How to Create Your First Subscription Product

Once Recurio is installed and configured, the next step is to create your first subscription product.
This guide walks you through each step — from product creation to subscription settings — so you can learn how to create your first subscription product and start selling recurring plans quickly and confidently.

Step 1: Access Product Creation Page

1. Log in to your WordPress Admin Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Products → Add New.
3. Enter the following details:
   • Product Name: Example – Premium Membership Plan
   • Description: Explain what the customer receives each billing cycle (e.g., “Access to exclusive digital content and monthly updates”).
   • Price: Set the product price (e.g., $29.99) to define the recurring billing amount charged each billing period.

Tip: Keep product names short but descriptive — it helps customers recognize recurring plans easily.

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Step 2: Configure Product Type

1. Scroll down to the Product Data panel.
2. Choose Product: Recurio supports both Simple and Variable products. For most use cases, a Simple Product offers the quickest setup, while Variable Products allow you to offer flexible subscription options with multiple variations.
3. Click the Subscription tab within the Product Data panel.
4. Toggle Enable Subscription → ON

This converts your regular product into a subscription-based product.

Step 3: Set Subscription Billing Details

Now, define how and when customers are billed.

Setting	Description	Example
Billing Period	Frequency of billing	Monthly / Yearly (Free) or Weekly / Quarterly (PRO)
Billing Interval	Number of periods between charges	1 = every 1 month / 3 = every 3 months
Subscription Length	How long subscription continues	Leave blank = unlimited; 12 = ends after 12 renewals

Example:

• Billing Period: Monthly
• Billing Interval: 1
• Subscription Length: Blank (unlimited)
  → The customer is billed every month indefinitely until cancellation.

Step 4: (Optional) Add a Trial Period

Offering a trial helps attract more sign-ups by letting users experience your product before payment.

Setting	Description	Example
Trial Length	Duration of trial before first payment	7
Trial Unit	Unit of time	Days / Weeks / Months

Example:

• Trial Length: 7
• Trial Unit: Days
  → Customer gets a 7-day free trial, then automatic billing begins.

Tip: Keep trials between 7–14 days for digital services. Longer trials can reduce urgency to subscribe.

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Step 5: (Optional) Add a Sign-Up Fee

A Sign-Up Fee lets you charge an upfront amount when customers first subscribe — useful for onboarding costs, setup fees, or physical shipment expenses.

Setting	Description	Example
Sign-Up Fee	One-time charge at subscription start	$9.99

Example:
→ Customer pays $9.99 setup fee + $29.99 recurring monthly after trial ends.

Step 6: Define Pricing

1. Go to the General tab (under Product Data).
2. Enter Regular Price — this is your recurring billing amount.
3. (Optional) Add a Sale Price if you want a discounted rate for the first billing cycle.

Example:

• Regular Price: $29.99
• Sale Price: $19.99 (optional)

Tip: Recurio automatically manages recurring renewals; no need to add multiple variations for recurring payments.

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Step 7: Limit Subscriptions per Customer (Optional)

You can prevent customers from purchasing the same subscription multiple times.

1. In the Subscription Settings panel, locate Limit Per Customer.
2. Choose one of the following:
   • 1 Subscription → Customer can only buy once.
   • Unlimited → No restriction (default).

Use Case:
Limit per customer = 1 → Ideal for SaaS or membership products.

Step 8: Add Product Image and Categories

1. Add a Product Image that visually represents the plan.
2. (Optional) Add Product Gallery images for visual appeal.
3. Assign appropriate Categories or Tags (e.g., Subscriptions, Memberships, Digital Plans).

Tip: Use a clear, minimal image — consistency helps customers identify your plans quickly.

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Step 9: Publish the Product

1. Double-check your settings:
   • Subscription Enabled
   • Billing and Trial configurations correct
   • Product description and price finalized
2. Click Publish.

Your first subscription product is now live and ready for purchase!

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Example Configurations

Type	Configuration	Description
Basic Monthly Plan	$29.99 / month	Standard recurring billing
Annual Membership	$199.99 / year	Ideal for loyalty programs
Quarterly Box (PRO)	$49.99 / quarter	Seasonal subscription (requires PRO)
Free Trial Plan	14-day trial + $29.99/month	Boosts conversions with low entry barrier
Setup Fee Plan	$9.99 sign-up + $19.99/month	Covers onboarding costs

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Step 10: Test the Product

Before going live, perform a test checkout:

1. Open the product page on your site.
2. Add the subscription product to the cart.
3. Complete checkout using a test payment gateway (like Stripe test mode).
4. Verify:
   • Subscription is created in Recurio → Subscriptions.
   • Payment is recorded correctly.
   • Customer receives confirmation email.

Tip: Always test both trial and recurring renewals to ensure everything works as expected.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Subscription tab missing	WooCommerce inactive	Ensure WooCommerce plugin is active
Trial settings not saving	Missing value	Enter both trial duration and unit
Payment not processed	Incompatible gateway	Use tokenized gateways like Stripe or PayPal
Product not appearing in shop	Draft mode	Check product status → Published
“Add to Cart” button missing	Subscription disabled	Verify “Enable Subscription” toggle is ON

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Quick Recap

By the end of this setup, you’ve learned to:

• Create a new WooCommerce product for recurring billing
• Configure billing periods, intervals, trials, and sign-up fees
• Limit subscriptions per customer
• Publish and test your first subscription product