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Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Setup Guide

Last updated on December 7, 2023

Subscription-based eCommerce enables companies to build profitable, long-term customer relationships. With a reliable revenue stream, this model facilitates accurate profit forecasting. The Subscription for WooCommerce plugin is one of the best plugins that can efficiently integrate a subscription model eCommerce in a WooCommerce online store. This is a comprehensive guide on how to successfully set up the Subscription for WooCommerce plugin by WebToffee.

Features offered

  • Subscriptions for physical, virtual, or downloadable products.
  • Create Simple and Variable product subscriptions.
  • Compatible with WooCommerce add-on plugins like WooCommerce Membership plugin, Stripe, etc.
  • Synchronized Renewal of Subscriptions.
  • Prorate first payment of a subscription.

Getting started

To begin with, install and activate the plugin. The creation, management, and configuration of subscriptions are divided into three different sections within WordPress.

  • To create a new subscription, navigate to Products > Add New.
  • To manage the created subscriptions, navigate to WooCommerce > WebToffee Subscriptions.
  • To configure the plugin, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > WebToffee Subscriptions.

Creating a subscription product

Adding a subscription product to the store is similar to adding a regular product to the store.

  • Navigate to Products > Add New from the WordPress dashboard.
WordPress Dashboard
WordPress Dashboard
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Add product page
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Add product page

All the configurations on the Add Product page are the same as that of WooCommerce default settings except the Product data meta box.

Two types of subscriptions are available:

  • Simple subscription – Simple product with a subscription option.
  • Variable subscription – Variable product with a subscription option.

Simple subscription products

Select Simple subscription from the Product data drop-down.

Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Simple subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Simple subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Simple subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Simple subscription
  • Virtual – Enable, if the subscription product is shared with the user virtually (Ex: Gift card).
  • Downloadable – Enable, if the subscription product is downloadable from the site after purchase (Ex: Digital magazine).

General

  • Subscription price ($) – Allows setting subscription amount and deduction period.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Simple subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Simple subscription
  1. Cost of the subscription.
  2. Deduction interval (Ex: every month, every 2 months, every 2 weeks).
  3. Deduction period (Ex: day, week, month, year).
  • Subscription length – Allows setting the subscription expiry, with the subscription feature becoming unavailable once the set limit is reached.
  • Sign-up fee ($) – Amount charged on the 1st purchase, in addition to the subscription amount.
  • Free trial – The plugin will only charge the subscription amount after the set period of time, enabling a free trial of the product. Set the period in:
    • Day
    • Week
    • Month
    • Year
  • Sale price ($) – In case of any discount, sets this value as the discounted price. Schedule the discounts by clicking on the Schedule hyperlink.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Simple subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Simple subscription
  • Tax status – Enables the selection of whether the entire product is taxable or only the shipping cost.
  • Tax class – Allows choosing a tax class for the product.

Setting all other product data configurations such as Inventory, Shipping, Linked products, and Attributes is the same as setting up a normal product.

Variable subscription products

Variable subscription products are products where the subscription fees may vary based on certain attributes such as color, license period, etc.

Select Variable subscription from the Product data drop-down, open the Attributes tab, and click on Add new.

Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Variable subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Variable subscription
  • Add Attributes to Products (Setup required product attributes)
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Variable subscription
Variable subscription
  • Add Variation to Attributes (Setup variations of products based on attributes)
  • open the Variations tab, and click on Generate variations.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Variable subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Variable subscription
  • To set up a variable subscription, click on Edit of any variation.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Variable subscription
Variable subscription
  • Subscription price ($) – Allows setting subscription amount and deduction period.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Variable subscription
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Variable subscription
  1. Price of the subscription.
  2. Deduction interval (Ex: every month, every 2 months, every 2 weeks).
  3. Deduction period (Ex: day, week, month, year).
  • Subscription length – Allows setting the subscription expiry, with the subscription feature becoming unavailable once the set limit is reached.
  • Sale price ($) – In case of any discount, sets this value as the discounted price. Schedule the discounts by clicking on the Schedule hyperlink.
  • Stock Status – Allow to set the stock status of the variation.
  • Sign-up fee ($) – Amount charged on the 1st purchase, in addition to the subscription amount.
  • Free trial – The plugin will only charge the subscription amount after the set period of time, enabling a free trial of the product. Set the period in:
    • Day
    • Week
    • Month
    • Year
  • Tax status – Enables the selection of whether the entire product is taxable or only the shipping cost.
  • Tax class – Allows choosing a tax class for the product.

Setting all other product data configurations such as Inventory, Shipping, and Linked products is the same as setting up a normal variable product.

Manage subscription

To manage the created subscription, navigate to WooCommerce > WebToffee Subscriptions from the WordPress dashboard. This page will display the active subscriptions on the site. The plugin allows suspending or canceling the subscription from here.

Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Manage subscriptions
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Manage subscriptions
  • Add Subscription – Click to add a subscription from the backend manually. Refer to this article to know more.
  • Clicking on any subscription will display the Subscription Edit Page.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce - Manage subscriptions
Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Manage subscriptions
  • Subscription details – Displays subscription information like:
    • Customer name
    • Subscription status
    • Billing address
    • Shipping address
  • Item – Displays the product details.
  • Downloadable product permissions – Allows managing downloadable products. Upload new files from here on renewal.
  • Related orders – Lists the subscription renewal status.
  • Subscription actions – Allows altering the status of the subscription.
  • Billing Schedule Details – Allows altering the subscription renewal schedule.
  • Subscription notes – Lists all updates regarding the subscription.

Configure the plugin

To configure the plugin, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > WebToffee Subscriptions.

This page provides you with the ability to personalize and adjust fundamental aspects of the plugin, including its presentation on the My Account page and the setup of essential functionalities.

Subscriptions for WooCommerce – Plugin settings

Manage text

  • My Account Tab Title – The title of the Subscription page in the My Account section.
  • My Account Tab Text – The text displayed on the Subscription tab in the My Account section.
  • Add to Cart Button Text – The text displayed on the Add to cart button on the single product page.
  • Place Order Button Text – The text displayed on the Place order button on the Checkout page.

Roles

  • Subscriber default role – Default user role provided to a new customer while availing a subscription product.
  • Inactive user role – Default user role provided to an existing subscription customer when they exit a subscription plan.

Other

  • Allow Mixed Checkout – Enable to allow subscription products and standard products to be bought together.
  • Enable Dripping Download – Enable to ensure that the subscriber is able to download the latest files only after successfully completing the renewal process.
  • Subscription Synchronisation – Enable synchronization of subscription renewals so that they occur on the same day for all subscribers. Learn more about Subscription Synchronisation.
  • Number of days before payment intimation(Weekly) – For weekly subscriptions, a payment reminder will be sent to the subscriber through mail on selected days before the subscription expiry date.
  • Number of days before payment intimation(Monthly ) – For monthly subscriptions, a payment reminder will be sent to the subscriber through mail on selected days before the subscription expiry date.
  • Number of days before payment intimation(Yearly) – For yearly subscriptions, a payment reminder will be sent to the subscriber through mail on selected days before the subscription expiry date.