Community Support Forums

Registration Before Checkout? ( reversing the process )

By default, s2Member will send a Customer directly to PayPal®, and only after checkout is completed does the Customer have the ability to register a Username/Password for access to your site. This process works very well in most cases, and it has the benefit of increasing conversion rates; because there are fewer obstacles for the Customer on their way to the actual checkout process at PayPal®.

That being said, we believe the ideal approach is a combined Checkout/Registration process; in just one simple step ( available with s2Member Pro via PayPal® Pro integration ).

However, even with PayPal® Standard integration, there is a way to accomplish Registration Before Checkout, thereby reversing the process — if you prefer it that way. This is accomplished by turning Open Registration (on), and then making a PayPal® Button available to Free Subscribers at Level #0. In other words, you can let Visitors register for free at Level #0 ( where they have access to very little perhaps ), and then charge them for access to higher Member Levels [1-4]. For further details, please check your WordPress® Dashboard here: s2Member -> General Options -> Open Registration.

s2Member's Simple Conditionals can help you further integrate this process, by allowing you to integrate a special PayPal® Button on your Login Welcome Page; one that will be seen only by Free Subscribers at Level #0. Please check your WordPress® Dashboard under: s2Member -> API Scripting -> Simple Conditionals. We also suggest reading over the documentation on PayPal® Modification Buttons. See: s2Member -> PayPal® Buttons -> Subscription Modifications.

The Subscription Signup/Registration Process

1. Internet Users will go to your Membership Options Page ( which you'll need to configure on the s2Member General Options panel ). On this Membership Options Page, that YOU will create in WordPress®, you'll insert the PayPal® Subscription Buttons that were generated for you by s2Member.

2. An Internet User will click on a PayPal® Subscription Button from your Membership Options Page. They will be transferred over to PayPal® in order to agree to your Membership terms and pricing. You can customize the Checkout Page Style, Pricing, Payment Periods, and more - whenever you generate your PayPal® Buttons through s2Member.

3. Once a User has completed the Subscription Signup Process at PayPal®, they'll be returned to your site, where they'll be activated by s2Member instantly, and given the opportunity to register a Username & Password for their Membership. ( Note: they'll be allowed to register a Username & Password, even if you've set 'Anyone Can Register' to `Off` in your General WordPress® options; because s2Member identifies the User as having paid for Membership access through PayPal® ).

s2Member will also send the User an email with instructions on how to register their Username & Password, just in case they missed the instructions after checkout. That email will be sent to their PayPal® email address. Much of this is handled through the PayPal® IPN service behind-the-scene, where PayPal® and s2Member communicate with each other.

4. Once a User has completed checkout and registered a Username & Password, they'll be able to log in. The first page they'll see after logging in, will be your Login Welcome Page ( which you'll need to configure on the s2Member General Options panel ). Your Login Welcome Page can contain whatever you like. You'll need to design this Page in WordPress®, and be creative!