How subscriptions work

A subscription repeats one product on a schedule. Bakebug creates each new order automatically, so you only have to fulfill it.

1. Set up the product

1. Open the product and go to Purchase Options.
2. Turn on Allow Subscriptions. Leave Allow One-Time Purchases on if customers can also buy it once.
3. Choose Allowed Frequencies: Weekly, Every 2 weeks and/or Monthly.
4. Optional: a subscription Discount (shown to customers as "Subscribe & Save") and Subscriber Notes shown at signup.
5. Choose the Payment Method:
   • Manual — the customer pays each order the usual way (cash, e-transfer and so on).
   • Automatic (Square) — the customer saves a card and it's charged for each order. Square must be connected and enabled with the permissions it asks for. If it isn't, customers can't check out this product.
   • Both — the customer chooses. If automatic billing isn't available, it falls back to manual.

2. How customers subscribe Customers choose a frequency on the product and check out. A subscription has to be checked out on its own, one at a time. The first order is placed at checkout.

You can also add a subscription to a quote: add the item, then turn on Set as Subscription and choose a frequency. When the customer accepts, a manual subscription starts right away. An automatic one shows Awaiting Authorization until the customer saves a card on their order page. You can copy that link from the Subscriptions list.

3. How the next orders are created

• Each order is created your Lead Days before its fulfillment date (the product's own lead time if it has one). That gives you time to prepare and the customer time to pay.
• For automatic subscriptions, the saved card is charged then when the order total is above $0. A $0 occurrence is created as paid without a card charge or an unpaid payment schedule. If the charge fails, the order is still created and marked Payment Due. Collect payment on the order.
• If the date is blocked or stock is short, the order isn't created and the subscription shows Needs Attention. Open it to fix the date, or create the order anyway. In Subscription Settings you can make new subscriptions ignore stock limits or fulfillment constraints by default.

4. Manage subscriptions Open one from Subscriptions to:

• Skip or Reschedule Occurrence (change the date)
• Execute Now (create the next order early)
• Pause Subscription, Resume Subscription or Cancel Subscription

Customers can skip deliveries, pause, resume or cancel from their order page. Changes that land inside the lead-day window apply from the delivery after next.

Customer reminders before each order are set in Messaging (Upcoming Subscription Order — Email and — SMS). To keep Square for subscriptions (and Sell In Person) but not regular online orders, turn on Subscriptions & Sell In Person under Business → Payment Methods → Square. You'll also need Cash/Other enabled for regular orders (see Set up payment methods).