Customers manage their subscriptions on the Subscriptions page of their Shopify customer account: see the next charge, pause, skip, change the address or the card, and cancel. What they may change themselves is up to you. The page needs new customer accounts (Shopify Settings › Customer accounts); add it to the account menu there if it isn’t listed.
The Subscriptions page #
The list shows each subscription with its status, the amount and how often (“$18.00 every month”) and “Next charge on …”. Manage opens one subscription:
- Items, Next charge (“$18.00 on Nov 15”), “Billed every month”, and “3 of 12 charges made” when the plan has a set number of payments;
- Payment method: “Visa ending in 4242 · expires 08/27”, with Update payment method (Shopify’s own secure form) or Email me a secure link instead;
- Shipping address, with Change address (“The new address is used from your next delivery.”);
- History: payments, skips, pauses, changes and who made them.
The status reads Starting, Active, Trial, Paused, Payment failed, Ending, Cancelled or Ended (or Stopped). After a failed payment the page says “Your last payment didn’t go through. Update your card so your subscription continues.”
Pause, resume and cancel #
- Pause: for a number of billing cycles (up to your Longest pause), or until they resume it when you allow that. “You won’t be charged while it’s paused. Your next charge moves back by the same time.” Resume subscription brings it back early.
- Cancel subscription: at the end of the paid period (“Your subscription stays active until Nov 30, and you won’t be charged again. You can change your mind until then.”) or at once, as you set. While it is ending, Keep my subscription undoes the cancel.
- A plan with a minimum number of orders (Fewest payments) says “You can cancel after 3 more orders.” and hides Cancel until then.
Change your subscription #
Under Change your subscription, depending on your settings:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Skip next delivery | Skips the next charge and its delivery; Undo skip brings it back. |
| Change frequency | Moves to another frequency or plan. “Your next charge date stays the same. The new price starts with that charge.” |
| Swap product | Another product or variant of the same plan, from the next delivery. |
| Add to next order | A one-time extra with the next delivery only, charged with it. They can remove it again under Added to your next order. |
| Order now | Places and charges the next order now; the one after follows on its usual date. Once a cycle. |
When a customer cancels: the offer #
With the retention flow on, Cancel subscription first asks “Before you go, tell us why you’re cancelling”: a Reason from your list and, if you allow it, a comment. The app may then make one offer that fits the reason, for example:
- “Would you like to pause for one billing period instead?” (Pause instead);
- “Would you like to skip your next delivery instead?” (Skip instead);
- “Would you like to switch to Monthly ($16.00) instead? You’d save about $4.00 a month.” (Switch plan);
- “Stay with us and get 10% off your next order.” (Get the discount).
They accept it, or go on and cancel. No offer fits: they go straight to the confirmation. Each customer sees at most one offer, and each offer at most once a subscription. The reasons and outcomes are in the Retention report (see Subscriptions in your admin).
Your settings #
Settings › Customer self-service #
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Pause and resume | On | Customers pause and resume themselves. |
| Longest pause (billing cycles) | 3 | 0 lets customers pause until they resume. Up to 12. |
| Cancel | On | Customers cancel themselves. |
| A customer’s cancel takes effect | At the end of the paid period | Or At once. |
| Change the shipping address | On | Customers change the address of later deliveries. |
| Your own link to the subscriptions page (optional) | Empty | “Used in emails and on the order status page. Leave empty to use the Subscriptions page of the customer account.” |
Settings › Retention #
Self-service: what customers can change:
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Skip and undo a skip | On |
| Change the frequency or plan | On |
| Swap the product | Off |
| Add items to the next order | Off |
| Order the next delivery now | Off |
Plan changes › Customers can change to: The other frequencies of the same plan (default) or Any plan on the product.
The cancel flow: Ask why and make an offer when a customer cancels (on), Let customers add a comment, your Reasons (“One reason a line. Up to 12. Keep “Something else” last.”) and the Offers: Pause with Pause for (billing cycles) (1), Skip the next delivery, Switch to a cheaper plan, and One-time discount on the next order with its Discount (%) (off; 10% when on).
Order pages and the Thank you page #
- The Subscription on order block shows on the customer’s order page: “This order started your subscription.” or “This order is charge 3 of your subscription.”, with Manage subscription. Add it to the order status page in Shopify’s checkout and accounts editor. Orders that belong to a subscription also get Manage subscription in their menu.
- The Subscription confirmation block on the Thank you page tells the customer “You’ll be charged automatically on the schedule you chose.” and links to Manage your subscription. Add it to the Thank you page in the same editor (Shopify Settings › Checkout › Customize). Its Subscriptions page link setting is optional.
Membership and Rental queue tabs #
Members also see a Membership tab (their tier, benefits and store credit), and stores with a rental queue a Rental queue tab. See Members-only products, pages and the Members page and The rental queue.
Good to know #
- Customers only ever see their own subscriptions.
- A rental billed by the period shows “Rented: …” and an End rental button instead of Cancel. See Rental subscriptions with Rentals & Bookings.
- You can do everything customers can, and more, from the subscription’s page in the app.
