How off-site payment gateway subscriptions are handled


	How off-site payment gateway subscriptions are handled
	Last Edited - 01/14/2014 10:03am PST
	Category Path - Shopping Cart Software Components > Administration Area > Modules > Subscription Products > FAQs & Tutorials

New in MMv4 is the option to allow customer subscriptions to use a off-site payment gateway, such as PayPal Website Payments Standard to pay for their subscriptions. However, due to the nature of off-site payment gateways, the shopping cart software must handle them a bit differently from subscriptions that the customer pays with using their credit card. This article explains what to expect when a subscription uses an off-site payment gateway as its method of payment.

What USUALLY happens?

First off, let's explain how a subscription that's billed to a credit card works:

The customer's subscription becomes due.
The shopping cart software bills the customer's credit card and emails the customer a receipt.
The subscription's bill date is then updated to the next appropriate date.
Th' end.

How off-site payment gateway subscriptions are handled

Unlike the example above of a subscription that's billed to a credit card, off-site payment gateway transactions can't be fully automated. This is because off-site payment gateways require the customer to be present during the transaction, so they can log in to the gateway's website to complete the order.

Since the customer must be present to complete the transaction, the processing of their subscription can't be fully automated. A different approach must be used instead.

The day a subscription that is paid for by an off-site payment gateway becomes due, the shopping cart software will email the customer a reminder, including a link to follow to complete the transaction and instructions on how to use it.

reference

This email message can be customized using the Store-Generated Email Messages Editor.

Options for how off-site payment gateway transactions are handled are also available in the Subscription Products module settings.

Clicking the link in the email will add the appropriate products to the customer's basket, and automatically load the off-site payment gateway's checkout area in their web browser. All the customer needs to do next is to complete their transaction on the gateway's website.

When the customer places the order on the gateway's website, it will automatically notify the store behind-the-scenes, and the order will be recorded in the store's Search Orders area, and a receipt will be emailed to them. The due date of the customer's next subscription will also be updated to the appropriate future date.