*Note: The Product Subscription is an additional paid module. Please get in touch with the Online Merchant Success team for more information and pricing details.
What is a product subscription?
With this feature, customers with long-term product demand can get their products more conveniently. Our system automatically generates orders on a fixed basis so that customers can receive their orders on a fixed schedule.
The process of product subscription
- The merchant sets up the subscription product and subscription cycle.
- Customer orders a subscription product in the store > Customer receives the product.
- The system automatically creates new orders by cycle > Customer receives the product again with the same payment and delivery method as the last cycle.
- Repeat Step 3 until the customer applies to end the subscription.
This article will cover the following:
- Set up a subscription product
- Manage product subscription order
- Edit product subscription order
- [Coming Soon] Customer updates credit card information on storefront
- Notes
1. Set up a subscription product
Step 1
In the SHOPLINE Admin, go to [Products & Categories] > [Products]. Click Add to add a new product. For more information, please refer to Adding Your First Product.
Step 2
Go to the "Quantity & Pricing" tab, and switch on the "Subscription Product" toggle to set the subscription cycle and subscription limit.
The system will automatically generate orders according to the cycle you set, and terminate this subscription service once the number of subscription orders has reached the subscription limit.
- Cycle: 7, 14, 30, 45, 60, 90, 180, 365 days
- Subscription: Can be set to "Unlimited" or 1-99 subscription(s).
For example, if you set the cycle of product A to 7 days and limit it to 3 subscriptions. When the customer places an order for product A on 1 December, the system will automatically generate an order for product A on 8 December and 15 December. The subscription will terminate on 15 December once the last order is created.
*Notes:
- Only one type of cycle/subscription limit per product is supported.
- After the launch of the subscription limit, the existing subscription product information will be as follow:
- Cycle: Will automatically be applied with the number of days you originally set.
- Subscription: Set as "Unlimited".
- If you edit an existing subscription product, the subscription product orders placed after the edit will be created based on the new cycle/subscription setting. Orders placed before the edit (including subsequent subscriptions) will not be affected.
After the setup is complete, the product page at the storefront will indicate it as a subscription item along with its subscription cycle.
If the subscription Product has a subscription limit, once the customer has placed a subscription order, the current subscription order and the subscription limit can be viewed on the order details page in the Member Center.
*Note: Currently does not support displaying the subscription limit on the first order.
1. Subscription product payment method:
- All non-integrated payment methods
- Stripe credit card
*Available for merchants qualified for Stripe payment application - SHOPLINE Payments credit card (paid in full)
*Available for merchants who have applied to use SHOPLINE Payments and orders created from [Social Commerce] > [Manual Order]. For more information, please refer to this article.
*Note: Before publishing your subscription products, please make sure you have set up a suitable subscription payment method.
2. Product subscription-supported delivery methods
If you are using product subscriptions that automatically execute delivery method, please select the following delivery methods:
- All non-integrated delivery options
- Integrated Tcat delivery/COD
- Integrated 7-11 B2C pickup/pickup COD
- Integrated 7-11 C2C pickup/pickup COD
- Integrated FamilyMart B2C pickup/pickup COD
- Integrated FamilyMart C2C pickup (pickup COD is currently not supported)
- Integrated HCT Logistics delivery
- Integrated FamilyMart Frozen pickup (Frozen pickup COD is currently not supported)
- Reminder: Since the customer needs to reserve a counter when placing an order with the FamilyMart frozen pickup if a subscription order is generated and the store selected by the customer cannot be reserved (no counter), the subscription order may fail. Please get in touch with the Online Merchant Success Team through the Admin dialogue window, and we will assist you with the follow-up.
2. Manage product Subscription order
Once the subscription order is generated, go to SHOPLINE Admin > [Order Management] > [Product Subscription] to view Subscription Information, Next Order Creation Time, Subscription Cycle, Name, Status, and Created Subscription.
Click on the Product Name to view and manage all the orders created under that subscription order.
Click on the Order Number to view more, edit, and update order details here. For further information, please refer to Order Management.
Once the subscription order is generated, go to SHOPLINE Admin > [Order Management] > [Product Subscription] to view Subscription Information, Next Order Creation Time, Subscription Cycle, Name, Status, and Created Subscription.
[Coming Soon] After selecting a subscription product, you can manage its "Subscription information," "Order list," and "Activity logs."
＊Note: This feature is only available for Hong Kong and Taiwan stores.
i. Subscription information
You can view the following information:
- Subscription information: Subscription cycle, Max. subscription limit, Current subscription no., Next order creation date
- Payment and delivery: Payment method, Delivery method, Recipient, Recipient phone no.,Delivery address/ Store address
- Product details: Subscription product, Quantity, Price
- Subscriber information: Subscriber, Order email, Phone no.
You can also click Pause subscription and edit Next order creation date to adjust the order for your customer.
ii. Order list
Click an order number to view the order details. You can refer to Order Management for more information.
You can click Clear to clear the target subscription order. You can refer to Clear subscription order for more information.
iii. Activity logs
When you edit Next order creation date or pause subscription, the activity logs will be displayed here.
3. Edit Product Subscription Order
If customers want to change the order status or the next order creation date, you can go to SHOPLINE Admin > [Order Management] > [Product Subscription] and click on a product name to help the customers make adjustments.
*Notes:
- Currently, editing the items in the first subscription order is not supported. However, you can modify the items for the second subscription and onwards.
- Please refrain from changing the items in the first subscription order, as this action may cause abnormalities in the subsequent orders.
i. Pause Product Subscription Order
Step 1
In the SHOPLINE Admin, go to [Order Management] > [Product Subscription] and click on a product name to enter. Go to [Subscription information], [Order list], or [Activity logs] and click on Pause subscription on the upper right corner.
Step 2
A pop-up window will appear. Please click Confirm to proceed.
A notification of "Subscription paused successfully" will pop up, followed by the following changes.
- The status tag next to the product name will change to "Ended".
- The upper right button text will change to "Resume Subscription".
- "Next order creation date" will display "-" once you refresh the page.
ii. Resume Product Subscription Order
Step 1
In the SHOPLINE Admin, go to [Order Management] > [Product Subscription] and click on a product name to enter. Go to [Subscription information], [Order list], or [Activity logs] and click on Resume Subscription on the upper right corner.
Step 2
A pop-up window will appear. After setting the Next order creation date, please click Confirm to proceed.
A notification of "Subscription resumed successfully" will pop up, followed by the following changes.
- The status tag next to the product name will change to "In Progress".
- The upper right button text will change to "Pause subscription".
- "Next order creation date" will display the date you selected on the pop-up window.
iii. Edit next order creation time
Step 1
In the SHOPLINE Admin, go to [Order Management] > [Product Subscription] and click on a product name to enter. Go to [Subscription information] and click on Edit.
Step 2
Under the "Next order creation date", you can select the date for the new creation date. After selection, click Save to proceed.
A notification of "Subscription information updated" will pop up, and the "Next order creation date" will be changed to the date you selected.
*Notes:
- The "Next order creation date" can be set as the day after. If you are editing the creation date on 10 June, the earliest creation date selectable is 11 June.
- Once you change the next order creation date, the future orders in that subscription order will be created based on this change. Example:
Suppose a customer places a subscription order on 17 May and the subscription cycle is 30 days, future orders will be created as follows:
1st subscription on 17 May
2nd subscription on 16 June (17 May + 30 days)
If the customer applies to postpone the 3rd order subscription to 25 July, future orders will be created as follows:
3rd subscription on 25 July
4th subscription on 24 August (25 July + 30 days)
5th subscription on 23 September(24 August + 30 days)
iv. Clear subscription order
In the latest product subscription, you can choose to Clear the subscription for that specific order and allow the next one to replace the subscription.
*Note: If the order is cancelled as the customer fails to pay/ their payment is overdue, after receiving the Payment Failure Email Notification, you need to follow the steps below to clear the remaining subscription orders.
As shown below, a "Clear" button will appear in the latest order (the 10th subscription).
If an order containing product subscriptions is split, the product subscription in the sub-orders will display the most recent subscription period, and there will also be a "Clear" button.
Once you click Clear, the period for the subscription order will be removed.
When the next order is created, it will replace the subscription order.
4. [Coming Soon] Customer updates credit card information on storefront
Customers can edit the credit cards they currently use for payments themselves. They can choose to add a new card or select from other existing cards.
*Notes:
- The first subscription does not support updating credit card information.
- The feature only supports SHOPLINE Payments credit card payments in full.
- Updates are only supported when the payment status is not Failed / Expired. If the payment status is Failed / Expired, please reinitiate payment again.
i. Add a new card
On the storefront, go to [Member Center] > [Orders]. Click View to enter the order, and click Update Credit Card Information.
Select Use a new card.
Enter card number and other information of the new card.
The newly added card will be listed on the first row. Select the card you want for payment, and click Confirm.
A "Credit card information updated successfully" notification will pop up.
ii. Select an existing card
Customers can also change to an existing card.
On the storefront, go to [Member Center] > [Orders]. Click View to enter the order, and click Update Credit Card Information.
Select an existing card, and the system will display a "check" icon. Click Confirm.
A "Credit card information updated successfully" notification will pop up.
5. Notes
- Product subscriptions are like general products. The inventory will be automatically deducted when the order is created. The order will not be created if the product is out of stock. To ensure a smooth continuation of the subscription cycle, after replenishing the inventory, please click the "Change next order creation date" button to adjust the next order creation date. Therefore, please pay close attention to the inventory of products under the subscription scheme, and update the next order creation date after a restock.
- Created automatically by the subscription scheme, discount, delivery fee or store credit will not be included starting from the second order. However, Order Reward Credits will still be assigned after every order is paid.
- For example, the amount of the subscription purchase is $1000, and the delivery fee selected by the customer is $100. Only the first subscription order will consist of the delivery fee (i.e. the total order amount is $1100). The total order amount will be $1000 starting from the second order (delivery fee excluded). Therefore, if you wish your customers to pay the delivery fee, please consider including the delivery fee in the product price for a subscription, then use the free shipping campaign for smoother operation.
- For example, the amount of the subscription purchase is $1000, and the delivery fee selected by the customer is $100. Only the first subscription order will consist of the delivery fee (i.e. the total order amount is $1100). The total order amount will be $1000 starting from the second order (delivery fee excluded). Therefore, if you wish your customers to pay the delivery fee, please consider including the delivery fee in the product price for a subscription, then use the free shipping campaign for smoother operation.
- After starting the subscription cycle, if the customer reaches the membership upgrade condition and is upgraded to a VIP, the subscription order created after the membership upgrade will not receive the default membership level benefits. Similarly, even though the subscription product has set a member price, members will not be charged the member price if they get upgraded after starting the subscription cycle.
- If order remarks are left in the first subscription order, they appear in subsequent orders. However, if a delivery remark is left in the first subscription order, it will not automatically appear in the next subscription order.
- Once the subscription begins, subsequent orders will be generated and charged at 10:00 AM on the day of the order production.
- If the checkout contains subscription products, you won’t be able to complete your checkout for free. In other words, the total order amount cannot be $0, otherwise an error message will pop up on the checkout page.
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