Magazine Membership Model

[silverscape]

I am seeking advice on how to implement a similar model to the one presented below for various MAGAZINE-orientated multi-year subscription & renewal options similar to the one that current resides on the following site of mine:

The Multihulls Magazine (electronic URL delivery only; not PDF)
http://www.multihullsmag.com/subscribe.aspx

***********************
PRIMARY FEATURES
************************
1 Year / 6 issues: $19.99
2 year / 12 issues: $29.99
Single issue: $3.95
Gift / promotions: pending
Renewal options: Auto-renew at the end of each SUBSCRIPTION.
Back issues: Purchase seperately; if you purchase sub above it works for current issue and going forward.

************************
Current technology
************************

* Using Zmags as digital publishing platform: e.g URL:
March/April 11 - http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/51a74967

************************************
AFTER PURCHASE/CHECKOUT
Customer sees the following
************************************

Congratulations! Here are issues in your e.g. 1 year subscription:

Issue/edition | Status | Release on | URL
Jan / Feb Issue | Released| Jan 15, 2011 |http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/49b62a66
Mar / Apr Issue | Released| Jan 15, 2011 | http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/51a74967
May / Jun Issue | Released| n.a | pending
Jul / Aug Issue | Released| n.a | pending
Sept / Oct Issue | Released| n.a | pending
Nov / Dec Issue | Released| n.a | pending

Notes: As each issue is released, we update the zmag url in the backend.

***************
Challenge:
**************

Currently have custom shopping cart / checkout process on our site in c#/aspx. Thus after purchase in this system you are presented with published zmag urls as demo'd above.

Wish to simplify this process by e.g. using WP membership integration but still maintain zmag as publishing platform for the finished URLS. User gets access URLS after purchasing; not PDF. Otherwise, may need to consider leaving zmags and going with e.g. Zinio at higher costs.

*************
Curve Balls
**************
Most membership programs / subscription models outside seem to lack capability to dynamically allocate the published urls after checkout process is complete. Thus if a user purchases a 1 year sub on January 1, 2011. He should be presented similar to this after a user has purchased a sub; guidance only: I may simply be misunderstanding the options open to me in this plugin?

*********************************
REVIEWED THESE THREADS
*********************************

Magazine subs general
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keywords=magazine+subscription

Multi-year subscriptions
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2626&p=7507&hilit=magazine+subscription#p7507

Possibility of Magazine membership model
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1340&p=5323#p5092

*************
QUESTION
*************
Has anyone elegantly pulled off something similar to the business model or technical set up that I have suggested above using this plugin?

If so examples and feedback would be very much appreciated.

Best Regards
Jason Stevens

[Cristián Lávaque]

Hi Jason.

When someone subscribes and gets some issues, after he stops paying, should he still have access to the issues he paid for or will that be removed?

[silverscape]

Hey Cristian,

Good question!

He should still have access; that seems to be the fair thing to do. If he wants backissues this would be a seperate process or workflow which is not necessary for this discussion!

Cheers
Jason

[Cristián Lávaque]

Cool. I agree it's the fair way to deal with it.

OK, I don't know what others have implemented, but here's what I think:

Levels will not work for you because they'd give access to all the content for that level, so you can't segment on a per-issue basis as you need to do.

Content dripping is also not a solution, because the issues they pay for may be random, not in a single time bracket. So start and end time of the subscription is not enough, and if they renew subscription after a year without it, that would also be a problem.

What I suggest is that you go with custom capabilities. Learn about them here:
WP Admin -> s2Member -> API / Scripting -> Custom Capabilities
http://www.s2member.com/custom-capabilities-video/

If someone buys a particular issue, he'd get the custom capability for it in his account. These custom capabilities could be named after each issue and added to the accounts that are active each time a new issue comes out.

This automatic addition of the custom capability for each issue will have to be done with a custom script, though, because s2Member doesn't do it by default. viewforum.php?f=37

Does this help?

[silverscape]

Hy Cristian -- thanks -- well, yes and no.

1. Supposing if we simplified this and did not offer access to previously purchased issues (in sub) if he stops paying. Does this simplify an alternative solution?

2. wIth regards custom capabilities would this be 'dynamic' or would I have to manually 'add' something to his account each time his issue comes in. I did watch the video but I am still a bit confused as to how you solution works

3. Finally, I don't want to get blacklisted from this forum but over the weekend I also found this competitor plugin for wordpress which seems to have a stronger, more focused method in dealing with 1 year subs; 2 years subs etc renewals. http://www.sumaplugin.com/ Would you be able to honestly comment if that would be a better route rather than 'advanced' configuration via the 'custom capabilities' for our magazine orientated requirements.?

Thanks mate
Jason

[Cristián Lávaque]

Hmm...

1. Not really, I think you will need to use custom capabilities to do it right, if I understand correctly what you want.

2. Not dynamic by default, but it doesn't have to be manual for each account, though. You could create a little custom script to add the new issue's custom capability to all the active subscriptions when you publish. It shouldn't be very complicated.

3. Not a problem, you're asking an honest question, not trolling or pitching. I honestly didn't know about it until you I read your post. I watched the video they have in the homepage and browsed the website a little. I did see a mention of "magazines", so maybe they have something more custom for that application, but I can't tell for sure. What did you see that you think is stronger for subscriptions in that plugin? I'm interested.