Subscriptions offer a widely adopted model for businesses to ensure ongoing customer access to products or services. Despite the efficiency of automated recurring payments, disruptions can occur, particularly when a customer’s payment information becomes invalid, leading to failed subscription renewals.
A seamless recurring payment process is crucial for both merchants and customers. For customers, the ability to update payment instruments without service disruptions is essential. Merchants, on the other hand, can proactively address payment declines and maintain customer loyalty, leading to higher LTV when providing flexibility in payment management. Modifying payment details is possible through the payment token update feature for recurring charges. This feature prevents subscription interruptions, whether triggered by card-related issues or a desire to switch to an alternative payment source.
Merchants can elevate their business by implementing payment token updates as it:
- Enhances customer retention
Merchants can effectively address payment issues and prevent subscription cancellations. This fosters customer loyalty and ensures continued revenue streams. - Reduces payment declines
Subscription token update addresses the root causes of payment declines, such as expired cards or insufficient funds. By proactively updating payment information, merchants minimize the risk of declines, ensuring a positive payment experience for customers and access to services they value. - Streamlines payment management
Token update streamlines the payment management process for merchants. This frees up time for merchants to focus on other business-critical tasks, improving operational efficiency. - Grants flexibility to customers
Customers can switch payment methods, ensuring uninterrupted access to their favorite products or services. This eliminates the need for cancellations, reduces their effort, and minimizes the risk of errors without repeatedly entering card details.
Ultimately, implementing the payment token update simplifies payment processes, enhances customer satisfaction, and contributes to a more consistent and secure recurring payment experience.
Via API To enable subscription payment method changes, merchants need to set up the payment token update flow. The update requires two subsequent API calls:- API call to the Auth0 endpoint to receive an updated token (card or APM):
- Merchants who do not have PCI DSS certification make a call through the Solidgate
Payment Form,
Payment Page
or
Payment Link.
If the merchant wants to use
zero-amount authorization,
the
amountfield in the request must equal 0 . - Merchants with PCI DSS certification make an API call using:
- Create a payment token method for PayPal.
- Charge API , recurring API , resign API , Google Pay API or Apple Pay API method with zero-amount authorization.
- Merchants who do not have PCI DSS certification make a call through the Solidgate
Payment Form,
Payment Page
or
Payment Link.
If the merchant wants to use
zero-amount authorization,
the
- API call to the
update token endpoint
API
with the following parameters:
tokensubscription_id
The entire process unfolds as follows:
- The customer or merchant initiates the update of the customer’s payment method.
- Merchant makes an API call to the Auth0 endpoint depending on the payment option they employed for payment processing.
- The merchant receives a new token for the customer’s payment method.
- To complete the update process, the merchant makes another API call to the update token endpoint, providing the new
tokenandsubscription_idas parameters. - Solidgate saves the received token for further recurring payments.
With the updated payment information securely in place, further recurring payments ensure active subscription and customer’s continued access to products or services.