Subscriptions

Use Subscriptions in Optimizely Configured Commerce to automate customer reorders, restocking, and similar activities. These order types are generated by the Subscription Products Advanced Module.

This feature was built under the assumption that the ERP would handle all management of subscription orders. Therefore, custom development is likely required to implement this feature, and for the subscription fields to be visible in the Admin Console. Common custom development could include the following:

• Submitting subscription data to the ERP
• Integration to the ERP and site UI/UX to manage subscriptions
• Handling recurring payments

Set a subscription product

Create a new product to act as a container for the subscription products. Use this container product to define what products are included and what months the subscription is fulfilled.

1. In the Admin Console, go to Catalog > Products.

2. Click Add Product.

3. Fill out the product information on the details tab, then click Save.

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   Note

   You should add content on the content page (or create a specifications tab) to inform the customer of what is included in the subscription, such as which items are purchased and how many of each item.

4. Click the Subscription finger tab.

5. Change the Subscription Product? toggle to Yes.

6. Fill out the Subscription Details section:

   • Click Add To Initial Order to include the subscription products on the user's initial order. If this toggle remains OFF, the customer's order is recorded for future fulfillment, and the customer is not charged.
   • Click Fixed Price to turn on fixed pricing. Turning fixed pricing ON means the same price applies for every order during the specified subscription period, while turning it OFF means the products in the subscription are priced based on the product's current price at the date of fulfillment.
   • Using the Ship Via drop-down, select a shipping service .
   • Using the Cycle Period drop-down, select either Day or Month.
   • Enter a number of Periods Per Cycle.
   • Enter a number of Total Cycles.

7. Choose the Cycle Months. Select individual months using the month-specific toggles, or select the Subscription All Months toggle to select all months.

8. Click Save.

9. Click the Add Subscription Product to add a new subscription product.

10. Select a Product ID from the drop-down, and then enter a Qty Ordered.

11. Click Save, or click Save and Add New to add additional subscription products.

Purchase a subscription product

When a user places an order for a subscription item, the user is prompted for the list of months to fulfill the order, and the subscription's expiration date. If the Add to Initial Order toggle was set to ON in the previous section, the customer checks out as normal and purchases the item. If this toggle was set to OFF, the customer checks out but is not charged. Either way, the shipping method selected in the initial order is captured as the preferred shipping method for each future fulfillment.

After the subscription product is ordered, the system creates a subscription order that acts like a repeating order over time. Integration jobs generate orders from the subscription order based on the subscription period and end date. A batch process reviews all subscription orders to find which ones need to be fulfilled, and generates an associated customer order, which is then sent to the ERP for fulfillment.

Subscription order review

To review a subscription, go to Admin Console > Sales > Subscriptions.

Click Edit for the subscription.

Alternately, review the subscription in the Admin Console under Sales > Order History.