The Simple Membership plugin now includes a feature that automatically redirects users to their unique paid registration link after they complete a payment.
Enabling this option helps streamline the paid registration process, which can be a desirable setup in certain configurations.
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Standard Registration Process
- How This Redirect Feature Works
- Supported Payment Methods
- How the Redirect Works
- How to Enable This Feature
- How to Test It
- Email Still Sent as Backup
- Thank You Page Redirect Still Used as a Backup
Overview of the Standard Registration Process
For an overview of how the standard membership registration process works, refer to the following guide:
Standard Membership Registration Process Overview
Alternatively, you can use a different registration flow where users first create a free account and then upgrade to a paid membership. Learn more about that approach here:
Allow Members to Create an Account Before Completing Membership Payment
How This Redirect Feature Works
When a user pays for a membership level using a supported payment button, they are automatically redirected to their unique registration link for that level. This means the user can complete their registration immediately after the payment without needing to wait for an email or find the link on the ‘Thank You’ page.
Supported Payment Methods
This redirection feature is supported for the following payment button types:
- PayPal (New API – PPCP) Buttons
- Stripe Payment Buttons
Other payment button types, such as the older/classic PayPal buttons, do not currently have the architecture to support this feature.
How the Redirect Works
After a user completes payment using a supported payment method:
- The plugin generates the unique paid registration link tied to the membership level they paid for.
- The user is automatically redirected to that link.
- The registration form is displayed, and the user can immediately complete their account setup.
This process happens seamlessly, without requiring the user to go to the ‘Thank You’ page or open their email.
How to Enable This Feature
To enable this feature, simply check the “Redirect to Paid Registration Link” option when creating a membership payment button using a supported type, such as a PayPal (New API – PPCP) button or a Stripe payment button.
When this option is enabled, any unregistered user who completes a payment using that button will be automatically redirected to the corresponding paid registration page to complete their account setup.
How to Test It
You can test the feature on your site by following these steps:
- Create a test product using a supported payment button.
- Ensure that you don’t already have a user account on the site.
- Complete a test payment.
- After payment, confirm that the user is redirected to the unique registration page.
Email Still Sent as Backup
Even with the redirect feature enabled, the plugin will still send the registration email containing the unique link. This ensures that users can complete the registration later if they close the browser or lose the redirect.
Thank You Page Redirect Still Used as a Backup
If you have configured a Thank You page URL for your payment button, it will still be used as a backup in certain scenarios. Specifically, if the user already has an account on your site and does not need to register again, the plugin will redirect them to the specified Thank You page instead of the registration page.
This ensures a smooth and logical experience for returning members or logged-in users who make another payment. In such cases, showing the registration form again would not be necessary, so the Thank You page serves as the appropriate destination.