How to Manually Add Subscriptions in WooCommerce?

Ever wondered what happens to your subscriptions when switching platforms or handling special orders? Adding manual subscriptions might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but they can be a real lifesaver for WooCommerce store owners.

In certain cases, automating subscriptions just won’t cut it. Whether you’re migrating from another platform, dealing with offline purchases, or offering custom plans to loyal customers, knowing how to manually create subscriptions in WooCommerce becomes essential.

Here, we’ll walk you through how to add WooCommerce subscriptions manually using the premium WebToffee Subscriptions for WooCommerce plugin. While there are many tools out there, we’ll focus on this plugin to demonstrate the process clearly. If you’re looking to create a subscription system that’s flexible yet manageable, you’re in the right place.

Ready to set up WooCommerce subscriptions manually?

Automated systems are great – until they fall short. Manually creating a subscription in WooCommerce becomes necessary in several real-world scenarios. Let’s break down the most common ones.

1. Migrating from Another Platform

Switching from an existing subscription system like Stripe, ReCharge, or Shopify can result in data gaps. Existing subscribers may not get imported seamlessly. Manually creating subscriptions in WooCommerce helps retain active subscribers without interrupting their service.

2. Handling Offline or Custom Orders

Not every customer checks out online. If someone places an order via phone, email, or even in person, store admins can add the subscription manually and track it from the WooCommerce dashboard. This allows businesses to cater to high-touch or B2B customers without sacrificing control over billing cycles.

3. Resolving Failed Checkouts or Setup Errors

Technical issues during checkout, like payment failures or browser timeouts, can disrupt subscription creation. Once the problem is resolved, you can manually recreate the subscription so the customer doesn’t miss out.

4. Offering Personalized or One-off Plans

There are times when customers receive exclusive pricing or custom terms not listed on your store. Manual subscriptions allow you to honor those arrangements without needing to publicly list special products.

5. Complimentary or Internal Subscriptions

If you’re granting access to partners, influencers, or team members, manual subscription creation lets you skip the payment step and activate plans directly. This is useful for internal testing or offering perks.

6. Reinstating Expired Subscriptions

Sometimes subscriptions expire unintentionally. Maybe due to a billing issue or user oversight. Instead of asking the customer to start over, you can simply recreate or extend the existing plan from the backend.

Manual subscription management gives WooCommerce store owners the flexibility to maintain continuity, personalize offers, and resolve edge cases that automation can’t always handle.

Next, let’s see how to set up manual subscriptions in WooCommerce using the WebToffee plugin.

Now that we’ve covered the why, let’s get into the how. Adding a WooCommerce subscription manually using the WebToffee plugin is a simple process, especially once you get the hang of it.

Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin

Start by installing the WebToffee Subscriptions for WooCommerce plugin. It’s a premium plugin that adds all the functionality needed for creating and managing subscriptions in WooCommerce. Once activated, it integrates into your dashboard without disrupting existing WooCommerce settings.

Step 2: Manually Add WooCommerce Subscriptions

To create WooCommerce subscriptions manually:

• Go to WooCommerce > WebToffee Subscriptions > Add Subscription to add a subscription in WooCommerce manually.
• Next, add the customer:
  • If the customer has an existing account, search by name and auto-fill details.
  • If not, go to Users > Add User in the WordPress dashboard to create one.

• Next, add product(s):
  • Scroll down to the items section.
  • Click Add item(s) > Add product(s) to include subscription products.

• Use Add fee to include any sign-up charges.
• Click Save after entering the necessary details.

Step 3: Set Up Recurring Billing Interval

Once you have added the subscription product, in the right-hand side panel, go to the Billing Schedule Details meta box and define the subscription frequency, duration, and any trial period.

Then, under Order actions, choose Send order details to customer from the dropdown. This sends them an email with the order details. Once payment is received, the subscription status will automatically update to Active.

If the payment has already been processed, simply set the Subscription Status to Active manually using the dropdown.

That’s it! You have successfully created a WooCommerce subscriptions manually using the Subscriptions for WooCommerce plugin.

Adding and managing subscriptions manually might sound tedious, but with the right plugin, like WebToffee Subscriptions for WooCommerce, it becomes a straightforward process. Whether you’re handling special customer requests, managing offline orders, or rebuilding after a platform switch, the ability to create WooCommerce subscriptions manually gives you critical flexibility.

By enabling manual subscription creation, you’re not only maintaining control over your sales process but also delivering a more responsive experience to your customers.

That’s it, folks! We’ve reached the end of this guide on how to manually add subscriptions in WooCommerce. If you’ve got questions, feedback, or insights of your own, feel free to drop them in the comments section. Thanks for reading!