Trial Period (Free or Discounted)

Sometimes when offering a new paid membership or subscription, you want to let people sign up now, but not charge them until some fixed date in the future, because all the content isn't going to be available until then. Or just as a promo.

The trial period option allows you to accomplish this. By telling this system how many days after you purchase before you want to begin charging the customer. 

What happens when a trial period ends?

When the trial period ends, your customer will be charged for the continued subscription if they haven't already canceled. If you have a minimum commitment period that period will begin now preventing them from canceling on their own. 

You may also want to set up a notification email letting them know their subscription is going to end. Below is the step by step instructions for creating such a notification. 

Free Trial on a Subscription Price

1. Select Products from your Simplero Dashboard
2. In the Products tab, locate and select the product you want to offer the price on
3. Select the Prices tab
4. Add a new list price by clicking the white "Add a list price" button on the left-hand side under the List Prices or the blue + Add a price button in the upper right corner
   
   
5. Complete all relevant fields for the base price as if there is one participant/license being purchased and any other relevant fields such as campaign availability, number of subscriptions available, or restrictions such as having to be on a list or another product first. 
   
   
6. In the Type of price section, select the Subscription option
   
   
7. In the Amounts section, input the number of days/weeks/months/years you want them to have free access under the Optional free trial before the recurring payments begin. At the end of those days, their payments will begin based on what you put in the "Amount for each recurring period" field. 
   
   
8. Complete any other relevant fields such as campaign availability, number of subscriptions available, or restrictions such as having to be on a list or another product first. 
9. Click the Create price button

Discounted Trial on a Subscription

1. Select Products from your Simplero Dashboard
2. From the Products tab, select the product you want to offer the subscription price 
3. Select the Prices tab
4. Add a secret price by clicking the white "Add a list price" button on the left-hand side under the List Prices or the blue + Add a price button in the upper right corner
   
   
5. Complete all relevant fields for the subscription price such as Name, Type of price, Amounts, etc.
   
   
6. In the Type of price section, select the Subscription option
   
   
7. In the Amounts section, enter the amount of the trial period and time your participant will have access for after paying this amount in the field titled "How long does this give access for"
   
   
8. Click the Create price button
9. Go back to the List Prices screen, select and edit the price you've just added
10. Scroll down to the Subscription periods section and click the Pencil icon to edit the price
    
    
11. In the Edit subscription period pop-up screen, enter 1 in the box titled Repeat how many times before the price or duration changes
12. Click the Save changes button
13. Going back to the Subscription periods section, click the + Add an installment for this period button just below that price
    
    
14. Complete the fields in the Installment pop-up screen and click the Save changes button
    
    
15. Scroll down to the bottom and click the Save changes button

Please note your payment processor may have a minimum charge. For example, Stripe requires a minimum $0.50 payment. 

Free Trial on a Purchase

1. Select Products from your Simplero Dashboard
2. From the Products tab, select a product you want to offer campaign pricing
3. Select the Prices tab
4. Click the + Add a price button in the top right corner or the + Add a list price button on the bottom of the List Prices section
   
   
5. You will be directed to the price creations screen. Set up all your price settings such as Name, Type of price, Amounts, etc.
   
   
6. In the Type of price section, choose the Purchase as the type of price
   
   
7. In the Amounts section, enter the amount $0, the number of installment (min. 1), the amount for each of the following installments, and enter in How long between each installment. This time amount should be the time you want to offer a free trial for. (If your free trial is less time than what is between the installment payments then only put in 1 and continue to follow the steps)
   
   
8. Finish filling in any other relevant fields to your list price and click the Create price button
9. If they get a free trial and have 1 installment to purchase or if the free trial period matches their installment periods then you are done and can activate your price. If the installment period is more time than you are giving in the free trial then continue on. 
10. Go back to the List Prices screen, select and edit the price you've just added
11. Scroll down to the Subscription periods section and click the Pencil icon to edit the price
    
    
12. In the Edit subscription period pop-up screen, enter 1 in the box titled Repeat how many times before the price or duration changes
13. Click the Save changes button
14. Going back to the Subscription periods section, click the + Add an installment for this period button just below that price
    
    
15. Complete the fields in the Installment pop-up screen and click the Save changes button
    
    
16. Scroll down to the bottom and click the Save changes button

Please note your payment processor may have a minimum charge. For example, Stripe requires $0.50 payment so you would not be able to offer a free trial on a purchase and utilize stripe. But you could offer a 50 cent trial, and then discount the first payment by 50 cents for it to even out. 

Discounted trial on a purchase