Handling Subscription Changes

Subscriptions are designed to be stable, but sometimes customers need adjustments. This guide explains what can and cannot be changed, and how to handle common change requests.

Important: Most subscription terms (pricing, frequency, tier) are locked once customers subscribe. Changes typically require canceling and resubscribing to a different service.

Understanding Subscription Limitations

What Cannot Be Changed Once Customers Subscribe

⚠️ Critical limitations: Once a service has active customers (subscriptions OR one-off purchases), these are permanently locked:

Cannot change:

• ❌ Subscription pricing

• ❌ Billing frequency (weekly, monthly, etc.)

• ❌ Service tiers for existing subscribers

• ❌ Tax configuration

Why locked: Protects existing agreements, ensures pricing consistency, maintains contractual integrity, prevents tax calculation changes mid-contract.

When You Can Change Locked Items

Before the first customer:

• ✅ Service just created, no customers yet

• ✅ During initial setup before going live

• ✅ Can freely adjust pricing, frequency, tax settings

Once first customer subscribes or purchases:

• ❌ Locked permanently

• ❌ Must use workarounds if changes needed

• ❌ Cannot edit locked fields

✍️ TIP: Plan pricing, frequency, and tax configuration carefully before launching. These cannot be changed once customers subscribe. Contract terms remain flexible.

Common Change Scenarios

Scenario 1: Customer Wants Different Service Tier

Example: Customer has "Basic Dog Walking" but wants "Premium Dog Walking"

The situation:

• Cannot switch customers directly between tiers

• Each tier is a separate service

• Requires canceling and resubscribing

Process:

1. Customer cancels current subscription:

   • Through their customer portal (if no minimum term)

   • Or you cancel for them (if within minimum term)

2. Customer subscribes to different tier:

   • They visit your live site and select Premium tier

   • Or you send them a subscription invitation to Premium tier

3. New subscription starts:

   • Separate subscription created

   • Billed at Premium tier price

   • Original subscription canceled

Scenario 2: Customer Wants Different Billing Frequency

Example: Customer has weekly subscription but wants monthly instead

The situation:

• Cannot change frequency for existing subscription

• Frequency is locked once first customer subscribes

• Must cancel and resubscribe to different frequency

Process:

1. Create separate service with desired frequency (if doesn't exist yet):

   • Duplicate existing service

   • Change frequency to Monthly

   • Adjust price appropriately

   • Example: Weekly at $45/week → Monthly at $160/month (savings built in)

2. Customer cancels current subscription:

   • Ends weekly subscription

   • Through portal or you cancel

3. Customer subscribes to monthly service:

   • New subscription with monthly billing

   • Different schedule and pricing

Scenario 3: You Need to Change Pricing

Example: Costs increased, need to raise prices from $45 to $50/week

The situation:

• Cannot change price for existing service with active customers

• Pricing locked to protect existing subscribers

• Must create new service for new pricing

Process:

Step 1: Create new service with updated pricing

1. Navigate to Services page

2. Duplicate existing service

3. Update price to new amount ($50/week)

4. Keep all other settings identical

5. Use same service name or add version indicator

6. Publish new service

Step 2: Hide old service

1. Find original service ($45/week)

2. Mark as hidden or unpublish

3. Existing customers continue unaffected

4. New customers can't see old pricing

Step 3: Communicate with customers

To existing customers (optional but recommended):

Subject: You're Locked In - Price Increase Notice

Hi [Name],

We're updating our pricing from $45/week to $50/week for new customers 

starting [date].

Good news: Your rate stays at $45/week. As a valued customer, you're 

locked in at your original price.

Thank you for being with us!

To new customers:

• They see only new $50/week service

• No knowledge of previous pricing

• Subscribe at current rate

Scenario 4: You Need to Change Tax Settings

Example: You need to add tax to a service that didn't have it

The situation:

• Tax configuration locked once customers subscribe

• Cannot add, remove, or change tax settings for existing service

• Must create new service with correct tax settings

Process:

If you need to change tax settings:

1. Create new service with correct tax configuration:

   • Duplicate existing service

   • Set proper tax settings before anyone subscribes

   • Verify tax calculation works correctly

   • Publish service

2. Handle existing service:

   • Cannot change tax for existing customers

   • They continue with original tax settings

   • Hide old service if appropriate

3. Communicate clearly:

   • Inform customers about tax requirements

   • Explain any pricing differences

   • Some customers may have tax, others may not

Scenario 5: Customer Wants One-off Purchase of Subscription Service

Example: Service only offers subscription, but customer wants one-time service

You can enable this:

1. Navigate to Services page

2. Find the service

3. Click to edit service settings

4. Scroll to Purchase Options section

5. Check "Allow one-off purchases at regular price"

6. Choose delivery timeframe (e.g., "Within 3-5 days")

7. Click Update to save changes

What happens:

• Service now offers both subscription AND one-off purchase

• Customers choose which option at checkout

• One-off customers pay "Regular Price" (typically higher than subscription)

• Shows subscription savings when both options available

✍️ TIP: Enable one-off purchases if customers frequently request "just one time" service. Converts inquiries into revenue and creates conversion opportunities.

Scenario 6: Customer Wants to Update Contract Terms

Example: You want to change minimum term from 3 months to 6 months

You can change this:

Contract terms (minimum/maximum) can be changed even with active customers.

To update contract terms:

1. Navigate to Services page

2. Find the service

3. Click to edit service settings, 

4. Go to Terms & Policies

5. Update minimum or maximum term

6. Click Update to save changes

What happens:

• New subscribers get new terms

• Existing subscribers continue under original terms they signed up with

• Each customer locked to terms at their signup date

Multiple Subscriptions Per Customer

Customers can have multiple active subscriptions simultaneously.

How Multiple Subscriptions Work

Each subscription:

• Bills independently

• Has own frequency and schedule

• Can be managed separately (pause, cancel, resume)

• Appears under same customer account

Managing Multiple Subscriptions

In customer detail view:

1. Navigate to customer's Subscriptions tab

2. See all subscriptions listed

3. Each row shows different subscription

4. Expand any to see details and take actions

5. Manage each independently

Customer Experience with Multiple Subscriptions

Customers can:

• Subscribe to multiple services from your live site

• Manage each subscription independently in their portal

• See all subscriptions in one account

• Pause, resume, or cancel each separately

• Different billing dates and amounts

✍️ TIP: Multiple subscriptions = higher customer lifetime value. Encourage customers to add complementary services.