Shopify recently announced their plans to release Subscription APIs that will power subscription transactions. In this article, we discuss the new integration and common questions about what it means for Recharge going forward.
This FAQ is specific to the Shopify Checkout Integration. If you use the Recharge Checkout on Shopify or BigCommerce to process subscription orders, please refer to the Recharge Checkout FAQ.
- Shopify Checkout Integration
- What is the new Shopify Checkout integration?
- Do I need to make any changes to my existing store?
- Who is eligible to sign-up for the new integration?
- Are there notable changes to subscription and order functionality with the new Shopify Checkout integration?
- Does the Shopify Checkout support digital products?
- What is the pricing plan for the Shopify Checkout integration?
- How am I billed for use of the Recharge app?
- Where can I learn more about the Shopify Checkout integration?
- I am an existing Recharge merchant - can I migrate to the new checkout?
- I am seeing a "Sorry, Shopify says your store is ineligible for subscriptions" screen when trying to install. What should I do?
- I'm trying to install the new integration into my store, but I keep getting a message that I'm almost there. What are my next steps?
- Is it possible to migrate existing subscribers from another platform to the new Shopify Checkout integration?
- I am a Shopify Plus merchant and recently upgraded my checkout.liquid file - does this mean I can start selling subscriptions?
- How can I remove the subscription widget from non-subscription products?
- Can I use PayPal Express with the Shopify Checkout Integration?
- How do I switch my customer from Shopify Payments to PayPal Express?
- Can I use PayPal Express as my payment gateway for subscriptions, but use a different provider for my primary gateway?
- Do my customers have to use a credit card with their PayPal account?
- How do customers update their PayPal payment method?
What is the new Shopify Checkout integration?
Shopify is working on new Subscription APIs that allows apps like Recharge to connect to Shopify to create and process subscriptions directly through the Shopify checkout.
Traditionally there have been two separate checkouts, Recharge and Shopify. Customers would go through different checkouts depending on the contents of their cart.
Now, merchants will be able to use Recharge for customer and subscription management while order processing will take place through Shopify and their native checkout. One unified checkout for subscription and one-time products.
Do I need to make any changes to my existing store?
No. As an existing merchant, your current Recharge configuration is still supported and no action is required by you.
Recharge remains committed to building out functionality to the existing Recharge checkout and to ensure continuity and a robust feature set. We intend to keep investing, adding, and improving functionality to our existing app. For more information about feature timeline and compatibility, visit Shopify Checkout integration early release status
Who is eligible to sign-up for the new integration?
Any new Shopify stores interested in installing Recharge on or after November 2nd 2020 can sign-up to be part of the early rollout through the Recharge App listing.
Note that there are some eligibility requirements and notable limitations.
- Approved payment gateway - Merchants will need to be using Shopify Payments or PayPal Express. Note that Shopify Payments does not support some business types, such as CBD or pseudopharmaceuticals. For more information, visit Shopify's Legal page.
- Accelerated payment options and wallets - Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and other forms of accelerated payments or wallets will be unavailable for subscription purchases.
- In-person delivery zones - Pick up in store and local delivery are not available.
- Multi-currency - Shopify's multi-currency feature will not be available at launch.
Are there notable changes to subscription and order functionality with the new Shopify Checkout integration?
With the Shopify Checkout, merchants have the benefit of a unified checkout experience for their customers. However, there are some notable changes that merchants should be aware of with how Shopify will handle subscriptions and subscription orders from Recharge:
- Overrides - SKU or product titles cannot be customized in Recharge to be a different value than what is listed in Shopify.
- Cart and note attributes - Cart and note attributes will be displayed on orders originating from checkout, but will not appear on recurring orders.
- Line item properties - Line item properties will be displayed on orders originating from checkout, but will not appear on recurring orders.
Does the Shopify Checkout support digital products?
Yes, you can sell digital products through the Shopify Checkout. During checkout, if there is a non-physical subscription product, the shipping address fields do not display.
What is the pricing plan for the Shopify Checkout integration?
You can view a breakdown of Recharge's pricing plan on our dedicated pricing page.
How am I billed for use of the Recharge app?
To begin using Recharge, you will need to accept the Approve subscription prompt at time of installation. Storeowners will be redirected to the billing approval page when accessing Recharge until they approve the terms of service.
The fee is considered an app usage fee and is billed directly through Shopify. As the Recharge billing cycle may differ from the Shopify billing cycle, you may see the app usage fee applied across different invoices.
If your app usage fee exceeds $10 000 in a given billing cycle, Shopify will issue you a bill when the capped amount is reach. You will need to agree to a new usage charge to continue using the app during the current billing cycle.
For more information, visit App charges.
How can I sign up for the new Shopify Checkout integration?
If you are interested in using the Shopify Checkout early release integration, you can install the app directly from the Shopify app store.