Recurring Subscriptions

Details

Recurring subscriptions allow you to charge customers on a recurring basis. This is a great option for all types of products/services, including retail products, subscription services, memberships, recurring donations, and more. This option is only available with the Stripe payment method (this option is only available for certain countries).

Note: this is only available on our Ecommerce Pro and Ecommerce Unlimited plans. 

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

When customers visit your store front, they will see the item price as well as the subscription period for relevant items. If you want an item to also have the option for a one-time only purchase, you can enable this (the subscription period will displayed in the product details).

Once customers subscribe to your product, they will be automatically charged according to the subscription period. A new account will be created in the store (if the customer doesn’t already have one) and the customer will receive an email with subscription details. Subscriptions are managed in their own account – here they can view/modify payment details, view their payment history, cancel subscriptions, and confirm the delivery address. Customers can also view your store contacts.

ADDING MORE THAN ONE SUBSCRIPTION

Customers can have more than one subscription, but they must have the same subscription interval.

SHIPPING

If you charge customers for shipping, this additional cost will be added to each subscription charge.

 NOTIFICATIONS

Upon initial purchase of a subscription, and for every subsequent subscription renewal, you will receive an email with the details and the order will be placed automatically. If the subscription is cancelled or there are any payment issues, you will receive an email.

PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

Changes made to subscription prices will only apply to new customer purchases. Customers who purchased subscriptions prior to the change will not be charged the new price.

VARIANTS

If a customer is subscribed to a product or service with different options (e.g. color, flavor, etc.), they will be subscribed to one specific product variation. Your customer can switch options by cancelling the current subscription and subscribing to the new product variation.

MANAGING SUBSCRIPTIONS

Your subscriptions can be managed by selecting “My Sales” and clicking “Subscriptions.” This will show all subscriptions: active, cancelled, failed charges, and ones that need payment confirmation.

Add Recurring Subscriptions

Note: Ensure that you have connected Stripe and have included recurring subscription details (payment terms, refund policy, cancellation terms, etc.) in your Terms and Conditions.

To add recurring subscriptions, open your store, select “Settings,” then click “General,” and click “Cart & Checkout.”

Scroll down to “Subscriptions,” add the following information:

  • Allow Subscriptions: toggle this option on.
  • Payment Method: if you have not yet done so, click “Set Up Stripe.”
  • Subscription Products: to add a new subscription, click “+ Create subscription product.” You can also enable existing products for subscriptions (more details below).
  • Terms & Conditions: add or edit your terms and conditions to address subscriptions by selecting “Go to Terms & Conditions.”
  • Click “Save.”

Customers will now see the subscription option on relevant products. You can specify the shipping method for products and your inventory will update automatically for each purchase.

Add Subscriptions to Existing Products

You can sell existing products with recurring subscriptions. Simply open your store, click “Catalog,” and select “Product.”

Locate the relevant product and click “Edit Product.”

Under the pricing section select “Manage Pricing Options” and toggle on the “Sell by subscription” option. Within the billing period field, select how often you want to charge customers. If you want to give customers the option to also purchase this item one-time, click “Allow purchase without subscription.” Click “Save.”

Manage Subscriptions

To view and manage all subscriptions open your Store, click “My Sales,” and select “Subscriptions.”

FILTERING

You can filter products by various variables. For example, select Filter > Next Charge Date and set a desired time period; this will allow you sort by upcoming orders.

You can also verify what specific items were made within one purchase. For example, a customer may have purchased a cleaning service once/month, as well as a window cleaning once/month. These items can be viewed by clicking on “My Sales,” selecting “Subscriptions” and clicking “Orders created: 2 orders.” This will show you all of the items within one purchase.

EDIT ORDERS

You can change the status of, edit, or print an order while its processing. Simply click “My Sales” and select “Orders.”

CONTACT CUSTOMERS

To locate customer information, click “My Sales” and click “Subscriptions.” Locate the the relevant subscription to find the customer information.

Automated Emails

You can set automated emails to customers for: payment confirmation, a failed charge, or subscription cancellation. You can edit these emails, including both the content and appearance (add images, change font color, etc.).

To edit these templates, view our email notifications doc.

Cancel Recurring Subscriptions

There are three reasons for a cancellation: manual seller cancellation, manual customer cancellation, and failed payment.

MANUAL SELLER CANCELLATION

To cancel a subscription, open your Store, click “My Sales,” then select “Subscriptions.” Locate the relevant subscription, select “Actions,” and click “Cancel subscription.”After cancellation, the recurring orders will no longer be placed and the customer won’t be charged.

MANUAL CUSTOMER CANCELLATION

Customers can log in to their account and manage their subscriptions by changing card details, cancel subscriptions, and check the delivery address. They will also see their payment details, payment history, and your store contacts. If a customer wishes to cancel their own subscription, they can do so through their account.

FAILED PAYMENT

A subscription will be cancelled within 7 days if there is no valid card on the customer’s account.