Convertible subscriptions allow you to automatically swap the product in your customer’s subscription to a different product after the initial order. This useful feature allows you to create unique subscription campaigns for your business.
For example, you can create convertible subscriptions to accomplish the following:
- Convert a sample product to the full-sized product.
- Provide refills after the initial product is purchased, such as essential oils for a scent diffuser or new razor blades for a shaver.
- Swap a starter kit to a specialized product, such as a beginner gardener kit that follows up with seeds or fertilizer.
Different discounts can be offered between the initial order product and the recurring order product, allowing you to further incentivize your customers to subscribe.
Note: Convertible subscriptions require an Online Store 2.0 theme. To install Bold Subscriptions on a 2.0 theme, please visit our Installation Guide for Bold Subscriptions.
Walkthrough
Functionality
On the product page, the subscription widget displays the product the subscription converts to after the initial purchase, along with the recurring discount. The discount for the initial purchase is displayed in the Subscribe and Save section. This information is also displayed on the cart page, the checkout page, and the Shopify order confirmation email for both the initial and converting products.
Example
Once a convertible subscription is purchased, the initial product is swapped for the converted product immediately. In the customer portal, customers will only see the recurring product as their subscription. The initial product will be visible in the Order history section.
Important considerations
Locations and feature limitations
Convertible subscriptions must be purchased from the storefront product page in order to work as intended. Purchasing a convertible subscription from other locations will not work—customers will remain subscribed to the initial product only, and the swap will not take place. This includes when a convertible subscription is added to an existing subscription by an admin or by a customer from inside the customer portal.
Additionally, convertible subscriptions are not compatible with the following features:
- Prepaid subscriptions
- Buy Now Links
- Subscription Upsell offers created through the Bold Upsell & Subscriptions Integration
- The Express Add-Ons Widget
Subscription groups
The initial product in a convertible subscription must not belong to any other subscription groups. Adding the product to different subscription group types will cause issues with the widget display and functionality.
Product swapping
Customers are not able to swap convertible subscription products in the customer portal.
Note: If desired, an admin can manually swap a product on behalf of a customer. This requires changing the product’s subscription group first. Read more about how to Change a product's subscription group and then Swap a subscription product.
Checkout display
Due to Shopify constraints, the Shopify checkout can only display the cost of the initial product as the recurring total, however, the subtotal of the recurring converted product is clearly displayed in the product description section of the checkout.
Shipping
When the subscription is converted to the recurring product, the recurring product is assigned the least expensive applicable shipping rate.
Subscriber count
At this time, the subscriber count for convertible subscriptions is not able to be displayed on the Subscription groups page under the Active subscribers column. Convertible subscriptions are still included in your subscription Dashboard analytics and reports.
Setup
To create a convertible subscription group, please follow the steps below.
- From within Bold Subscriptions, navigate to Subscription groups.
- Click Create subscription group.
- Enter a Group name.
Note: This is an internal name, your customers will not see it.
- Click Select products.
- Check the box next to the product or variant you'd like to set as the initial product.
Note: Variant level subscription groups are compatible with Online Store 2.0 themes only. To install Bold Subscriptions on a 2.0 theme, please visit our Installation Guide for Subscriptions for Shopify Checkout.
- Click Confirm.
- Slide the toggle to the right next to Allow automatic product swaps for convertible subscriptions.
- Click Select product.
- Check the box next to the product or variant you'd like to set as the converting product.
Note: Only one product or variant should be selected for the converting product.
- Click Confirm.
- Optional: Enter a discount for the recurring product after the swap.
- Set your Subscription frequency. Select Days, Weeks, Months, or Years.
- Click Show advanced options, and choose from the following options:
- On purchase day: The customer's subscription renews based on the date of their initial purchase.
- On specific day of the month: The customer's subscription renews on the same day every month; regardless of their date of purchase.
-
Custom occurrence: Custom logic for when your customers' subscriptions renew. Additional choices appear when selecting this option.
Note: If either of the last two options are selected, you have the ability to Use cutoff days.
- Enter a Frequency name.
Note: This name is displayed in the subscription widget on the product page.
- Click Save Frequency.
- Optional: Click Add new frequency and repeat steps 12 - 15 for additional frequency intervals.
- Optional: Move the toggle to the right to enable the Allow minimum order requirement setting, and enter a number to set the minimum amount of orders that must pass before a customer can cancel their subscription.
Note: Please ensure your use of this setting complies with local laws. For more information about this feature, please visit Subscription Group Settings.
- Optional: Move the toggle to the right next to Offer a discount on the first product before the swap, and enter a discount.
- Select Save Changes.
Note: The subscription is activated on the storefront as soon as it's saved.