How to Sell Multiple Memberships to Individual Customers?

[stevland]

I sell a software product online. When people buy the software they can then access the downloads page to grab the product and updates as they become available, and access the support forum for a period of 2 years.

I have been using…

Simple WordPress Membership
Simple Membership Addon
Simple Membership BBPress Addon
Simple Membership Custom Messages
Simple Membership MailChimp Integration

…and all of these work brilliantly.

I have run into a limitation, however, and I wonder if there is a way to keep using Simple Membership while also overcoming this issue.

I now have customers who are purchasing 2 or 3 licenses for my software product to use in different environments.

Currently, when an existing customer purchases my product again, they expect that they are going to be granted a new license. What happens instead is that more membership time is added to their existing account.

The only way I can accommodate them is to have them create a separate account for each license, and of course each account needs to be associated with a unique email address.

Obviously, this is far from ideal. My licensing scheme works on the honor system, and it feels like I am punishing them for being honest.

What I really need is a way for a customer to the able to maintain multiple licenses, er, memberships, and see their remaining time in a control panel; and purchase a new one and / or chose to extend one or more of them.

I realize that I am using Simple Membership in a way that falls outside of its intended usage. But is there anything I’ve overlooked, or any ideas that will enable me to continue to remain in the Simple Membership ecosystem that has worked so well until now?

[The Assurer]

What you are asking for, is the ability to have multiple “stacked” membership levels; tied to the same email address. The “Simple” membership plugin does not support this feature; which does exist in our Tips & Tricks HQ eMember product.

[stevland]

I am very pleased to learn that you feel eMember will do what I need. I will check it out soon. Thanks.

[stevland]

Hello again Mr. Assurer,

I have purchased and installed both WP eStore and WP eMember plugins.

I am trying to import my Simple Membership users into WP eMember.

Unfortunately it appears that the Import WP Users function is going to reset everyone’s Subscription Starts From date.

How can I migrate my users from Simple Membership to WP eMember while preserving the important data, such as Access Starts, Member Since and Expiry Date?

[The Assurer]

Hi, could you please repost your request; in the appropriate product e support site. You will have to register using the same email used to purchase the products.

Hint: depending on how many members you have; it could be done by exporting/importing a spreadsheet. However, existing recurring PayPal subscriptions can get messy.

[stevland]

I have posted the same question here:
https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/migrate-simple-membership-users-into-wp-emember

So far, no response.

I do not have recurring payments or subscriptions to worry about.

I cannot find options to export or import spreadsheets in either plugin. 🙁

[stevland]

P.S. Are you referring to the Member Data Exporter Addon for Simple Membership Plugin and the Bulk Member Data Importer Addon for the WP eMember Plugin?

[Author]

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