in accordance with our policies.
What’s improved:
- A more streamlined dashboard flow for reporting suspected repeat trial redemption.
- Clearer confirmation after a report is submitted.
- Compensation for qualifying reservations.
Additional protection for Mindbody partners
As ClassPass continues to grow, we’re constantly refining the systems that help the platform work the way it should: bringing new members to your business while respecting the direct customer relationships you’ve already built. We’re committed to ensuring ClassPass reaches new audiences for your business, not customers who already have a direct relationship with you.
That’s why we’ve strengthened direct member protections for eligible Mindbody-integrated partners. ClassPass now checks whether a user has attended your business through Mindbody in the past 12 months. If they have, they’ll be prevented from redeeming a free ClassPass trial reservation at your business.
Together, these updates help keep the trial program focused on what it’s designed to do: introduce your business to genuinely new audiences.
What this means for Mindbody-integrated partners:
- ClassPass checks whether a user has attended your class through Mindbody in the past 12 months.
- If they have, they can't redeem a free ClassPass trial reservation at your business. This doesn’t affect a user who's booking your business as a paying ClassPass member.
- This protection is available to integrated partners using Mindbody as their booking system.
- The update helps preserve the trial program as a new customer acquisition channel.
Not currently using Mindbody? Explore how Mindbody’s software can help you manage bookings and streamline operations.
Continuing to improve the ClassPass trial experience
These updates are part of our ongoing effort to make the ClassPass trial program more transparent and valuable for partners. We’re continuing to invest in product and policy improvements that help support your growth, protect your business, and bring the right customers through your doors.
We’ll continue evolving the ClassPass partner experience to drive growth and keep our partners at the center of everything we build.
