Membership Subscriptions

CREATE A NEW PRODUCT CLASS

Navigate to: Store > Products > Manage Classes

1. Fill in the ‘Add a Class’ form:
   • Enter the Class ID - Example: subscription services
   • Class Name - Example: Subscription Services
   • Description is optional
2. Select ‘Save’ at the bottom of the page.  

You have now created the product class.

Authoring information is always set to be displayed on new product classes.

MANAGE AUTHORING INFORMATION (if you wish to change the default)

Navigate to Structure > Content Type > Subscription Services (or the class of choice)

The edit tab at the right top should be selected (that is the default).

1. Scroll down to find ‘Display settings’, click on it and uncheck the box next to ‘Display author and date information’.  
2. Save

MANAGE THE SHIPPING SETTINGS

By default, all new product classes are shippable, however, the subscription service itself does not need to be.

Navigate to: Structure > Content Type > Subscription Services (of the content type of choice)

1. Select the 'Ubercart product settings' tab
2. Deselect 'Product and its derivatives are shippable’
3. Save Content Type

MANAGE THE TAX SETTINGS

In most cases, the subscription service itself is not a taxable product, therefore, you will want to make this product class non-taxable’

Navigate to Store  > Configuration > Taxes

1. Select ‘edit’ in the ‘Tax’ row
2. Scroll to ‘Taxed Product Types’ - find the class you are looking for, in this example ‘Subscription services’ and uncheck the box next to it
3. Click Submit at the bottom of the page.

Repeat for ALL Tax options listed until all tax types are modified.

ADD ATTRIBUTES

The subscription service we’re creating will need a few additional attributes. Customers can choose how frequently they receive shipments, what shipping option they would like, they can opt to send it to a different recipient and they can choose to have it gift wrapped.

CREATE THE ATTRIBUTE FOR 'SUBSCRIPTION SCHEDULE'

Navigate to Store > Products > Attributes > Add An Attribute

1. Name - Example: 'Subscription Schedule'
2. Label - Example: 'How often would you like shipments sent'
3. If this should be a required field select ‘Make Required’
4. Display type - Select the display type you would prefer - Example: 'Select Box'
5. Submit
6. Select ‘Options’ for the attribute - Add Option
7. Name - Enter the name of your first attribute option - Example: ‘Once’ -  leave everything else the same
8. Submit

Repeat steps 6-9 until you have created all preferred options for this attribute - Example: Every 3 months & Every 6 months.

CREATE THE ATTRIBUTE FOR 'SHIPPING INFORMATION'

Navigate to Store > Products > Attributes > Add An Attribute

1. Name - Example: 'Shipping Information'
2. Label - Example: 'Is this being sent to the billing address?'
3. If this should be a required field select ‘Make Required’
4. Display type - Select the display type you would prefer, for this Example: 'Select Box’
5. Submit
6. Select ‘Options’ for the attribute - Add Option
7. Name - Enter the name of your first attribute option - Example: ‘Yes’ -  leave everything else the same
8. Submit

Repeat steps 6-9 until you have created all attribute options needed - Example: ‘No’ needs to be created as well.

If the answer is No, you will need fields for the recipient name and address to be collected:

Navigate to Store > Products > Attributes > Add An Attribute

1. Name - Example: 'Recipient Name'  
2. Label - Example: 'First and Last name of the recipient'
3. If this should be a required field select ‘Make Required’
4. Display type - Select the display type you would prefer, for this Example: 'Text Field'
5. Submit

Repeat steps 1-5 until you have created all attribute options needed - Example: Recipient Address

CREATE THE ATTRIBUTE FOR 'SHIPPING METHOD'

Navigate to Store > Products > Attributes > Add An Attribute

1. Name - Example: 'Subscription Shipping Method'
2. Label - Example: 'How would you like the subscription shipment sent?
3. If this should be a required field select ‘Make Required’
4. Display type - Select the display type you would prefer, Example: 'Radio Buttons'
5. Submit
6. Select ‘Options’ for the attribute - Add Option
7. Name - Enter the name of your first attribute option - Example ‘Ground 3-5 days $5.99’ -  leave everything else the same
8. Submit

Repeat steps 6-9 until you have created all attribute options needed - Example: We'll also create a ‘Media Mail 10-14 days $2.99’ option for this sample subscription.

CREATE THE ATTRIBUTE FOR 'GIFT WRAP'

Navigate to Store > Products > Attributes > Add An Attribute

1. Name - Example: 'Gift Wrap'
2. Label - Example: 'Would you like each shipment gift wrapped for $0.99 extra each?'
3. If this should be a required field select ‘Make Required’
4. Display type - Select the display type you would prefer - Example: 'Select Box’
5. Submit
6. Select ‘Options’ for the attribute - Add Option
7. Name - Enter the name of your first attribute option - Example ‘Yes’ -  leave everything else the same
8. Submit

Repeat steps 6-9 until you have created all attribute options needed - Example: We'll also create a ‘No’ option.

NOTE: For this type of attribute (Gift Wrap), where the customer will be charged an extra fee, you should also create a custom product, that way, when the time comes for you to create the order on behalf of your customer through your website, you can add 'gift wrap' as a product on the order with the appropriate charge. Creating it as a custom product also has the added benefit of being an option your customers can choose for other products as well. If you do not create a custom product for this type of attribute (Gift Wrap), when creating the order on behalf of your customer, you will need to add an empty line item for the additional cost.  
 
ATTACH THE ATTRIBUTE(S) TO THE PRODUCT CLASS

Navigate to: Store > Products > Manage Classes

1. Locate your class - Example 'Subscription Services' and click edit
2. Select the 'Attributes' tab
3. Select 'add attributes to this class'
4. Select all of the attribute from the list that you want to attach to this product class - Example: ‘Subscription Schedule’ 'Shipping Information', Recipient Name, Recipient Address, Gift Wrap and 'Subscription Shipping Method' in this sample and click 'Add Attributes'

You have now created the product class and added the necessary attributes. Using the drag and drop arrows you can rearrange the order of your attributes - be sure to save your changes. You’re ready to create your 'Subscription Service' product now.

NOTE: Attributes created can be reused on different product classes.

CREATE THE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE PRODUCT

Navigate to: Content > Add content > Subscription Services (or content of choice)

1. Name/Title: Example: 'Bestseller Book Readers'
2. Body: Add a description about this subscription service. Example: Our 'Bestseller Book Readers' subscription is a great way to get your hands on a new bestseller!  Each package will include: one recent bestselling book, one bookmark, one novelty item and a coupon for the next non-subscription service purchase. Enroll for a one-time fee of $5.00 and a charge of $19.99 +tax and shipping for each shipment (the $5.00 charge will be immediate and you will be billed $19.99 +tax and shipping for each shipment as they are sent).
3. Upload an image of your product - Choose File - Search for it Locally - Upload
4. Enter a SKU to reference your product, it can be a string of letters and numbers (it cannot be a regular 10 digit or 13 digit ISBN - if you want to use regular ISBNs you can add a letter to the front or end of the SKU to distinguish it from the book ISBN) Example: 'BestsellersSS1'
5. Add the sell price and the list price (which should be the same), Example: $5.00
6. Save

NOTE: Don’t forget to clean up your displays for both the default and teasers (Structure > Content Types > Subscription Service (or content of choice) > Manage Display). We always recommend hiding unnecessary labels and fields. Example: the word ‘Image’ doesn’t need to be shown next to the image so hide the label. Fields such as SKU, List price, Cost, Price are irrelevant to your customer so hide those as well.

CONFIGURE CONDITIONAL ATTRIBUTES (optional)

This feature can be used to define dependency relationships between options and attributes for custom product classes. Dependent attributes will only be shown once the option on the parent attribute is selected.
 

Example: If a customer says ‘No’ to ‘Is this being sent to the billing address?’, the customer will be prompted to enter the recipient information; If they select "Yes", the recipient fields remain closed.

NOTE: The ‘Conditional Attribute' module needs to be enabled for your site. Please send us a request from the Store Features page Store > Configuration > Account Information and Preferences > Store Features.

Navigate to: Store > Configuration > Conditional Attributes > Add Definitions

1. Choose the product class(es) the conditional attribute should be applied to - Example: ‘Subscription Service’
2. Select the ‘Parent Attribute’ - this is the attribute that leads to possible child attributes -  Example: 'Shipping Information?’
3. Select the parent attribute’s option - this is the option that triggers the child attributes to appear - Example: ‘No’
4. Set the ‘Type of dependency’ to ‘Enable'
5. Select ‘Dependent Attributes’ - Select all the attributes that you want to appear when ‘No’ is the response to ‘Is this shipping to the billing address?’ - Example: Recipient Name, Address
6. Save Definitions
7. Select the ‘Conditional Attribute Definitions’ tab and confirm all of the parent and dependent attributes you chose are listed under the products you assigned them to.
8. Check your custom products to make sure that the conditions work as expected.

FULFILLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE ORDERS

We HIGHLY recommend that when the time comes for you to fulfill these orders you create an order on behalf of your customer through your website. That way, there is a trail of the order and payment and you do not need to keep one manually. Instructions to do so can be found here: http://www.bookweb.org/indiecommerce/creating-order-behalf-your-customer

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT COLLECTING PAYMENT

By default, the system allows customers to decide whether or not they save their credit card information to their account during checkout. Your customer will be charged the initial enrollment fee (Example: $5.00) during their checkout, however, in order for you (the store) to charge them for each future shipment (Example: $19.99 + tax+shipping) the customer MUST opt to save their credit card information to their account.You can address this one of two ways with your customer:

1. Include a note in the description of the product letting the customer know they must save their credit card information to their account in order for subscription shipments to be sent and warning them that those that do not will risk a delay in shipment as you will need to reach out to them to obtain payment information.
2. Enable the 'Always Save Credit Card Profile' preference. Once enabled his preference allows you (the store) to ALWAYS save the credit card information and removes the opt-in option from the customer. You may enable this option from: Store > Configuration > Account Information & Preferences > Store Preferences and you can find out more about this preference by reviewing 'Store Features and Preferences'.