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Subscriptions - Regular Purchases

The Subscriptions app enables customers to make regular purchases of products such as beauty items, health supplements, pet supplies, and magazines. With one subscription, customers can skip the hassle of reordering and paying each time. For merchants, it helps boost customer loyalty, brings steady income, and improves inventory and delivery planning.

 

 

How to Set Up a Subscription Plan

  1. Create a Subscription Plan
    Go to the     Subscriptions app, click Subscription plan group > Create new, and give your plan a name.
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  2. Add Products
    Each subscription plan can include one or more products. Add or remove items from the     Subscription product list.
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  3. Set Subscription Rules
    • Subscription frequency: Choose how often to ship (e.g., once a month, every 3 months, etc.).
    • Discount settings: You can offer special discounts like 20% off or $10 off for subscribers.
    • Subscription plan priority: If a product is in more than one plan, the system will apply the one with the lower priority number. If the numbers are the same, the newer plan is used.
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Notes:
  • Currently, only pay-per-cycle is supported. Full prepayment for the entire term is not available.
  • Each store can have up to 10 subscription plans, and each plan can include up to 50 products.

After setup, click Create, and the system will generate a subscription contract automatically.

 

 

Storefront Display

You can customize the subscription component style in the Subscriptions > Settings, and adjust how it looks via SHOPLINE Admin > Online Store > Design.

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Notes:
  • If you're using OS 2.1 or earlier theme versions, you’ll need to manually insert the subscription component.

Once the subscription plan is ready, customers will see the subscription option on the product page. After selecting a frequency and placing an order, they'll get a confirmation email with contract details. The system will then automatically create orders and send shipping notifications for each period, no manual work needed.

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Subscription Bundles (Build Your Box)

The subscription bundle feature lets customers bundle multiple products and receive them on a regular schedule, perfect for products like flower boxes, beauty kits, or wellness packs.

How to Set Up:

  1. Go to the Subscription app > Subscription bundles, click Create subscription bundles
  2. Set a name, box type (Classic / Dynamic), and add products, pricing, discounts, etc.

    • Classic Box: Fixed price. Customers can freely choose a set number of items, and the total price stays the same.

    • Dynamic Box: Variable price. Customers can freely select items from the product list, and the total price changes based on the selected items.

  3. Set a subscription plan. This is optional, if you leave it blank, the item will be available for a one-time purchase.
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  4. In SHOPLINE Admin > Online Store > Design, insert the Subscription bundles component
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Notes:
  • Currently, subscription bundles can only be shown on the product detail page.

 

 

Manage Subscription Contracts

On the Home page, you can view key metrics like total subscription orders, GMV, number of subscriptions, and active subscription customers.

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To manage contracts: Go to the Subscription Contract page to see product details, customer info, and order history.

You can:

  • Change the next order date
  • Create or skip an order
  • View all related orders (click order numbers for details)
  • Take actions like pause/resume, modify subscription product, skip, cancel, or guide customer to update payment method

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Notes:
  • If a customer modify a product, the original contract discount still applies. Custom discounts for replacements aren’t supported yet.

 

 

Import External Subscription Contracts

If you already have subscription contracts on another platform, you can import them to SHOPLINE.

Steps to Import:

  1. Go to Subscription contract > Import contract
  2. Export contract data from your original platform (must include product ID, customer ID, etc.)
  3. Download and fill in the Import Template
  4. Recommend the contract status is set to Paused during import
    For imported contracts, you can check whether the customer's payment method can be quickly activated. If it can't be activated, it is suggested setting the newly imported contract to "Paused" status. This helps avoid starting the service without a valid payment method, which could lead to the contract being automatically canceled by the system after 5 failed payment attempts.

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Notes:
  • Use the payment method detection tool to help customers bind their payment method. There are two ways: via a special link or an email template.
  • If you import contracts as Active, the system will try to charge the customer immediately. Without valid payment info, this will fail and cannot be undone, so make sure customer and product data is fully set up first.

 

 

Customer Management

In the Customers tab, you can see each customer’s name, email, number of active subscriptions, and the next order date.

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Click on a customer to view all their subscription contracts, contract statuses, and upcoming order dates, helping you better manage your customer relationships.

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Settings & Notifications

  1. Choose Component Style
    Three styles are available to match different product types:
    • Style 1: Best for products with more options
    • Style 2 / 3: Best for products with fewer options
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  2. Feature visibility settings
    Choose whether customers can do the following from the storefront:
    • Allow customers to swap products (only supports swapping SKUs of the same product)
    • Allow customers to edit the next delivery date
    • Allow customers to cancel contracts
    • Allow customers to pause contracts
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  3. Set Up Emails & Automation
    • The system offers default email templates that you can customize.
    • You can also integrate with SmartPush to automatically send messages based on subscription status changes, such as:
      • Renewal reminders
      • Win-back campaigns for cancellations
      • New product promotions
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FAQs

  1. Can subscription orders be combined with other store discounts and promotions?

  • Yes. During the initial subscription order, it can be used in conjunction with store discount codes. However, it isn’t compatible with automatic discounts, flash sales, VIP prices, pre-order prices, or affiliate prices on the shopping cart page. Orders generated automatically by the subscription contract fulfillment won’t undergo discount calculations.

 

  1. Is it compatible with other apps?

  • Currently, it is compatible with Print on Demand & Dropshipping, Contact Lens Bundle Purchase, and B2B & Wholesale Solution. For compatibility with other apps, please contact customer support or sales to address the corresponding requirements.

 

  1. How are subscription contracts handled in the event of store freezes or closures?

  • During store freezes or closures, subscription contracts will be canceled and won’t fulfill orders. Additionally, if the store status returns to normal after the freeze or closure, the contract status won’t be restored. Merchants should take note of any unfulfilled subscription contracts.

 

  1. Why can’t customers place subscription orders in the store after completing subscription settings?

  • If merchants are using a subscription-based e-commerce application, the store needs to enable three payment channels that support subscription payments: PayPal, SHOPLINE Payment, and Stripe. Also, the subscription-based e-commerce application needs to be embedded in the theme editor.

 

Notes:
  • For the PayPal payment channel, merchants need to apply for subscription payment authorization through PayPal, as referenced in the subsequent content.



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  1. What causes the variation in subscription product prices between the product detail page and the checkout page?

  • The pricing disparity is due to the product detail page factoring in the subscription discount based on the current selling price. Meanwhile, the checkout page conducts cumulative calculations considering all purchased items, inclusive of discounts, shipping fees, taxes, and additional fees.

 

  1. Why do the actual amounts of subscription orders differ from the displayed subscription amounts in the contract?

  • This disparity arises because the actual order amount is calculated in real-time based on the current address, shipping rules, and tax calculations.

 

  1. If a product is out of stock or has been taken down, it will result in the automatic failure of creating an order for the subscription contract.

  • After a failed order creation, both the merchant and the customer will receive email notifications. You can adjust the product inventory or status based on the error message, and the system will automatically retry the order (a total of five attempts, with an interval of five hours between each attempt; the subscription contract starts creating orders at midnight).

 

 

The Deduction Permission Request Guide of the PayPal Subscription (RT Permission Request)

 

1. Information Needed (Merchant Information):

  • Business name (name registered with PayPal)
  • Store URL (Front-end website URL of the store)
  • Estimated monthly GMV through PayPal channel
  • Number of customers for the merchant (Number of customers at the store)

 

2. Integration Issues that PayPal Needs to Understand:

  1. How can merchants use PayPal’s subscription deduction capability?
  • Suggested Response: You can provide details about the products sold in the store and clarify that the sales model facilitates customer subscriptions without recurrent payments. You can also offer further pertinent business information and the advantages of using subscription deduction capability based on the store’s specific circumstances.

 

  1. Do customers need to confirm payment each time they make a purchase at the store, or is it handled automatically without customer involvement?
  • Suggested Response: It is handled automatically without customer involvement.

 

  1. Is this service used on the website, integrated into a mobile application (app), or both?
  • Suggested Response: Typically, SHOPLINE merchants solely use it on their websites, and merchants can answer based on their actual situation.

 

  1. Is integration done through other payment service providers (e.g., Worldpay or Ingenious)?
  • Suggested Response: No, SHOPLINE merchants don’t integrate through other payment service providers.

 

3. Specific Application Process

  1. Log in to the official PayPal website (https://www.paypal.com/uk/smarthelp/contact-us) using the PayPal account, find the message entry, and leave a message. Merchants can also contact agents who can assist in submitting the request.

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  2. After receiving the request, PayPal will respond via email or push messages in the merchant’s PayPal account Message Center. Upon receiving the message, merchants can respond to the message (the above merchant and integration information).

  3. Upon receiving merchant information, PayPal may take 7-10 days for evaluation and review. Specific details can be communicated with PayPal via email.

  4. Refer to the official response from PayPal.

To enable Reference Transactions in Live, Merchants can contact PayPal via their PayPal account and speak to an agent who will submit a request on their behalf.

 

Instructions for Merchants are mentioned below:


Just log in to your PayPal account on the PayPal app or a web browser, go to your Message Center, and select New Message.

 

PayPal will ask  for the info below:

  • Business information:
  • Business name
  • Business URL
  • Current/anticipated monthly sales via PayPal only
  • Number of repeat customers
  • Integration information:
  • Describe what you intend to use the product for?
  • Do your buyers need to initiate each subsequent payment themselves or are they processed automatically without any customer involvement?
  • Will this service be enabled within your website, mobile app integration, or both?
  • Are you integrating through another payment service provider, such as Worldpay or Ingenico?

 

Once PayPal confirms receipt of the above information, your application may take 7 to 10 days to be assessed. Bear in mind that PayPal may require more information once your application is being processed.