Paid subscriptions

[NukeWorker.com]

Curently in beta...

Paid subscriptions (for SMF v1.1):

Current Features:

  * Multiple payment processors (Pay Pal, 2Co/Authorize.net, Worldpay)
  * Option to add manual entries to the paid subscriptions system, as well as options to edit existing entries
  * People can pay to join some member groups, like "Donor Only" (Or on this site, 'Charter members')
  * A user interface, accessable from their profile, shows their subscription status, and when it is due again.
  * There is a manual and automatic renewal option.
  * The admin interface is powerful.  It is able to list all of the users that are subscribed, when they are due, etc. 
  * The ability to manually activate people.
  * The admin is able to set the price and duration, as well as any other additional options.
      Each with different access/duration/cost requirements.
  * Admin email notification option on new subscriptions.

To do list:

  * PM notifying subscriber that subscription has expired.
  * Option to tell Pay Pal to not charge shipping.
  * The admin interface should have an import/export to cvs option.
  * Add notes to their account.  Such as when a person pays by mail/check.
  * They should also be able to create an invoice for the subscription, (especially useful for pay by check). 
  * The user should be able to choose between check in the mail, and the online options.
  * Option for promotional codes, like "free 30 day trial" codes, or 10% off codes.
  * Option to chose your free gift with subscription.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  * If you get errors on installation, try creating a "subs" directory off the forum directory.
  * When you upgrade from one version to another, uninstall the old mod, then install the new version.
  * In order to get the passback to work (to finish the transaction), you have to set the return url to:
     http://www.yoursite.com/smf/subs/ipn.php in your pay pal/ worlpay/authorize/2co account.
     (So that it automatically adds users etc).
      Make sure ipn.php is executable! i.e. chmod 655
* [BUG] DO NOT USE AUTO-RENEW FEATURE WITH PAY PAL (in forum settings), it mucks things up.
THIS ONLY WORKS WITH SMF v1.1  - DO NOT INSTALL ON 1.0.x, IT WONT WORK, and no we have no plans for a 1.0.x version EVER.

Link to PayPal's IPN setup screen:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_profile-ipn-notify


Tips:
*  You can make a button/tab that links to Add Subscription. URL to link to:
    http://www.yoursite.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;sa=subscriptions
    To figure out how to add a custom tab/button, read here:
    http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=63203.0
*  If you can't find the link to settings in your forum admin:
    http://yoursite.com/board/index.php?action=paidsubscribe;sa=settings
*  The calendar settings for this mod rely on the calendar settigns for your forum:
    http://www.yoursite.com/forum/index.php?action=managecalendar
*  You CAN use the SSI and a little simple PHP to test weather a person is in a membergroup to allow or
    restrict access to other parts of your site.  Read the SSI FAQ's below for insructions."
    - Basic SSI FAQ: http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=12936.msg110970
    - Advanced SSI FAQ: http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=13016.0
    - Expert SSI FAQ: http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=13205
    - The exper SSI FAQ has the answer.


Grudges beta code on page 29:
paidsubs_v0.8.tar.gz
THIS ONLY WORKS WITH SMF v1.1  - DO NOT INSTALL ON 1.0.x, IT WONT WORK.

[Jack.R.Abbit™]

This sounds more like a mod than a built in feature.  I can't imagine it being used by that many people.

[roamer]

I'm currently working on a very simple subscription system for a site which I'm moving from webwiz to SMF at the moment.

Now it's only using PayPal for payments, it currently has a block designed to show the members status (member/non-member/expired member) and their expiry date (the site currently does yearly subs) - this block also presents a pay now button if you are either a non-member, expired member or a member within a month of expiry.

Group subscription is going to be done hard-coded to a single group, and users will be allocated to the paid-for group on the IPN call from PayPal.....

I'm currently trying to figure out the best way of expiring people from the group, this will probably be done by a query only carried out if their expiry date is older than the current date, and once unallacated it will set a flag on the membership record so that the update query isn't run every time the block is displayed.

Anyway, like I say it's in development at the moment just for this one forum, but once the transfer has taken place I could try and make it a proper mod if there is enough support from the community.... otherwise I'll be keeping it as mine - as it'll take a fair bit of work to make it a proper mod for SMF.

[ldk]

If it helps, I'd love to see this as a feature as well!

Jack.R.Abbit says that he can't imagine many people needing this but isn't it a relatively common problem where someone innocently creates a forum on a $5/month hosting plan and then it becomes even just a bit popular and all of the sudden you're going over your server resources and bandwidth and racking up charges?

I know that's certainly the case for me. And I guess I'm an extreme example of it. I started out on a $5/month plan and am now on a dedicated server.

I have heard however that "forum software" generally speaking can be surprisingly resource and bandwidth intensive and I think it would be nice to have a built-in way to accept donations to help with this and recognize members for their support.

[ldk]

Oh -- I also wanted to say that I'm working on doing this myself and I'm 99% done with it. I'm not sure if I'd be able to make it into a mod but I might try.  The way I'm writing it may not be generic enough for other people's needs.

Here are the features my system:

1. Uses PayPal as the payment processor (although you don't need to have a paypal account -- you can enter your credit card via paypal).

2. Uses PayPay's IPN system so that when a person donates, as soon as their payment clears, they automatically have a special member group ID added to their "additionalGroups" record thus keeping them in their regular group but also flagging that they are part of a special financial supporter member group.

3. Whenever the person posts, a small heart icon is displayed next to their name if they are in this special member group.

4. The way I structured things is that I'm asking for a specific lump sum of money to be donated and then in one year from the date they donated, I'm going to remove them from the special member group and send them an email asking them if they want to donate again.  So it's kind of like a subscription.  I'm doing this by keeping a separate database containing each person who donates and what date they donated, what their email address is, etc. So eventually I'll write something that just checks that database every day for expired donations and send out reminder emails, etc.

[spottedhog]

I think more people are wanting something like this than can be imagined.  I know I am extremely interested.

[klumy]

this would be a very interesting MOD.

[ldk]

this would be a very interesting MOD.

There is a "donations mod" but last time I checked it did things like allow you to donate through the forum and kept track of member who donated but it didn't move the member into a special group or anything like that.

[[Unknown]]

I still think this is more of a mod thing as well, but I do think it would be relatively popular.  I've looked into, and used, systems like Authorize.Net and PayPal, and I'm willing to help anyone work up a mod who wants to.

-[Unknown]

[Surfy]

I`, also interestet in such a Mod..

Great Idea!

Surfy

[3dsoft]

Such a payment module to gain access to a certain usergroup would be very helpful.
In fact, this is my main critera for choosing a forum software. I know that the "IPB" Board Software does include such a feature. So I am not actually sure which software I should choose. In general I like "SMF" a lot more. Are you guys planning on releasing such a module or is this future talk?
Because after all, I will have to make up my mind 

thanks

[[Unknown]]

In fact, this is my main critera for choosing a forum software. I know that the "IPB" Board Software does include such a feature. So I am not actually sure which software I should choose. In general I like "SMF" a lot more.

Are you sure?  Remember, just because it's related to Invision doesn't mean they made it, and include it in their software.  There are many third party modules available for all forum softwares alike, and even some from the maker themselves that are not "included" so to speak.

Are you guys planning on releasing such a module or is this future talk?

I know at least one person has worked at length on this.  Shoeb Omar probably has as well, but I don't know as much about it.

As said above, I've looked into it and it seems very doable.  That said, there's money involved; no one has yet released this, and it's probably going to take a small amount of money to make that happen.  Maybe it won't, but I'm just talking from past experience here.

And, before you ask, no I don't have time for this.  I'm working on SMF 1.1 - and as much as I do think a lot of people want this, more people want 1.1 (with or without this feature.)

-[Unknown]

[3dsoft]

probably going to take a small amount of money to make that happen

To the developers:

1) How much money would you be asking for?
2) When could you be ready for releasing the module, if that module would be sponsored?
3) Would you be willing to take care of that module for upcoming SMF releases.

To sponsors:

1) Who is willing to sponsor that module?
2) How much would you be willing to donate?
    a) - 10 Dollars
    b) - 30 Dollars
    c) - 50 Dollars


Of course, I would like to sponsor this module depending on when the module could be ready.
If things would get started soon, I would donate the amount of "c".

[vipmoney]

Hi,

I'm also willing to sponsor the making of this mod. I could give $50.

I have a free website, and It is gonna be a paid service, where I want to my users pay a monthly subscription of the service. this mod would be awsome !

[Thantos]

If you all can come up with a list of requirements I'd be willing to create this

I still think this is more of a mod thing as well, but I do think it would be relatively popular.  I've looked into, and used, systems like Authorize.Net and PayPal, and I'm willing to help anyone work up a mod who wants to.

If I do it I'll definatly take you up on the offer.

[vipmoney]

If you all can come up with a list of requirements I'd be willing to create this

I still think this is more of a mod thing as well, but I do think it would be relatively popular.  I've looked into, and used, systems like Authorize.Net and PayPal, and I'm willing to help anyone work up a mod who wants to.

If I do it I'll definatly take you up on the offer.

Great !

Ok, I'll speak for me, probably it's the same concept the others want:

A subscription service integrated with paypal, using IPN or something like that.

- A user should be able to subscribe a service paying a montly/quarter/anual service.
- This service would be provided only to users on a specific group
- So after paying with paypal, the subscriber user would be included on that specific membergroup

The service would be could be auto renovated month after month...
Or without auto-renew, the user should be automatically emailed 5 days before the service expire, once again 1 day before expire, and 1 mail informing the service had expired.
When the service expire, the user should be moved to another usergroup (like ex-subscriber or something).

An Admin section should exist, where we could see the subscribers, the payments, the expiration dates, etc...

Do you think this is doable ?

[Thantos]

I don't forsee any problems so far.  I'll give a week before starting to allow people to chime in with their thoughts and ideas.

[vipmoney]

I don't forsee any problems so far.  I'll give a week before starting to allow people to chime in with their thoughts and ideas.

Thanks Mike

I'm looking forward to see this mod on the way

[mennou]

Mike  let me  know when u have it  on ur site.. i will be waiting to test it on my site..

[vipmoney]

I don't forsee any problems so far.  I'll give a week before starting to allow people to chime in with their thoughts and ideas.

And a user control panel, so they can see when they joined and when they expire, etc.

And I was thinking, it would be nice to have on that control panel, the ability to insert manualy, just in case some user uses other form of payment, or something went wrong on the standard payment method, etc.