In order to run card subscription for your members you will need to enable your PayStack option on Octiv. PayStack is a third party processor that facilitates card payments.
PayStack takes a fee per card transaction which equates to 2.9% + R1 excl. VAT.
Enabling PayStack for card subscriptions
Navigate to Settings >> Payment Gateways >> PayStack >> Enable >> add banking information
Once your PayStack is activated you will now have access to two new features under the accounts section which will help you track and manage your card subscription payments.
Settlements can be used to track your PayStack payouts and view fees deducted:
Accounts >> settlements
Subscriptions is used to manage your card subscriptions:
Accounts >> subscriptions
When a member signs up as a card subscription paying member they will be added to the relevant day on which they signed up. You are able to see the status of the card. For example, if a member has not added their card details the card status in the screenshot above will show as inactive, however, once the member has added their card, they will have an active card status and the payment will be charged to their card as soon as the date is reached.
If the member only adds their card after the charge date, you as a staff member will be able to charge their card manually. There will be an option under “actions” in the screenshot above that will state “retry card”.
When their card is charged successfully, the status of the payment will change from “pending” to “paid” and the payout will then show on the relevant date via accounts >> settlements.
Creating a Billing Cycle Package
Before members can be charged on a unique billing cycle, packages specifically with billing cycles need to be created. It is the package the member is on that determines when/how often a member will be charged.
You can create a billing cycle package via settings >> packages >> package management >> create new >> fill out package details >> add a billing frequency >> add a billing interval >> submit.
Once the package is created, new members can sign up to it via the sign up widget and they will be billed on the date they signed up and then they will be billed on a date that is relevant to the billing frequency and billing interval. For example, the package created in the screenshot above will be charged every 28 days/4 weeks after the member signs up.
Adding Billing Cycle Packages to Existing Members
Billing cycles can only be implemented if the member is on a payment type of Card Subscription and they will need to be on a unique billing cycle package. These actions can be done for individual members or in bulk.
- Change Member's Billing Type:
Go to Members >> Manage >> Select Member >> Billing >> Payment Type
Change Payment Type to "Card Subscription" and add the next billing date (This will be overridden by the package start date, if adding a new package) >> update billing details(once this is clicked an onboarding email will be sent to the member prompting them to add their card details)
This can be done in bulk via members >> manage >> tick the box next to the relevant members >> change payment type >> select card subscription and the next billing date.
- Add Billing Cycle Package to a members account:
Go to members >> manage >> select a member >> packages >> select “actions” next to the members current package >> edit >> add an end date to the package the member is on(this should align with the start date of the billing cycle package) >> submit.
Once an end date has been added you can now add the new billing cycle package via “create new” >> select new billing cycle package >> add start date(this will be the date on which the member will be billed first) >> submit.
The card subscription paying member will now be charged first from the date on which the new billing cycle package starts. After this date they will be charged relevant to the billing frequency the new package has.