We know you know this. Getting customers is hard.
The built in automatic recurring billing that MemberGate has is great to keep an active relationship between you and your members. Since it is difficult enough, we try our best to not let outside forces influence your member's subscription to your site. Which outside force can wreak havoc on unwitting members? Changes to the member's credit card, of course!
How MemberGate Already Helps
Also, if it is close to the time to automatically renew the member, the system will check if the credit card has an expired date. If so, the system will email the 'Account Expiration Message' which is found in 'Edit Member Plans' to remind the member to update their credit card (or to manually renew).
How Stripe Helps
Stripe has a function that they call Smarter saved cards. The Stripe system is connected to the credit card companies of your members. When a member's credit card information has been changed, those changes are automatically sent to their details that are stored with Stripe. This allows the credit card information to always be up to date.
Setup so the Credit Card Information on MemberGate Matches the Information on Stripe
Because the information is changed at Stripe, it is then also important to push that information through to your member's account on your MemberGate site. As stated above, MemberGate sends your members information about updating their credit cards, it's important that the credit card expiration date also matches what is in Stripe.
Setup A Webhook at Stripe so Everything is Connected
In order for the Smarter saved cards option to also update the credit card data on your MemberGate site, it is necessary to setup a webhook at Stripe. This process only has to happen once, and I promise that it'll be really easy.
Follow these Steps (or checkout the Graphical Tutorial):
- Login to your Stripe account
- From the left menu choose 'API'
- Click on the 'Webhooks' option at the top
- Click the '+ Add Endpoint' button on the top right
- Set the URL:
https://www.YOURDOMAIN.com/public/programs/stripe_notification.cfm - Set the Send Options:
Live Events
Choose the Latest Webhook Version
Send All Event Types
Once and Done
You do only have to connect that webhook one time. After that is set up, anytime a credit card is automatically updated at Stripe, it will also be updated in your member's account on your MemberGate site. This means, unless your member needs to change credit cards or has a billing failure, a recurring member would never have to update their credit card information or manually renew - even when their card expires.