Skip to main content

Launching Your First Subscription Program: A Step-by-Step Guide

This guide explains how to configure the Appstle Subscription plan, billing setup, and incentives.

⚙️ How to Configure Your Subscription Plans in Appstle

The Appstle Subscriptions app lets you easily create and manage subscription plans in your Shopify store.
​

This guide walks you through configuring your plans and customising your subscription offerings—covering products, billing types, schedules, policies, and display settings.


🛠️ Step 1: Access the Configuration Page

  1. Log in to your Shopify Admin Panel.

  2. Go to Apps → click Appstle Subscriptions.

  3. Select Subscription Plans.

  4. Click ➕ Create New Plan to begin setup.


📝 Step 2: Configure Subscription Plan Details

🔖 Plan Name

  • Assign an internal name for your plan (e.g., Weekly Coffee Plan).

  • Customers will not see this—it's for internal use only.

🛍️ Add Products

  • Select the products you want included in this plan.

  • You can search your entire product list or browse by collections.
    📖 For more details, refer to the Assigning products to subscription.

📅 Subscription Frequency

  • By default, one frequency (e.g., Monthly) is pre-set.

  • Edit or add multiple frequencies (e.g., Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly) to give customers more flexibility.

⚡ Important Note
Only adding a product and attaching a billing type are required. All other settings in the selling plan are optional advanced customisations for convenience.


💳 Step 3: Choose Billing Type

Appstle provides four billing options:
📖 See our Billing Guide for complete details.

  • 🔄 Pay As You Go → Customers are charged automatically per cycle.

  • 💰 Prepaid One-Time → Customers prepay for a fixed number of deliveries.

  • 🔁 Prepaid Auto-Renew → Customers prepay, and the plan renews automatically.

  • 📦 Prepaid Separate Orders (Advanced) → Generates separate orders for each delivery.


🎨 Step 4: Subscription Display Settings

Customise how subscriptions appear on your product page:

  • 📝 Frequency Name → What customers see (e.g., Weekly, Monthly).

  • 💬 Show Description → Add extra details beneath each frequency option.

📖 For setup instructions, see the Plan Description Field.


⏰ Step 5: Recurring Order Schedule & Deadlines

  • 🔄 Custom Recurring Day: Control exactly when your subscriptions renew every month.

  • Define cut-off days (e.g., orders must be placed by Wednesday for Friday delivery).

📖 Cut-off Days must be configured carefully. See the Order Schedule Documentation.


💸 Step 6: Offer Incentives

1️⃣ Boost subscriptions with discounts and rewards
💰 Percentage Discount: Offer recurring savings (e.g., 10% off)
🎯 Fixed Discount: Set a fixed price or amount off (e.g., $5 off or $100 fixed)

2️⃣ 🏆 Loyalty Perks
Reward loyal customers with exclusive benefits.


📦 Step 7: Policy Settings

📉 Inventory Policy

  • On Sale → Deduct inventory at checkout.

  • On Fulfilment → Deduct inventory when the order is shipped.

❌ Cancellation Policy

  • Set a minimum number of billing cycles before cancellation.

  • Default: Customers can cancel immediately.

⏳ Automatic Expiration

  • Limit how many billing cycles a subscription runs.

  • Default: Continues indefinitely until cancelled.


🎁 Step 8: Offer Trial Periods

  • Allow customers to try before committing.

  • Example: 1-week free trial before the first billing cycle starts.

📖 See Free Trials on Subscriptions for setup instructions.


👤 Step 9: Visibility & Customisation Settings

  • 🔖 Require Specific Tags → Restrict subscriptions to certain customer groups.

  • 🚫 Exclude Specific Tags → Prevent tagged customers from subscribing.

  • 📝 Custom Fields → Collect extra info at checkout (e.g., gift notes, preferences).


📧 Step 10: Upcoming Email Settings

  • Configure automated renewal email notifications.

  • Keep customers engaged and reduce churn by reminding them before charges.


⚡ Success! You have successfully configured your subscription plan. Reach out to your dedicated Merchant Support Expert to review your setup and explore additional customisations tailored to your store.

📧 Email: support@appstle.com
💬 Live Chat: Available 24/7 directly in your Appstle Dashboard.

Did this answer your question?