Recurring Billing Setup Questions

[zackp]

I am doing some initial scoping for a client on some modification they want to make to their store using ShopSite. I have found that their version of ShopSite will allow for recurring bulling and a subscription model once they switch to Authorize.Net but until they do so I have some questions I need answered.

First, from the documentation I can see that a payment interval can be set from some predetermined settings. Are these intervals set on the back end or is the user able to select the frequency. As an example, if the customer wants a pound of coffee sent at an interval do they have control over how often that is billed and shipped or is that frequency entirely managed in the back end?

Second, with the subscription model can ShopSite also allow for quantity? Can the user select that they want 5lbs of coffee every two weeks? Or is this also something that is predetermined? Will we have to create a unique product or sub-product for quantity?

I'm sure that once I gain access to the client's site and switch them to Authorize.Net some of these questions will be answered but until then I need to find all my answeres in the documentation and forums.

Any help and insight is greatly appreciated.

[Jim]

1. Payment interval is set by the merchant when they create the product

2. Payment interval is for paying for a single item over a period of time. Although the merchant could configure the product price so that it is enough product for a period of time, (i.e 5lb every 2 weeks for 6 month = 60 lbs total product. Calculate cost 60lbs @ $5.00 / lb = $300 total payment for the recurring payment) There would be no recurring order to the merchant so they would have to keep track of when deliveries need to be made.

If you want to play with the configuration you can get a demo store at: http://www.shopsite.com/demo.html

[zackp]

Thanks for the response. Your answers are very helpful.

Unfortunately the demo version of the store doesn't seem to include the recurring billing options, at least not that I can find. This is even after I switch the credit card payment to Authorize.NET. Once I go to add a product or view an existing one I don't see an option to "Check here to enable Recurring Pricing" as the documentation suggests. My client has ShopSite 10 and the demo is version 11. Has this feature been moved or am I looking in the entirely wrong place?

[ShopSite Nicole]

There are two authorize.net integrations listed in the version 11 demo store. It has the Authorize.net SIM integration (which does not include the recurring billing option) found under Commerce Setup > Payment Setup > Payment Services; and the Authorize.net AIM integration (found under Credit Card Processing) which contains the recurring billing option.

What you need to do is click Configure Processor after you have selected Authorize.net AIM. Then make sure you have checked the box to acknowledge that you have Automated Recurring Billing enabled on your Authorize.Net account and to enable Automated Recurring Billing and subscription services for your ShopSite store. After selecting this option, Automated Recurring Billing becomes available as an option in the ShopSite back office for your products (Products > Edit Product Info).

Please note: recurring billing with Authorize.net AIM was added in ShopSite version 10 sp1. The Authorize.net SIM integration was added in version 10 sp2.