News:

Wondering if this will always be free?  See why free is better.

Main Menu

Subscription forum note (2.0 RC3)

Started by SimpleJoe, July 13, 2010, 12:33:04 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

SimpleJoe

I'm testing the subscription forum feature and everything seems to work quite nicely with paypal, except I noticed that after I marked a test account's subscription as "completed" it did not modify the account within paypal and continued renewing the subscription.

Not sure if this is a fix in the works, otherwise perhaps a note in the admin section that subscriptions must also be canceled within paypal would be helpful.

Hosting Simple Machines since YaBB -- One of the first SMF Forum Hosting providers with Chat and FTP for the inner developer in us all.

Norv

Thank you for reporting this issue.
However, I am not certain this is indeed a SMF problem, instead I think it's PayPal's renewing it automatically. So I'm not entirely certain SMF should document PayPal's behavior... I will not close this issue, though, other opinions are welcome.
To-do lists are for deferral. The more things you write down the later they're done... until you have 100s of lists of things you don't do.

File a security report | Developers' Blog | Bug Tracker


Also known as Norv on D* | Norv N. on G+ | Norv on Github

SimpleJoe

Thank you, here's a scenario which may shed more light:

If someone, like an author, wanted to open a subscription forum and allow people to sign up and pay via paypal through the forum, and they get several thousand subscribers, then the only way to manage cancellations currently would be to manually track who cancels their subscription and then manually login to paypal and end the subscription there.

It seems if SMF can add a subscription to paypal automatically, it should be able to end a subscription once a member cancels within the forum.

Otherwise it would require a lot of manual work to keep it functioning.

I guess that turns this thread into a feature request, hope the developers agree that automating cancelations in paypal is an important part of having a subscription forum.
Hosting Simple Machines since YaBB -- One of the first SMF Forum Hosting providers with Chat and FTP for the inner developer in us all.

Kindred

again... this seems like a PAYPAL issue...  or, more specifically, an issue with how the user signs up (i.e. I sign up with a auto-renewing subscription, it's my fault... not the fault of the subscription site.)
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

SimpleJoe

However, if SMF never sends Paypal a cancellation request, then would that be a paypal issue?

What would inevitably happen is a member would subscribe within SMF, then after they were done with the subscription they would cancel within SMF yet still see new charges from paypal after they canceled, and then complain to the forum owner.

If it is a paypal issue, meaning SMF sends a cancellation request and paypal doesn't process it, then another solution would be to add a note when someone unsubscribes that they must also log into paypal and end the subscription there.

I'm just trying to make it a smooth experience for both the members and forum owner.
Hosting Simple Machines since YaBB -- One of the first SMF Forum Hosting providers with Chat and FTP for the inner developer in us all.

Kindred

as far as I know, SMF does not currently handle cancellations.

In other words, the subscription occurs, but it is up to the USER on the paypal side to determine the recurrence (or turning off recurring payments).

So... this is not, technically a bug, since we never intended to handle cancellations (again, to the best of my knowledge).
This is an appropriate feature request, though... and we're looking at it.
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

PenelopeQ

I'm not sure if I am understanding...so please correct me and clarify.

Here is what it sounds like is being said:
If a user checks "Make this a recurring payment" box when subscribing, it will automatically be  recurring in PayPal. But if the user later changes their mind and cancels the recurring payment--through the forum--it will not automatically be cancelled on the PayPal side...they must also go to PayPal and cancel there?

If that is what you are saying, this is a concern. I know that if I were subscribing and then cancelling, as a user I would not want to go through multiple steps to cancel and I may not even realize that is what I'm supposed to do--even with notifications/warnings. Then I would be upset at the forum business for not refunding my money. Whether it is a PayPal issue or not, the poor reflection is on the forum business/owner.

So if that is the case, is there a way to disable the recurring check box until this is resolved/added as a feature?

Norv

You're right, I would expect the same, that if you cancel the subscription then it will try to cancel it in PayPal as well.
I'll be investigating this issue ASAP.
To-do lists are for deferral. The more things you write down the later they're done... until you have 100s of lists of things you don't do.

File a security report | Developers' Blog | Bug Tracker


Also known as Norv on D* | Norv N. on G+ | Norv on Github

Joshua Dickerson

Come work with me at Promenade Group



Need help? See the wiki. Want to help SMF? See the wiki!

Did you know you can help develop SMF? See us on Github.

How have you bettered the world today?

Arantor


Advertisement: