5
Set Number of Recurrences in a Subscription
under review
Ben Meredith
Some users want the ability to allow the donor to select how many recurrences in a subscription for recurring donations. It's not possible currently.
Ben Meredith
We debated internally (and researched extensively) including an option allowing donors to choose how long a donation recurs, and we decided against it for a couple of reasons.
First, we have the ability for an organization to set a specific time-limited subscription if needed, by creating an admin-defined recurring form. That covers nearly every need for having to set a specific amount of recurrences (annual membership? make a recurring form that recurs monthly for 12 months!).
Second, allowing the donor to be the one to choose the number of recurrences at the time of initial donation will lead invariably to less donations, as it increases friction on the transaction. It makes the donor evaluate future reality in addition to current reality. "Am I still going to be able to afford $___ this time next year?" is not what you want a donor contemplating at the moment of commitment. You want instead to assure donors that they can cancel anytime. Reduce friction.
A final bonus reason that we don't offer that functionality is that very few of our competitors do, and very few folks have asked us for it.
If this post gets a bunch of interest, we might be persuaded to change our minds!
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Ben Meredith
under review
We're still open to looking into this, and using this feedback as a gauge to see how much interest there is! Vote and comment here!
C
Chris Yerges
I do think the ability for an admin to better dictate reoccuing terms would be very helpful. Im working on a capital campaign for a new chapter facility for my fraternity chapter. Our giving levels are set for 5 years (ie $10,000 total given over 5 years). Right now I can not properly set this up because of the limitations on the back end. I would love to have the ability to say here is the giving level... its going to be capitalized in 5 years.. would you like to pay? annually, quarterly, monthly? etc.. and let the donor choose how often withdrawals are made. All I can do now is set a fixed monthly payment with no cut off and "catch it" when the total amount has been recieved to cancel it.
Ben Meredith
We debated internally (and researched extensively) including an option allowing donors to choose how long a donation recurs, and we decided against it for a couple of reasons.
First, we have the ability for an organization to set a specific time-limited subscription if needed, by creating an admin-defined recurring form. That covers nearly every need for having to set a specific amount of recurrences (annual membership? make a recurring form that recurs monthly for 12 months!).
Second, allowing the donor to be the one to choose the number of recurrences at the time of initial donation will lead invariably to less donations, as it increases friction on the transaction. It makes the donor evaluate future reality in addition to current reality. "Am I still going to be able to afford $___ this time next year?" is not what you want a donor contemplating at the moment of commitment. You want instead to assure donors that they can cancel anytime. Reduce friction.
A final bonus reason that we don't offer that functionality is that very few of our competitors do, and very few folks have asked us for it.
If this post gets a bunch of interest, we might be persuaded to change our minds!