Once a customer has payment information on file in Shopify Payments, you can add or create subscriptions on their behalf within the PayWhirl app. For example, if a subscription was canceled accidentally or due to nonpayment, you can recreate it if necessary. This feature can also be used to migrate subscriptions to Shopify.
Notes on creating subscriptions for Shopify customers.
To use this feature, the customer must have a payment method on file in Shopify Payments or have been a subscriber previously.
You can import customer payment methods from Stripe or migrate existing payment methods to Shopify Payments if necessary.
When you manually create a subscription using this feature, an inactive, "draft" version of the subscription is created by default. It will not begin billing until activated on the subscription details page.
If enabled, the new subscription email will be triggered when you activate the subscription.
Create Subscription
The process starts from the PayWhirl app under the Subscriptions tab. From there, click the Create button, and you can start the process.
Next, click Select to find the customer you want to create a subscription for.
Then click the Select button to search for the first product variant you want to add to their subscription (you can add more later before activating). From here, you can adjust the product price if necessary. For example, to give the customer a discount.
You can only add the first item on the initial page when creating subscriptions; however, you can add more line items later if necessary. Additional products/variants can be added from the subscription details page before you activate the billing.
Payment Method
The payment method is selected by default, but you can adjust as necessary if the customer has multiple on file.
Date of First Order
The date of the first order defaults to the next day but can also be adjusted. The subscription will bill relative to the first order date and set the customer's billing cycle based on the interval frequency (weekly, monthly, etc.) you choose.
If you are migrating subscriptions from another system (ReCharge, Bold, Seal, etc.), you will want to set the first order date and interval to match the customer's previous subscription billing cycle.
Shipping
In the Shipping section, you can select from any available addresses your customers have on file and configure the shipping rate (optional). The shipping rates must be entered manually, so ensure you are charging the correct shipping price for the customer.
Once you have everything configured the way you'd like, click the Create button to save the subscription in an inactive status. The customer will NOT be billed until the subscription is activated on the next page.
You can review and make further modifications when subscriptions are inactive, like adding more line items, setting a min/max number of installments, or applying discounts.
Activate Subscription
Once everything looks good, click Activate at the top of the page to start the subscription and begin the billing cycle. The customer will be billed on the next order date, and the subscription billing will continue automatically, based on the interval/frequency you selected.
Please note that customers will be notified of their subscription if you have the new subscription email enabled. We typically recommend customizing the new subscription email to inform customers of the switchover and the new process to manage their subscriptions. For example, if you are migrating from another platform, the customer will need to complete their Shopify account registration to log in and manage their subscription.
Subscribing Customers in Bulk
If you have more than 50 subscriptions, we built a tool to help create subscriptions in bulk. The automated migration tool is helpful if you migrate between subscription apps on Shopify or from another platform. We are happy to assist. See the link below for more information on migrating subscriptions to Shopify.
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If you have any questions, please reach out to our support team. We're happy to help.
Sincerely,
Team PayWhirl