Giving a discount on a subscription #

If you want to give a discount on a subscription, watch out for one important difference: an ordinary coupon only gives a discount on the first payment. For the following renewals the customer simply pays the full price. If you want the discount to come back at renewals as well, you need a recurring coupon. Which route suits you best depends on what you want to achieve.

This function is based on WooCommerce Subscriptions. Read the WooCommerce Subscriptions documentation, included in the shop extension with Autorespond

Choose the right approach #

A discount for the whole term of the subscription #

If you want a customer to get a fixed discount at every renewal, use a recurring coupon. The discount is applied automatically at every payment term, for as long as the subscription is active. See the article Setting up a recurring discount with a coupon for the steps.

A discount for the first terms only #

If you want to give an introductory discount that expires automatically after a number of terms, for example the first three months at a lower price, you set that up through the coupon settings. You decide yourself for how many terms the discount applies. See A discount for the first terms of a subscription only.

Applying a discount automatically without a coupon code #

If you want the discount to be applied automatically without the customer having to enter a code, for example through a personalised order link, you can link a coupon to the URL. That way the customer does not have to type anything and the discount is active straight away at checkout. See Applying a coupon automatically.

Adding or changing a discount during the term #

If you want to change an existing subscription afterwards, for example to give a loyalty discount to a customer who has been a subscriber for a long time, you change the discount directly in that customer’s subscription. See Changing a discount during the term of a subscription.

What do you do with the price of the subscription product itself? #

The price you set on the subscription product determines what new subscribers pay at every term. You cannot limit that price per term: if you lower the product price, that lower price applies to all future renewals of all active subscribers. If you want a discount that expires after a number of terms, always use a coupon and not the product price.

If you want to know more about how subscriptions work in the webshop, read How does a subscription work in the webshop. If you offer several subscription forms with increasing prices, the article Setting up tiered discounts in your webshop may also provide useful background.