Subscription options as Product Modifiers

This article covers how BigCommerce Checkout Integration uses modifiers on BigCommerce to store and track subscription information.

📘

Platform:

  • BigCommerce Checkout Integration

Configure your product

One of the defining features on BigCommerce is the existence of modifiers, which are product options that can be added on a product that do not track inventory. Instead of adding subscription information using a local storage vuex cart, Recharge subscription information will be stored as BigCommerce modifiers on a product. This means there’s more native functionality that’s supported out of the box on BigCommerce.

After you add a product to Recharge, Recharge will create the modifier via API on your corresponding BigCommerce product.

Modifier is added to Subscription product created in Recharge

Modifier is added to Subscription product created in Recharge

The following is an example of what that looks like in the BigCommerce Product Object JSON:

{
    "data": {
        "id": 124,
        "name": "Subscription Only",
        "type": "physical",
        "sku": "subonly-textmod",
        "description": "product configuration:  -sub only product",
        "weight": 22,
        "width": 0,
        "depth": 0,
        "height": 0,
        "price": 88.88,
        "cost_price": 0,
        "retail_price": 0,
        "sale_price": 0,
        "map_price": 0,
        "tax_class_id": 0,
        "product_tax_code": "",
        "calculated_price": 88.88,
        "categories": [
            25
        ],
        "brand_id": 0,
        "option_set_id": 19,
        "option_set_display": "right",
        "inventory_level": 0,
        "inventory_warning_level": 0,
        "inventory_tracking": "none",
        "reviews_rating_sum": 0,
        "reviews_count": 0,
        "total_sold": 44,
        "fixed_cost_shipping_price": 0,
        "is_free_shipping": false,
        "is_visible": true,
        "is_featured": false,
        "related_products": [
            -1
        ],
        "warranty": "",
        "bin_picking_number": "",
        "layout_file": "product.html",
        "upc": "",
        "mpn": "",
        "gtin": "",
        "search_keywords": "",
        "availability": "available",
        "availability_description": "",
        "gift_wrapping_options_type": "any",
        "gift_wrapping_options_list": [],
        "sort_order": 0,
        "condition": "New",
        "is_condition_shown": false,
        "order_quantity_minimum": 0,
        "order_quantity_maximum": 0,
        "page_title": "Subscription Only w Custom Text Modifier",
        "meta_keywords": [],
        "meta_description": "",
        "date_created": "2022-06-13T17:51:19+00:00",
        "date_modified": "2022-12-16T05:05:36+00:00",
        "view_count": 307,
        "preorder_release_date": null,
        "preorder_message": "",
        "is_preorder_only": false,
        "is_price_hidden": false,
        "price_hidden_label": "",
        "custom_url": {
            "url": "/subscription-only-w-custom-text-modifier/",
            "is_customized": true
        },
        "base_variant_id": 95,
        "open_graph_type": "product",
        "open_graph_title": "",
        "open_graph_description": "",
        "open_graph_use_meta_description": true,
        "open_graph_use_product_name": true,
        "open_graph_use_image": true,
        "variants": [
            {
                "id": 95,
                "product_id": 124,
                "sku": "subonly-textmod",
                "sku_id": null,
                "price": 88.88,
                "calculated_price": 88.88,
                "sale_price": 0,
                "retail_price": 0,
                "map_price": 0,
                "weight": 22,
                "width": 0,
                "height": 0,
                "depth": 0,
                "is_free_shipping": false,
                "fixed_cost_shipping_price": 0,
                "calculated_weight": 22,
                "purchasing_disabled": false,
                "purchasing_disabled_message": "",
                "image_url": "https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-6drw61lti6/products/124/images/387/subonly-text__07078__98648.1655142679.386.513.jpg?c=1",
                "cost_price": 0,
                "upc": "",
                "mpn": "",
                "gtin": "",
                "inventory_level": 0,
                "inventory_warning_level": 0,
                "bin_picking_number": "",
                "option_values": []
            }
        ],
        "modifiers": [
            {
                "id": 223,
                "product_id": 124,
                "name": "Subscribe1681776111-124",
                "display_name": "Subscribe",
                "type": "dropdown",
                "required": true,
                "sort_order": 0,
                "config": [],
                "option_values": [
                    {
                        "id": 303,
                        "option_id": 223,
                        "label": "Delivery every: 1 month",
                        "sort_order": 1,
                        "value_data": null,
                        "is_default": false,
                        "adjusters": {
                            "price": {
                                "adjuster": "percentage",
                                "adjuster_value": 0
                            },
                            "weight": null,
                            "image_url": "",
                            "purchasing_disabled": {
                                "status": false,
                                "message": ""
                            }
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "id": 306,
                        "option_id": 223,
                        "label": "Delivery every: 2 month",
                        "sort_order": 2,
                        "value_data": null,
                        "is_default": false,
                        "adjusters": {
                            "price": {
                                "adjuster": "percentage",
                                "adjuster_value": 0
                            },
                            "weight": null,
                            "image_url": "",
                            "purchasing_disabled": {
                                "status": false,
                                "message": ""
                            }
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "id": 308,
                        "option_id": 223,
                        "label": "Delivery every: 3 month",
                        "sort_order": 3,
                        "value_data": null,
                        "is_default": false,
                        "adjusters": {
                            "price": {
                                "adjuster": "percentage",
                                "adjuster_value": 0
                            },
                            "weight": null,
                            "image_url": "",
                            "purchasing_disabled": {
                                "status": false,
                                "message": ""
                            }
                        }
                    }
                ]
            }
        ]
    },
    "meta": {}
}

Modifier configuration

Depending on the type of subscription product, the configuration of the modifier will change.

Recharge product typeBigCommerce modifier configurationNotes
One-time and subscriptionOptionalIf you have a subscribe and save discount, the modifier rules will reflect that discount.
Subscription onlyRequiredThis includes both subscription only and prepaid products

How the product page works

If a customer selects the subscription product in the product page, the price will update according to which modifier option value was selected as the price rules exist on the BigCommerce product.

There is no front-end script injection that is changing the product price. Recharge styles the modifier into the Recharge widget, but this can be disabled. Refer to Customizing the subscription widget for more information on how to customize your subscription widget.


Need Help? Contact Us