mandatory minimum subscription length

I’m looking to implement s2member and trying to figure out if it handles a particular situation. Monthly Subscription plan calls for a minimum 3 months, after which they can cancel anytime.

After a little research, I concluded that using the free plugin with Paypal subscriptions wouldn’t work because the user would be able to end the subscription in PayPal whenever they wanted.

With the Pro version along with PayPal Pro, is it possible to prevent cancellation in the first 3 months?

Well, if you get them in the subscription and not give them a way to modify it until the 3rd month, although they should be able to cancel it, there wouldn’t be an interface in your site for it. And you’d have to only do it with cards, not PayPal accounts, because then they’d have an interface to manage it.

[hilite path]Dashboard -› s2Member® -› PayPal® Pro Forms -› Billing Cancellation Forms[/hilite]
[hilite path]Dashboard -› s2Member® -› API / Scripting -› Content Dripping[/hilite]

I’m not completely sure, but I think they don’t have an interface other than the cancellation pro-form you give. I’ll email Jason asking.

I’d worry about complaints to their banks about it if they wanted to cancel and they couldn’t, and you having trouble for it, though.

I hope that helps.

Actually, PayPal Pro subscriptions have changed recently, so I’d wait on that, or just use Authorize.Net, if you’re not going to be accepting PayPal accounts anyway.

What changed recently? Something on PayPal’s side or something with s2member use of the PayPal Pro API?

I understand what you’re saying about complaints, but that is not my decision. Goal is to make it like an installment plan for 3 months … Then month to month access. It would all be explained in the purchase agreement and laid out in the membership plans.

As for pro forms being the only method of cancellation, I think you’re right after reading through this PayPal Pro API article on recurring payments:

https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=developer/e_howto_api_WPRecurringPayments

Since s2member uses the API and not Express Checkout, there is no PayPal generated cancellation screen.

I suppose I will need to block Paypal Aacount as a payment method and only accept CC through PayPal Pro.

No, it changed on PayPal’s side, the service that gives PayPal Pro the recurring payments. Jason is working on a PayFlow integration now. http://www.s2member.com/forums/topic/paypal-payments-pro-and-payflow-pro/#post-12360