Subscriptions page mod...

[DiSpy]

I posted this over on vBulletin.com and was told that it was not possible to do... but upon further thought I think there is a way to do it thier way on the backend, but have the frontend (that the user sees) be alot simpler.

Here's my old post:

Basically, I'm trying to setup the subscriptions system on my site.

I love the idea that I can set it up so that users can subscribe to my site either by a "monthly" or "yearly" rate, and that I can set this to "one-time" or "recurring". However, according to the manual I have to set a specific amount for each type, but I would rather allow people to pay as much as they want (with say a $1 minimum for a monthly account, or whatever).

In otehr words, If I was to setup a subscription that is for "1 month" and "one-time" payment, I want them to be able to pay any amount they want for that month. (ie: choose the amount from a dropdown box)

As it is right now I can setup like 50 options where they can donate $1, $2, $3, $4, etc etc for each type (That's like 50 X 4 (200) payment options i'd have to setup.) and have them choose one, but that is a crappy way to do it. It will be one LOOONG list on the payments.php page, and no one will want to use it.
...

there's got to be an easier way... anyone??

Now... as I said... upon further thought... I would be willing to setup those 200+ subscription options, and then add a page (a template or something) to organize it into a *nice* looking frontend.

Then once they choose say for example from the "1 month", "non-recurring" "plan a" box the "$4" choice, they are taken to the subscription page for that specific one (of the 200+, they only see 4 options with dropdowns before going to the next page).

Anyone know how I could do something like this? I'm kind of new to vB, but I know there is a hack for adding template pages... but how would I use/add globals, and pull variables so that I could list subscription types that are pre-defined in the admin panel in the dropdowns??

I hope I didn't confuse everyone... haha.
THANK YOU!

EDIT:
Darn, ok I added a second post with more details, and it deleted it as a "double post"... grrr...

Here's what I had added:

I'd like to make my own page (using one of the add a page mods), and link to it in the navbar. On this page will be something like this page: http://yourdomain.tld/payments.php (but not inside the user CP). I would customize this page with my packages and the features they get for each one, etc, etc... then have some dropdown boxes for the duration, wheather it's re-occuring or not, and the price they want to pay.

THEN once they choose the options they want, it'll go and pass the appropriate info to the http://yourdomain.tld/payments.php?do=order page where they can pay for thier subscription.

Again, I realize i'd have to setup all possible combinations in the adminCP and that's o-k.

[DiSpy]

Here's an example of what i'm talking about:

http://www.wrestlingforum.com/register.php?do=start

How did they put that page into thier registration page I wonder... but it's exactly what i'm looking for for the subscription page.

Once a user clicks a button in the appropriate column, it takes them to the built-in page to buy that subscription.

----
Upon further inspection of the payments.php page...

If you view the source of the page for a paypal transaction, you find normal looking form submission code:

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
    <fieldset class="fieldset">
        <legend>Order Using PayPal</legend>
        <div style="padding:3px">
            <div style="margin-bottom:3px">To pay for your subscription using <a href="http://www.paypal.com" target="_blank">PayPal</a> click the button below and follow the onscreen instructions.</div>
            <div>
                
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick-subscriptions" />
<input type="hidden" name="business" value="<removed>" />
<input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="Member Subscription" />
<input type="hidden" name="item_number" value="<removed>" />
<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD" />
<input type="hidden" name="a3" value="5.00" />
<input type="hidden" name="p3" value="1">
<input type="hidden" name="t3" value="M">
<input type="hidden" name="src" value="1">
<input type="hidden" name="sra" value="1">
<input type="hidden" name="no_shipping" value="1" />
<input type="hidden" name="shipping" value="0.00" />
<input type="hidden" name="return" value="<removed>" />
<input type="hidden" name="cancel_return" value="<removed>" />
<input type="hidden" name="notify_url" value="<removed>" />
<input type="hidden" name="custom" value="<removed (username)>" />
<input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="1" />
<input type="hidden" name="tax" value="0.00" />

                <input type="submit" class="button" style="font-weight:normal" value="Order Using PayPal" />
            </div>
        </div>
    </fieldset>
</form>

So, my question is... can I make my own page, with my own buttons, and just paste that info in from the "payments.php?do=order" pages for each package that I create.

Will that work? (at least for paypal payments)

[hambil]

I agree this is an interesting addition. It's a way to gather small donations from your subscribers, and anyway to do that is good. Once they've already decided they will pay $1 (or whatever) for a month it's always a good time to ask them if they are willing to pay an extra $1 just to say thanks.

It would also be nice if you could assign ranks to payment levels. So if they pay 5 they get one rank, if they pay 10 they get another... without having to create, as you said, dozens or hundreds of subscription types.

Now, it just so happens that I want to add a feature to the subscription system also. I want trail memberships. Basically, a free membership for x number of days that can be purchased only once by any given member. If re-occuring then it will bill them the next time around. Pretty standard tactic.

So, I've decided to code this. I need to think through the features a bit (suggestions are welcome), but I should be putting it together and offering it here on the org sometime in the next few days.

[DiSpy]

Ohh... the free trial sounds interesting as well.

I hope you can incorporate all of this into your hack, I would really love something like that. :up:

Any idea how that guy did it on his registration page? That would be the perfect time to offer a free trial.

I love your ideas, once you have something working, i'd love to help you test it.

Meantime, i'll try and think of some more features for this.

[hambil]

Originally Posted by DiSpy

Any idea how that guy did it on his registration page?

I haven't even looked. I supposed I should aye?

Okay, I looked. Seems like he still has fixed subscriptions. He just has a nice looking page to show them, rather than the (comparatively) bland vb default one. And he has it link to the register page. Also, he has a nice integration w hen you reach the registration page. Far as I know it would appear to be custom work. I don't recall seeing the hack listed anyway.

It's obviously a vB forum but the copy right and version have been removed. Funny, since he kept the vbSEO copyright lol

[DiSpy]

Originally Posted by hambil

It's obviously a vB forum but the copy right and version have been removed. Funny, since he kept the vbSEO copyright lol

Yeah, I noticed that... haha