Change Subscriptions for Existing Members

[kevinjrr]

I want to make sure I set this up correctly.
I have existing members who are on a subscription paying $50 monthly. I want to offer them a 6-month subscription for $250.
My question is, If they want to sign up for this new 6 month subscription, using a button I’ve created in the plugin, what will happen to their existing $49/mo paypal subscription? Will they need to cancel it so that they’re not charged for both subscriptions when the monthly renewal comes due?

thanks

[mbrsolution]

Hi, just to confirm with you. Did you create your upgrade payment button using the following documentation?

Regards

[kevinjrr]

Yes, I did

[The Assurer]

Will they need to cancel it so that they’re not charged for both subscriptions when the monthly renewal comes due?

1. On the SWPM (site) side; the new plan will replace the existing membership plan.
2. HOWEVER, on the PayPal (or other payment processor) side; TWO subscription “contracts” will now exist, one for each plan.
3. It is the member’s responsibility to contact you or cancel the first subscription “contract”. That is because subscription contracts are between the member and the payment processor.
4. As part of the upgrade process, you should be advising members to cancel the old subscription contract or they can contact you and you can cancel it from your end. Otherwise, they will still receive recurring billings for the old plan.

The payment processor will send a “cancellation IPN” to SWPM but nothing “bad” happens (except for maybe an error in the debug logs), because the subscription ID sent should be for the cancelled plan; and the membership is now tied to the new plan.

THIS is one reason why monthly subscriptions should have defined expiration.

[kevinjrr]

Excellent. That’s what I was thinking and now confirmed.

[The Assurer]

I once created a yearly subscription in sandbox mode, and kept receiving “mystery IPN,” long after the original site was closed.

[mbrsolution]

The documentation has been updated thanks to The Assurer for pointing out this important point.

Kind regards

[Author]

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