Introduction

Since 19 June 2026, EU Directive (EU) 2023/2673 requires anyone selling online to EU consumers, subscription or one-off, to offer a "withdrawal button": a clearly labelled, easy-to-find way for customers to withdraw from a contract made online, without logging in.

circuly's Order Revocation feature lets you offer this directly from your Self-Service Portal environment, so you can meet the new requirement without custom development.

Feature overview

Order Revocation allows your customers to withdraw from an order by simply submitting their email address and order number, no login required. This is different from a normal cancellation made through the Customer Self-Service Portal, which requires the customer to log in first. Two things make this compliant with the new EU rule.

1. Easy accessibility

The withdrawal option needs to be visible and easy to find, not buried behind a login page.

We recommend adding a clearly labelled text (for example "Withdraw order") to your website footer and/or header.

The text has the link to the withdrawl form behind it.

circuly also adds a withdrawal link to the order confirmation page, so customers see it right after checkout as well.

2. No login required

The link points to a dedicated withdrawal form on your white-label circuly Self-Service Portal, not to the portal's login page. On this form, the customer only enters their email address and order number to check their order.

3. Withdrawal window

The withdrawal option is only available while the order is still within its legal withdrawal period. If a customer tries to withdraw after this period, the withdrawal simply isn't possible.

Prerequisite

1. Fulfilled status for orders: Before you begin, please keep in mind that you should only use this feature if you use the "Fulfilled" status in circuly since the withdrawal feature relies on the Fulfilled status in the circuly Hub.

If you don't use the Fulfilled status in your workflow, we recommend not enabling this feature, as the withdrawal window can't be calculated correctly.

Without a reliable Fulfilled date, all orders, regardless of whether they're actually still within their legal withdrawal window, would remain eligible for revocation, which isn't correct.

2. Early cancellation period: Please make sure that you've set a value for the early cancellation period in your settings. Read the article on the early cancellation period if you haven't set it up yet.

Step-by-step setup guide

To enable and configure Order Revocation, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings > Self-Service Portal > Features > Allow Order Revocation and enable the switch.

• Go to Settings > Order > Cancellation > Withdrawal Buffer and add a numeric value (in days).

What is the withdrawl buffer?

The withdrawal buffer accounts for your delivery window.

Most merchants have a standard delivery time, for example 5–7 days. Since the legal withdrawal period only starts once a customer actually receives their order, and circuly doesn't track exact delivery dates, the buffer is added on top of your order's Fulfilled status to approximate when delivery happens.

In practice: withdrawal window = withdrawal buffer + statutory withdrawal period (your early cancellation period), counted from the date the order enters Fulfilled status.

Example: a 5-day buffer plus a 14-day statutory withdrawal period gives customers 19 days from the order's Fulfilled date to submit a withdrawal.

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• Go to your customer Self-Service Portal login page. Next to the one-time password button, you'll now see an additional button called Revoke your order. Click it to open the withdrawal form, then copy the URL from your browser.

Alternatively, a simpler way to get this link is to take your Self-Service Portal login URL and replace auth/login with public/revoke.

For example, if your login URL is https://subscription.circuly.io/en/auth/login?company_id=5550-37496638dl, your revoke URL is https://subscription.circuly.io/en/public/revoke (with or without the company ID)

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• Use this URL as the link behind your "withdraw" text in your footer, header, or wherever else you add it.

Customer journey & steps for making a withdrawal

• The customer goes to your website and clicks the withdrawal link, wherever you've placed it (footer, header, etc.).
• The link takes them to the withdrawal form on your circuly Self-Service Portal.

• The customer enters their email address and order number on the form, then clicks Check order.

• If eligible, the customer sees the order they're withdrawing from and can optionally add a withdrawal reason. Once confirmed, they see a confirmation screen.

• If the withdrawal window has passed, the customer sees a message that withdrawal is no longer possible.
• If the withdrawal has already been made for the order, the customer sees a note that that the order has already been cancelled.

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What happens in the background in circuly

1. Validating the withdrawal request

When the customer clicks Check order after entering their email address and order number, circuly checks in the background whether the withdrawal request is valid.

Validity is based on the following calculation: withdrawal window = withdrawal buffer + statutory withdrawal period (defined in your settings as the early cancellation period).

2. Sending the order cancellation email

After a successful withdrawal, the customer receives the order cancellation email from circuly's email templates. If you've added the order cancellation reason and cancellation date variables to that template, the withdrawal reason appears in the email too. You'll also see the revoke reason on the order in the circuly Hub.

3. Refunding the payment

If any payments were charged for the order, they're automatically refunded to the customer's original payment method.

Introduction

In circuly, cancellation requests can be processed in two different ways, depending on whether a subscription is already active for the order. Understanding the difference is essential to correctly manage product returns and maintain accurate records.

This guide explains:

• When to cancel an order
• When to set a subscription to “pending return”
• Where to cancel orders in the circuly Hub

Feature Overview

Order cancellations in circuly follow two paths:

Subscription has been created: Do not cancel the order → Set status to Pending Return

‍No subscription has been created (e.g. change of mind, cancellation within return period): Cancel the order in circuly Hub

When a subscription is active, cancelling the order is not recommended—you’re expected to get the product back, and the return flow must be triggered. Use the Pending Return status instead.

To learn more about marking a subscription as pending return, refer to the linked guide: How to Set Subscription Status to Pending Return

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Step-by-Step Guide

You can cancel an order from two places in the circuly Hub:

Option 1: Cancel an Order from the Orders Tab

• Log in to the circuly Hub
• Navigate to Orders
• Select the relevant order from the Order List
• Click the three-dot menu in the top right
• Click on Cancel Order

In the Cancel Order popup:

• Optional: Add a message to customer (sent via email)
• Mandatory: Check the box for "I understand the consequences"
• Click CANCEL THIS ORDER

Upon cancellation, the subscription status will automatically be set to Pending Return, and the return process will begin.

If the product was never shipped:

• Go to Returns tab
• Locate the subscription → Click Mark as returned.

This skips the physical return flow and closes the loop. A success message will confirm the cancellation, and the order status will update to Cancelled.

Option 2: Cancel an Order from the Customers Tab

• Go to Customers
• Select a customer from the Customer List
• In the Customer Detail View, navigate to the Orders section
• Click on the three-dot menu next to the order
• Click Cancel Order

In the Cancel Order popup:

• Optional: Add a message to customer
• Optional: Choose Fully refund this order
• Mandatory: Check "I understand the consequences"
• Click Cancel order

A success message will confirm the cancellation, and the order status will update to Cancelled

Additional Settings

• Email Templates: If you add a message in the “Message to customer” field, it will be sent automatically using circuly’s configured email templates.
• Refund Checkbox: Not required for the cancellation to proceed but helpful if you want to automate refunds in the same action.
• Return Workflow Trigger: Always triggered if a subscription was active, even if the product hasn't left your warehouse.

What Happens Next

• The order status updates to Cancelled
• The subscription status updates to Pending Return
• A return is expected (unless manually marked as returned)
• Any messages you entered are emailed to the customer
• Refunds are processed if selected

This ensures both the customer and your team have clarity on the cancellation process, and all systems stay in sync.

Traditionally, circuly syncs product and variant information from a connected shop system such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Saleor and more. 

This works well for businesses that rely on an eCommerce storefront to manage and display their product catalogue. However, the way businesses build and operate their digital infrastructure is changing.

More and more companies are going headless, decoupling their frontend experience from the backend, or building fully custom shops powered by their own tech stack. 

In many of these setups, there is no conventional shop system acting as the source of truth for product data, which means the standard sync approach doesn't apply.

Beyond technical architecture, there is another common scenario: businesses that don't operate an online store at all. 

This is especially true in B2B contexts, where subscription orders are created manually and on demand directly from the backend, with no customer-facing eCommerce flow involved. For these businesses, maintaining a separate shop system purely to feed product data creates unnecessary overhead.

The Create Product feature is built specifically for these use cases. It allows you to create products and their variants directly inside the circuly Hub no external shop system required.

Feature Overview

With this feature, you can build and manage your product catalogue entirely within circuly.

Products created in the Hub behave the same way as synced products: they can be used for creating subscription orders, assigned to product collections, and managed from the circuly Hub.

This makes the circuly Hub a fully self-contained environment for businesses that operate without a traditional eCommerce storefront, or for teams that need to add products quickly without going through an external system.

Key things you can do with this feature:

• Create products with all relevant details including title, SKU, and pricing
• Upload a product thumbnail via URL
• Create and manage product variants under a parent product
• Control whether a product is active for subscription orders
• Control whether orders for the product can be created directly from the circuly Hub
• Assign products to product collections for better organisation

Step-by-step guide

To create a product in the circuly Hub, follow these steps:

• In your circuly Hub, navigate to the Products tab in the left navigation bar.
• Click on the + Create Product button.

• In the Create Product window, fill in the required details. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be completed before the product can be saved.

• Click Save to create the product. It will now appear in your product list.

Explanation of input fields

Title*

The name of the product. This is used internally and may also be visible depending on your setup.

SKU*

The Stock Keeping Unit identifier for the product. Each product and variant should have a unique SKU to ensure accurate tracking and order management.

Price*

The rental or subscription price for the product. This is the amount that will be used when creating subscription orders for this product from the Hub.

Thumbnail Image

You can add a product image by entering a valid image URL. The image will be displayed as a thumbnail in the product list and in the order creation view, making it easier to identify products at a glance.

Active

This toggle is enabled by default. When active, the product is available for use in subscription orders. Disabling this switch deactivates the product, preventing it from being selected when creating new orders — without permanently deleting it.

Allow Order Create

When this switch is enabled, it is possible to create a subscription order for this product directly from the circuly Hub using the Create Order feature. This is particularly useful for businesses that manage their subscription operations entirely from the backend. If disabled, the product exists in the system but cannot be selected during manual order creation. Learn more about creating orders in the circuly Hub.

Product Variants

Similar to how variants work with synced products, products created in the Hub can have multiple variants. A variant represents a specific version of a product,  for example, different sizes, colours, or configurations, each with its own SKU and pricing.

Product Collections

Products created directly in the Hub can be assigned to product collections, just like synced products. Collections help you organise your catalogue into logical groups, which is useful for reporting, filtering, and order management within the circuly Operations Backend.

To assign a product to a collection, select the relevant collection when creating or editing the product.

How products created in the Hub interact with other circuly modules

Once a product has been created in the circuly Hub, it becomes available across several other circuly modules and workflows — the same way a synced product would behave.

circuly Store Connect

circuly Store Connect is the in-store module that allows store staff to create subscription orders on behalf of customers at any point of sale, without needing access to the full circuly Hub. Products created directly in the Hub are available for selection in Store Connect, making it possible for businesses without an online store to also equip their physical retail staff with everything they need to create orders on the spot.

Create Order and Create Quote

Products created in the Hub can be selected when creating an order or quote directly from the circuly Hub via the Draft Order feature. These two options work differently:

• Create Quote sends the customer a PDF quote along with a pre-filled checkout link. The order stays in draft until the customer completes checkout and adds their payment details. Alternatively, the order can be confirmed immediately using the customer's existing payment method.
• Create Order directly creates and confirms an order without any action required from the customer. Payment is either charged via the customer's existing payment method, or handled by invoice — in which case the payment needs to be manually marked as settled.

In both flows, the circuly checkout operates independently of any external eCommerce storefront, so customers can review their order and complete payment regardless of whether a shop system is in place.

Vouchers

Product-specific vouchers created in the circuly Hub can be applied to products created directly in the Hub, just as they would for synced products. This means discount campaigns and targeted promotions remain fully available even without an external shop system.

Self-Service Portal

Subscriptions tied to products created in the Hub are fully manageable through the circuly Self-Service Portal. Customers can view their subscription details, request cancellations, update payment details, and download invoices — all without any additional configuration required on the product side.

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Use cases

Headless and custom-built storefronts

If your shop frontend is built on a custom stack or a headless architecture, you may not have a traditional shop system managing your product data. Instead of setting up a third-party integration purely to sync products, you can create and manage them directly in circuly.

Businesses without an online store

If your business model involves creating subscription orders on demand — for example, in a B2B context or through direct sales — you likely don't need a customer-facing shop at all. This feature lets you build a working product catalogue inside circuly without any external system dependency.

Quick product additions

Even for businesses that do use a shop system, there may be cases where a product needs to be added to circuly quickly for a one-off order or a pilot run. Creating it directly in the Hub avoids the need to update the external system and wait for a sync.

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Introduction

Invoices in circuly are generated automatically based on the events and actions that occur throughout the subscription lifecycle. Different types of charges, from the initial payment at checkout to recurring billing cycles, ad-hoc fees, and end-of-subscription buyouts, each produce a distinct invoice type.

Understanding the different invoice types helps your finance and operations teams accurately interpret billing records, reconcile accounts, and handle exceptions such as cancellations, refunds, or corrections.

Below is an overview of each invoice type available in circuly and what it represents in a subscription context.

Invoice Types

Initial

The initial invoice is created for the first payment of a subscription order when the charge occurs at checkout. Depending on your setup and the nature of the order, it can include a combination of the following:

• First billing period charge
• Prepaid duration charge
• Setup fees
• Shipping costs
• Deposits

Recurring Payment

Recurring payment invoices are generated automatically on each regular billing cycle — for example, monthly — for each active subscription. There is a one-to-one relationship between a recurring payment and its invoice, meaning each billing cycle produces exactly one recurring payment invoice per subscription.

Cumulated Invoice

A cumulated invoice is a consolidated invoice that groups multiple recurring payment invoices into a single document. This is commonly used to simplify billing and accounting by combining recurring charges into one invoice rather than issuing several separate ones.

A few requirements and configuration details to be aware of:

• Only recurring payment invoices can be grouped into a cumulated invoice.
• The recurring payments being grouped must share the same billing date.
• Invoices can be grouped either by order ID or by customer ID, depending on the configuration set up for your account.

One-Time Payment

One-time payment invoices are issued for ad-hoc charges that fall outside the regular subscription billing schedule. Common examples include:

• Damage fees
• Manual charges
• Extra services

Delayed Payment

A delayed payment invoice serves the same purpose as an initial invoice, but is issued when the first charge for a subscription order does not occur at checkout. This invoice type is commonly used by merchants who want to verify or process orders before charging the customer — for example, to avoid issuing refunds for orders that may later be cancelled due to failed or invalid credit card checks.

Cancellation

A cancellation invoice is issued when an existing invoice is cancelled. It reverses the original invoice for accounting purposes.

Refund

A refund invoice is issued when money is returned to the customer. It acts as a credit invoice and is used to accurately reflect the reimbursement in your accounting records.

Replacement

A replacement invoice is generated when an existing invoice needs to be corrected or superseded. Common reasons for issuing a replacement invoice include:

• Corrections to invoice details
• Changes in tax information

Buyout

A buyout invoice is issued when a customer chooses to purchase the product out of their subscription. It covers the remaining buyout value owed for the product at the time of purchase.

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Introduction

The circuly Hub includes a dedicated Support tab, accessible directly from your navigation, where you can create and track tickets without ever switching tools. Whether you are reporting something that is not working, asking for help with a configuration, or suggesting an improvement, you can do it all from within the Hub.

This article explains how the support feature works, how to submit a ticket, and how to stay on top of any ongoing communication with the circuly team.

Feature Overview

The Support tab is designed to centralise all communication between your team and circuly. Here is a quick overview of the key concepts:

• Request Types — When creating a new issue, you choose from three request types: Bug Report (something is not working as expected), Support Request (you need help with something), and Feature Request (you have a suggestion for improvement). Selecting the right type helps the circuly team route and prioritise your ticket appropriately.

• Ticket statuses — Each ticket moves through a set of statuses that reflect where things stand. The tabs in the Support overview let you filter by All, Open, In Progress, and Closed, so you always have a clear picture of your active and resolved tickets.

• Ticket thread — Every ticket has its own activity thread. Both you and the circuly support team can leave comments directly inside the ticket. This keeps all communication in one place — no need to search through email inboxes or external channels.

• Visibility and notifications — All tickets created within your organisation are visible to every user in the Hub. However, only the user who originally created a ticket will receive notifications about updates, such as new comments, requests for additional information, or ticket closure.

Step-by-step guide

Creating a new ticket

• Navigate to the Support tab in your circuly Hub.
• Click the + New issue button in the top right corner.
• On the New Issue page, select the Request Type that best matches your situation: Bug Report, Support Request, or Feature Request.
• Use the Subject dropdown to select the topic area that applies to your issue.
• Enter a clear Title for your ticket. A descriptive title helps the support team understand your issue at a glance.
• Add a Description with as much relevant detail as possible.
• If helpful, attach files using the Attachments area. You can drag and drop files or click to upload. A maximum of 3 files, up to 10 MB each, can be attached.
• Once you have filled in all the details, scroll down and click Submit Request. Your ticket is now sent to the circuly team.

Tracking your tickets

• After submitting, you are taken to the Support overview, where all tickets submitted by your organisation are listed.
• Use the status tabs — All, Open, In Progress, and Closed — to filter your view and focus on what matters at any given moment.
• Click on any ticket to open the full detail view. Here you will see the original description, the ticket status and type, the creation date, and the full activity thread.

Communicating with the circuly team

• If you realise you forgot to include something after submitting, or if the circuly team has left a comment requesting more information, open the relevant ticket and scroll to the activity section.
• You will see all comments from the circuly support team displayed in the thread. To respond, type your message in the Leave a comment field.
• You can also attach additional files to your reply using the attachment area below the comment field — same file limits apply: max 3 files, 10 MB each.
• Once you are ready, click Send Reply. Your comment is added to the thread and the circuly team is notified.

Important things to know

• Who can see tickets? All users within your organisation can view all tickets submitted through the Hub, regardless of who created them. This makes it easy for team members to stay informed.
• Who gets notified? Only the user who created the ticket receives notifications about updates — such as new comments, status changes, or ticket closure. If someone else on your team needs to stay in the loop, make sure the right person submits the ticket, or share updates manually within your team.
• Centralised communication — All back-and-forth with the circuly support team happens inside the ticket thread. There is no need to check email or external systems — everything is in one place.

Introduction

Previously, when exporting invoices from circuly, you could only export the summary data — that is, whatever was displayed in the invoice list under the various column headings. This made it difficult to perform deeper revenue or product-level analysis.

Now, circuly makes it possible to export invoice line items directly. This means you can analyse your data in far greater detail — for example, by SKU, product type, or any other details included in an invoice line item.

Note: This feature is only available for invoices created in 2025 or later.

Feature Overview

With invoice line item exports, you can:

• Perform detailed revenue analysis: Break down invoices by individual items, SKUs, and more.
• Support advanced reporting needs: Use the data for deeper accounting, profitability, or inventory insights.
• Choose between exports and webhooks: Download a CSV when needed, or automate data delivery through a webhook directly into your systems.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Export invoice line items via CSV

How to export

• In the circuly Hub, navigate to the Invoices tab.
• Select the invoices you want to export by checking the boxes next to them.
• Click on the Export button.
• In the Export Data window, check the option “Export invoice line items only.”

• Once your export is processed, you’ll receive a notification under the bell icon in the circuly Hub.

• Click on the notification to download your CSV file.

2. Automate data exports with webhooks

If you’d like to receive invoice line item data automatically — without manually exporting every time — you can use circuly’s webhook functionality.

How to set up the webhook

• Go to the Webhooks tab in the circuly Hub.
• Click on Create Webhook.
• Under Event Type, select the new option “Invoice with Items.”

• Continue the usual steps to configure your webhook, setting the destination URL where you want the data to be sent.

As with any webhook, data will be pushed to the destination URL whenever the event is triggered.

Introduction

circuly Store Connect is the fourth module in the circuly ecosystem. It is a lightweight web app designed for one purpose: enabling store staff to create subscription orders on behalf of customers — from any device, at any point of sale.

It gives retailers everything they need to create orders without having access to the full circuly Hub. The interface is intentionally simple. Staff see only what they need to do their job: create orders, track them, and handle returns.

Store Connect works on any device — tablet, iPad, desktop, or shared POS terminal — and requires no installation.

Use cases

In-store orders at physical locations

• Customers walk in, and store staff creates the subscription for them on the spot.
• Staff do not need Hub access — just the Store Connect URL, a location ID, and a password.

Multiple store locations

• A company with multiple physical stores can create a separate store profile for each location in the circuly Hub.
• Each location has its own location ID, making orders traceable by store.

In-person verification before activation

• A customer fills out a contact form online to express interest.
• The subscription is only finalised once the customer comes into the store in person, shows their ID, and completes the checkout on-site.

How circuly Store Connect fits into the ecosystem

circuly Store Connect is the fourth module in the circuly product family. All four modules are connected — data flows between them, and customers always have a unified view of their subscriptions regardless of where they were created.

circuly Hub: The backend where admins manage products, orders, subscriptions, retailers, returns, payments, and all operational workflows.

‍circuly White-Label Checkout: The online checkout through which customers subscribe to products on your website or ecommerce store.

‍circuly White-Label Customer Self-Service Portal: The portal where customers manage all their active subscriptions, update payment details, download invoices, and more.

‍circuly Store Connect: The simplified in-store tool that lets store staff create subscription orders on behalf of customers at any point of sale.

The unified customer journey

circuly uses the customer's email address as the linking identifier across the entire ecosystem. This means:

• A customer who subscribes online through the White-Label Checkout and then subscribes again in-store through circuly Store Connect — using the same email address — will see both subscriptions in their Customer Self-Service Portal.
• There is no manual merging or additional setup required. The linking is automatic.
• No matter where the subscription journey starts — online, in-store, or via a sales rep — the customer always has a single, unified view.

💡 This is why it is important for store staff to confirm the customer's email address carefully when creating an order. If a different email is used, the in-store subscription will appear as a separate customer profile and will not be linked to existing subscriptions.

→ See also: Everything about the circuly Self-Service Portal→ See also: Actions and operations your customers can do and see in the Self-Service Portal

Feature overview

Once an order is created through circuly Store Connect, it follows the same logic as all other orders in circuly — including cancellations, swaps, buyouts, payment retries, and returns — based on the settings configured in your circuly Hub.

Here is a brief overview of the end-to-end flow:

• Store profile creation: Hub admins create store profiles in the circuly Hub, each with a unique location ID and password.
• Product availability control: Admins decide which products are available in Store Connect. Only enabled products appear in the store interface.
• Login: Store staff log in using the shared Store Connect URL, their location ID, and password.
• Order creation: Staff select the product, variant, quantity, subscription start date, and customer details. Orders can be created in minutes.
• Pre-filled checkout link: Once an order is created, an email is automatically sent to the customer with a pre-filled checkout link. The link is also available in Store Connect for the staff to share or resend manually.
• Customer payment: The customer adds their payment details — either on their own device or on the store's device — to finalise the subscription.
• Order confirmation: Once payment is completed, the order appears in the circuly Hub and is processed like any other order.
• Order management: Store staff can view all orders created from their location, track statuses, resend checkout links for pending orders, and initiate returns for active subscriptions.

Setup guide (Hub admin)

Here is an overview of the setup steps:

1. Set up branding for the Store Connect interface.
2. Create store profiles in the circuly Hub.
3. Make products available in Store Connect.
4. Share login credentials with the store staff.

Step 1: Set up branding

Customise how Store Connect appears to your staff and customers, so it reflects your brand.

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Theming tab.
• Add Logo: Upload your company logo to appear in Store Connect.
• Add Favicon: Upload a favicon for the browser tab.
• Customise colours and fonts: Set other available options to match your branding.

Step 2: Create store profiles

Each store location needs its own profile with a unique location ID and password.

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Retailers tab.
• Click + Create retailer.
• In the Create retailer window, fill in:
  • Name — the store or location name.
  • Location ID — a unique identifier for this store (used to log in).
  • Password — set a password for this store profile.
  • Address — the physical address of the location.
• Turn on the Active switch so the store can log in.

💡 Repeat this process for every store location. Each location gets its own location ID and password, which allows you to track orders by store.

→ See also: Create a User for managing user-level access in the Hub.

Step 3: Make products available in Store Connect

Products are not visible in Store Connect by default. You control which products appear there.

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Products tab.
• Find the product you want to make available in Store Connect.
• Click Edit.
• Scroll to the right and enable the switch under Allow Order Create.
• Only products with this switch enabled will be visible in Store Connect for order creation.

💡 Product availability applies globally across all store locations. You cannot restrict specific products to individual stores — it is an all-or-nothing setting per product.

Step 4: Share login credentials

• Go to Settings > Company settings > Company data > Retailer domain.
• Copy the Store Connect URL from this section.
• Share the URL along with the location ID and password with your store staff.

All three pieces of information are required to log in: URL + location ID + password.

Order creation guide (store staff)

Logging in

• Open the Store Connect URL on any browser or POS device.
• Enter your location ID and password.
• Click Log in.

Creating an order

• On the main screen > Click Create New Order.

• Select product and variant: Choose the product, variant, and quantity. You can add multiple products to the same order by repeating this step.

• Select subscription start date: Pick when the subscription should start.

• Add customer details: Enter the customer's contact information, shipping address, and billing address.

• Review the order: In the Review window, check all details.
• Click Create Order.

Once the order is created:

• The customer automatically receives an email with a pre-filled checkout link.

• The link is also visible inside the order in Store Connect, so you can copy and share it manually if needed.

Customer completing the checkout

After receiving the link, the customer:

1. Opens the link — all product and contact details are already filled in.
2. Adds their payment details to finalise the subscription.

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💡 The customer can complete this on their own device or on your device in the store. The payment method is saved for future recurring charges just as it would be for any online subscription.

Once payment is made, the order appears in the circuly Hub and the subscription is active.

→ See also: All Different Ways to Start a Subscription in the circuly Hub→ See also: Create a Subscription

Managing orders in Store Connect

Store staff can view and manage all orders created from their location directly within Store Connect.

Understanding order statuses

StatusWhat it meansOpenThe order has been created and the checkout link has been sent to the customer, but payment has not yet been completed. The order is not yet visible in the circuly Hub.ActiveThe customer has completed payment. The order is now in the circuly Hub and the subscription is running.

Viewing your orders

• Log in to Store Connect.
• The Orders overview shows all orders created from your location, with the customer name, product, status, and creation date.
• Click on any order to view its full details.

Resending or copying the checkout link

If a customer has not completed the checkout — for example, they left before finishing — you can follow up without creating a new order.

• In Store Connect > Go to the Orders overview.
• Find the order with the status Open.
• Open the order.
• From the order detail view:
  • Copy the link and share it directly with the customer (via SMS, WhatsApp, email, etc.).
  • Resend the email to send the pre-filled checkout email to the customer again automatically.

Handling a return

Store staff can initiate a return for an active subscription from within Store Connect.

• In Store Connect > Go to the Orders overview.
• Find the order with the status Active.
• Open the order.
• Click Return and follow the steps to confirm.

💡 Returns initiated from Store Connect follow the same return logic configured in your circuly Hub. If you are unsure about return conditions, check with your Hub admin.

→ See also: The Return Workflow and the Associated Settings→ See also: Process a Return Request Made by the Customer

FAQ's

Will the customer have access to the Self-Service Portal if the order was created in Store Connect?

‍Yes. All orders created through Store Connect are fully integrated with the customer Self-Service Portal. The customer can manage their subscription, update payment details, download invoices, and more — just like any other subscription.

What if the customer already has an online subscription?

‍As long as the customer uses the same email address for both the online and in-store subscriptions, both will appear in their Self-Service Portal and both will be visible in the circuly Hub under the same customer profile.

Can I control which products appear in Store Connect?

‍Yes. In the circuly Hub, go to Products, edit a product, and enable the Allow Order Create switch. Only products with this switch enabled will be visible in Store Connect. This setting applies globally — you cannot restrict different products to different store locations.

What happens if a customer doesn't complete the checkout?

‍The order remains visible in Store Connect with the status Open. It will not appear in the circuly Hub until the customer completes payment. Store staff can resend or copy the checkout link at any time to follow up with the customer.

Can a store create multiple orders for the same customer?

‍Yes. A store can create multiple orders for the same customer as long as each order is submitted separately through the Create New Order flow.

Can store staff cancel an active subscription?

‍No. Cancellations of active subscriptions are managed in the circuly Hub by Hub admins. Store staff can initiate returns from Store Connect but cannot cancel subscriptions directly.

Can I restrict which stores can access certain products?

‍No. Product availability is controlled globally across all store locations. You can control which products are available in Store Connect, but this applies to all stores equally.

Does the customer need to create an account for the in-store subscription to appear in their portal?

‍No. The customer simply needs to use the same email address when completing the checkout link. circuly links subscriptions by email address automatically — no account creation is required.

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Introduction

When creating a subscription manually, you have the option of selecting a start date for the subscription. selecting a start date is important because this impacts the end date of the subscription. By default, circuly only allows you to set a subscription start date in the future. However, in some operational scenarios—such as aligning with a shipment date or correcting delayed data entry—you may need to set a start date in the past.

circuly provides a setting that enables this flexibility, allowing you to manually create subscriptions with a past start date.

Setting Overview

The setting to allow past start dates can be found in your circuly Hub. Once enabled, it lets you manually choose a start date that lies in the past when creating a new subscription. This setting only affects manual subscription creation via the circuly Hub.

Use Cases:

• The product was shipped earlier, and the subscription needs to match that timeline.
• Subscription data (e.g., billing cycle, usage tracking) should reflect actual usage.

Step-by-step guide

To enable the option to create subscriptions with a past start date:

• Log in to your circuly Hub.
• Go to the Settings tab in the navigation menu.
• Navigate to Subscription settings > Create Subscription.
• Find the setting labeled "Allow start date in past".
• Enable the switch next to this option.

Once enabled, the date picker in the subscription creation flow will allow you to select both past and future dates.

Introduction

In the circuly Hub, you can manage user access with precision — deciding who sees what, and what actions they can perform. This helps keep your operations secure, focused, and aligned with your team’s responsibilities.

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Feature Overview

With Advanced User Management, you can define access per individual tab giving you full control over what each user can view or manage.

Example Use Case:

If someone in your team only needs to download invoices at the end of the month, you can give them access to just the Invoices tab — without exposing other sensitive data like customers or operations.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Log in to the circuly Hub
2. Go to the Users tab
3. Find the user whose permissions you want to update
4. Click on the user’s name to open the Access Scope window
5. You’ll see a list of all Hub sections (Orders, Customers, Invoices, Email History, etc.)
6. For each tab, you can check or uncheck the available permission types:
7. Once done, simply close the window — changes are saved automatically

✅ The user’s access is updated immediately.

Introduction

The Customer Balance is a flexible way to apply credits or discounts to a customer's next recurring payment. Whether you're offering a goodwill gesture or rewarding loyalty, the balance amount is automatically deducted from the next payment due.

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Feature Overview

In the circuly Hub, the customer balance can be manually customised for any subscriber.

• This feature also interacts with Refer a Friend, where referral rewards are added as customer balance.
• If the customer has a balance, it is automatically applied to their next recurring payment.
• If the balance exceeds the upcoming payment, the remaining amount is carried forward to future payments until fully used.
• You can add or reduce the balance as needed — but the balance can never go negative.

Common Use Cases:

• Offering a discount due to a product issue during the subscription
• Providing a one-time loyalty credit for long-term or returning customers

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Step-by-step guide

• Go to the Customers tab in your circuly Hub
• Find and select the customer you'd like to update
• On the right-hand side, click the Customer Balance button

• In the popup:
  • Enter a positive value to add credit (e.g. 20)
  • Enter a negative value to reduce the balance (e.g. -10)
• Click Submit‍
• Refresh the page to see the updated balance reflected in the customer profile

The full balance (if available) will be automatically deducted from the customer's next payment.

Introduction

Subscription-based business models have an increased exposure to payment failure due to the recurring nature of the business. Effective and efficient dunning and debt collection is needed at all costs but can often be messy, frustrating and time-consuming. Additionally, since Inkasso processes typically operate offline, they result in unsynchronised data and cumbersome post-collection tasks, like manually entering information into bookkeeping systems and other needed platforms. 

To solve this problem, circuly has partnered with Debtist to offer debt collection natively within circuly so that you can save your time, nerves, internal resources and lost revenue. 

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Benefits on a native solution

A native integration for debt collection, offers the following benefits:

• Automated processes eliminate manual workload and errors.
• Expert communication and professional expertise eliminate misunderstandings and maintain consistent communication with your customers. 
• Automated synchronisation of data between circuly and Debtist keeps data clean and ready for bookkeeping. 
• Available within circuly in an easy-to-understand dashboard that eliminates the need to work in two systems. 

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Integration Overview

Our new debt collection feature (powered by Debtist) enables you to recover lost revenue easily and professionally, thus improving your bottom-line cash flow while eliminating the need to allocate additional time or human resources to manage unpaid invoices. The native integration ensures that you have a full and detailed overview within circuly of all your unpaid payments that Debtist is currently handling. 

Additionally, our native debt collection integration eliminates the need for maintaining and checking two different systems and ensure that you have all the information you need in one system, that is circuly. The two systems speak with each other seamlessly to provide you a smooth and consistent user experience and clean data for bookkeeping purposes. 

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Process overview

Once you have enabled the integration and completed the setup, all unpaid invoices will be transferred to the Debt Collection tab for collection by Debtist as soon as the maximum number of payment retrials have been made. Debtist then works fully automated to bring the unpaid invoices to a resolution. 

- Step 1: Regular payment collection. 

circuly collects recurring payments according to the defined schedule. If the payment is successfully collected, you’ll see its status marked as “settled." If it fails, you’ll see its status marked as “failed.” 

- Step 2: Payment retrial and email communication.

When a payment fails, the circuly system retries the failed payment according to your payment retrial settings and sends the “payment failure” email. 

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IMPORTANT: In the circuly operations backend, you can define how many times a payment should be retried, what should be the time interval between each attempt and if the customer should be informed on each attempt or only on the final attempt. 

- Step 3: Maximum payment retrial attempts made. 

As soon as circuly has made the last payment retrial attempt and if the payment still has the “failed” status, the payment and the connected invoice are transferred to the Debt Collection tab. The payment is also assigned the status "in debt collection" to indicate that the connected invoice and payment are in the debt collection process.

- Step 4: Prejudicial debt collection by Debtist

When an invoice is transferred to the debt collection tab, it is also transferred to Debtist for debt collection. Debtist then starts with the pre-judicial collection process via email and/or letter and other communication channels to obtain the particle or full payment. 

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90% of the unpaid invoices come to a resolution in the prejudicial phase.

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- Step 5: Judicial debt collection by Debtist

If the payment is still outstanding, Debtist begins judicial proceedings. At this stage, Debtist may get in touch with you if additional charges are to be incurred. 

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IMPORTANT: Judicial proceedings typically involve additional costs. However Debtist will always get in touch with you before proceeding with any step that incurs additional charges for you so you can decide whether or not you'd like to proceed.

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- Step 6: Debt Collected 

If the payment is successfully collected, the status will change from "in debt collection" to “debt collected” in your circuly Operations Backend.

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See the image below for a process overview

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Step-by-step setup guide

There are two steps to enabling and setting up the debt collection feature:

1. Step 1: Send the activation request and create a Debtist account. 
2. Step 2: Create a Debtist account.
3. Step 3: Review the debt collection settings. Decide how you'd like to handle unpaid invoices for debt collection: automated or manual handover.

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IMPORTANT: After you send the activation request, the debt collection feature will be activated on the 1st day of the month following your request.

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For example, if you submit the activation request on August 15th, the debt collection feature will be automatically activated for your account on September 1st.

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- Step 1: Send the activation request

• In the left navigation bar, go to the Debt Collection tab

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• Click on the button that says ACTIVATE DEBT COLLECTION. 

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A popup box will open where you can see the pricing list from Debtist and. The pricing list outlines the debt collection charges from Debtist for different countries. 

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Additionally, you can read the privacy policy and terms & conditions. 

Click on the NEXT button to trigger the activation request and to start creating your Debtist account. 

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- Step 2: Create a Debtist Account

• In the Create your Debtist account window, add your details and click on the SUBMIT button.

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What is the Max. Payment Plan Option?

When setting up your Debtist account, you can choose how your customers will repay their debt—either as a single payment or in multiple installments.

• To require a one-time payment, simply enter "1" in the input field.
• If you'd prefer to offer your debtors a flexible payment plan, enter the number of installments you're willing to accept, such as "2", "3", "4", and so on.

This option gives you control over how repayments are structured to suit both your needs and those of your customers.

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Why is the IBAN needed?

Any payment collected by Debtist on your behalf is transferred to this account.

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The debt collection feature will be activated on the 1st day of the month following your request. For example, if you submit the activation request on August 15th, the debt collection feature will be automatically activated for your account on September 1st.

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- Step 3: Review the Debt collection settings

Once you've sent the activation request and created an account, go through the debt collection settings and decide how you'd like to hand over unpaid invoices for debt collection, that is manually or via the automated process.

In your circuly Operations Backend, head over to the Settings tab > Invoice & payment > Scroll down to DEBT COLLECTION to configure the settings associated with debt collection. 

• Auto claim: enable the switch if you want to hand over the unpaid invoices when a payment fails automatically and has been retried x number of times (payment retrial settings) to Debtist for debt collection.
• Delay by: set the number of days the circuly system should wait when a failed and retried payment is handed over for debt collection to Debtist. 
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Overview of the Debt Collection tab: Post-Activation

In the beginning the Debt Collection tab will be empty (see image below).

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You will see data as soon a payment has been retried by the circuly system as per your payment retrial settings and transferred to Debtist for Debt Collection. When there are some claims and invoices under the process of debt collection, this is how the Debt Collection tab will appear (see image)

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Require action column

The require action column tells you whether there is any action needed from your side. When you see a GO TO ACTION tag under the Requires action column you can simply click on it to see what action is required. You can then add your decision as a comment and Debtist will proceed accordingly. You can even upload files if needed. See example image below.

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Status column

The status column reflects the phase the unpaid invoice is in when it under the debt collection procedure.

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Pricing 

A fixed fee of 49€ will be charged monthly upon activation for everything, including the integration + implementation + continued debt collection-*

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*Additional costs may apply based on the region of debt collection. Additional costs are incurred ONLY IF the debt is successfully collected. There are no costs if the debt is not collected, that is if the claim is unsuccessful. 

Additional costs based on region

DACH - no additional costs

Europe (excluding DACH) - 20% of the success claim

Outside Europe - 30% of the success claim 

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When managing subscriptions, failed recurring payments are a common challenge. The circuly system helps automate your response to these failures with flexible settings—allowing you to define retry logic, communication flows, and what actions to take if multiple payment attempts fail.

This article explains each of the settings available to manage failed payments, so you can configure a process that suits your operations.

Feature overview

In the circuly Hub, you can configure:

• How many times a failed payment should be retried.
• The time interval between each retry attempt.
• How many days in the past circuly should check for unpaid payments.
• Whether a subscription should be canceled after repeated failures.
• Whether and when your customer should be notified of failed payment attempts.

Step 1: Configure payment retry settings

To access the settings:

Go to: Settings > Invoices & Payments > Failed Payment

Available options:

• Maximum number of payment retries
  Defines how many times circuly should automatically retry a failed payment before requiring manual input.
• Next payment attempt in
  Sets the time interval (in days) between each retry attempt.
• Past billing date
  Defines how many days in the past circuly should look for missed recurring payments and attempt to retry them.
• Example:
  If you set this value to -15, circuly will check for any unpaid recurring payments scheduled in the last 15 days and attempt to retry them based on your retry rules.
• Cancel subscription on failure
  If enabled, the subscription is automatically canceled and moved to pending return status after two failed payment cycles.
  • A payment cycle refers to a single payment being retried up to the maximum number of times you’ve defined.
  • Two failed payment cycles mean two different payments have both failed, each having already gone through all retry attempts.

Learn more: What is a payment cycle?

Step 2: Configure email notifications for failed payments

To access the settings:

Go to: Settings > Emails > Payment Notifications

Available options:

• All payment-related emails
  When enabled, circuly sends email notifications for both successful and failed payments using the associated email templates:
  • “Payment was successful”
  • “Payment has failed”
• Failed payment – final attempt
  Sends a failed payment email only on the last retry attempt.
• Failed payment – every attempt
  Sends a failed payment email after each retry attempt.
• Terminal
  Sends the “Return unpaid product” email after two failed payment cycles.
  Make sure this template is activated in your Email Templates section.

Important: An email can only be sent if the corresponding template exists and is activated in the Email Templates tab.

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Learn more here about how to retry a failed payment manually.

Introduction

Not all payments in your subscription business are processed automatically through your Payment Service Provider (PSP). In cases where payments are handled manually—such as invoice-based payments or offline transfers—you can use circuly’s “Mark as Settled” feature to keep your payment records accurate and transparent.

This article explains when to use the feature, what it does, and how to mark a payment as settled from two places within the circuly Hub.

Feature Overview

The Mark as Settled feature allows a circuly user to manually mark a payment or invoice as paid, even if the transaction occurred outside the circuly system (e.g., bank transfer, invoice payment).

Key points:

• It applies to any payment that hasn’t been automatically charged yet.
• It’s especially useful for companies that manage some payments outside of circuly.
• Once marked as settled, the payment is assigned a "Paid" status in the system.
• No actual charge is triggered—the feature is purely administrative for record-keeping.

For payments processed by circuly through your PSP, there's usually no need to mark them manually. These are automatically settled once charged.

Step-by-Step Guide

You can mark a payment as settled from two places in the circuly Hub: the Subscriptions tab and the Recurring Payments tab.

Option 1: From the Subscriptions Tab

• Go to the Subscriptions tab in the circuly Hub.
• From the Subscription List, select the subscription that includes the payment you want to mark as settled.
• Scroll down to the Recurring Payments section.
• Click the three dots ⋯ next to the relevant payment to open the action menu.
• Select Mark as Settled.
• Confirm your action by clicking Mark as settled.

Option 2: From the Recurring Payments Tab

• Navigate to the Recurring Payments tab in the circuly Hub.
• Search for and locate the specific payment you want to mark as settled.
• Click the three dots ⋯ next to the payment.
• Select Mark as Settled from the dropdown.
• Confirm by clicking the MARK AS SETTLED button.

What Happens Next

Once confirmed:

• The payment is marked as Paid in the circuly Hub.
• No actual transaction is initiated—this is for tracking purposes only.
• Your payment records stay clean, even for offline or manually settled invoices.

Introduction

The "Mark as Returned" function in circuly is used to finalise the return process when a product physically arrives back in your warehouse. It changes the subscription status from "Pending return" to "Ended", indicating that the customer has fulfilled their return obligation and the subscription is complete.

This feature can also be used in edge cases where the subscription is marked as pending return but the product was never delivered, and you want to close the subscription manually.

Tip: Automate the process via API

You can automate the return handling process using the circuly Customer API.

• Set a product to "In Repair" via API (POST request)

When to use “Mark as returned”

Use this option when:

• The customer has sent the product back, and it has arrived in your warehouse.
• The product was never delivered, but the subscription was set to pending return and now needs to be closed.

In both cases, marking the product as returned updates the subscription status to "Ended", which signals that the subscription is complete and the product is no longer in circulation.

Step-by-step guide: How to mark a product as returned

1. Go to the Returns tab in your circuly Hub.
2. Search for the product by its serial number in the Return List.
3. Click Handle to open the return handling window.
4. Click Mark as returned.

Once confirmed, you’ll see a message that the subscription has been ended.

Repair handling (if applicable)

If you’ve set up the Repair workflow in circuly:

• Go to the Repairs tab after marking the return.
• Complete the repair process based on your configured repair questions and flow.

Delete future recurring payments checkbox

The “Delete future recurring payments” checkbox determines whether upcoming charges should be canceled when processing a return.

This checkbox appears in two places:

1. When marking a subscription as pending return
2. When handling a return

How it behaves:

• When you manually set a subscription to pending return, you decide whether to check the box.
  • Check it if you want to stop billing while the customer returns the product.
  • Leave it unchecked if you want to keep billing to encourage timely returns.
• When you handle a return and mark the product as returned, circuly automatically checks the box—assuming the product is already back and recurring payments should stop.

If the subscription ends automatically (e.g. due to no auto-renew), and no manual interaction occurs, circuly will continue charging unless you’ve configured it otherwise.

Additional setting: Update stock on SKU level

You can control how returned products affect your stock levels.

• To update stock at the SKU level (useful if multiple durations exist for one variant), enable this setting:

Go to Settings > Subscriptions > Return subscription > Enable Update stock on SKU level after return

• If disabled, stock is updated at the variant level.

If you do not want circuly to update your stock at all, please contact us via the Service Desk.

Introduction

A "bundle" refers to a collection of products grouped together to offer a comprehensive service or package. In subscription terms, a bundle enables you to categorise multiple products under a single subscription.

Examples

1. Bike + lock + helmet + basket

2. Baby Stroller + stroller rain cover + cup holder

3. Motor + spring cradle + attachment

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Feature Overview

Circuly’s Bundle Collection Feature simplifies the process of managing and presenting bundles. While each product in a bundle can have its unique serial number for internal tracking purposes, customers experience the bundle as a single, unified subscription.

With this feature, you can:

• Track individual products: Manage inventory effectively by assigning unique identifiers to each product in a bundle.
• Simplify customer experience: Present the bundle as a single subscription, ensuring customers see a cohesive service without needing to manage individual products.

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‍Note: Bundles are predefined, meaning customers cannot swap individual items in a bundle. They will only see and manage the bundle as one complete subscription.

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Good to know

1. Your products and product variants are always set up in your individual shopsystem. circuly only takes over the product information (product name, price etc.) from your shopsystem via a product sync and displays the information under the Product tab in the circuly Hub. 

2. The product prices are also taken from the shop system, and the bundle collection feature makes use of the default shop system prices (as set up by you). However, it is also possible to have the same price for the entire bundle collection, irrespective of the product selected. If you would like to have this logic, kindly get in touch with us via service desk.

3. The possibility to select products from a predefined collection is only available for new orders. If you want to make the feature available for your old subscriptions, get in touch with circuly via service desk.

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Step-by-step setup guide

• In your circuly Hub > Navigate to the Products tab > Then switch to the Bundles tab.

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• Click on the +Bundle button.

• In the Create bundle collection window > Start by adding a Title and a Description.

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• Use the Select the bundle components dropdown to choose up to 10 products for the bundle.

Note: Each bundle can only have a maximum of 10 items.

• Select the desired variants for your chosen products.
• Click on the Submit button to finalise your bundle.

You can view all your created bundles under the Bundles tab, where they can be easily edited by clicking the pencil icon.

Introduction

When a customer completes checkout, an order is created both in your shop system and in the circuly Operations Backend. But to begin charging recurring payments, a subscription needs to be created for that order.

circuly provides multiple ways to create subscriptions—both manually and automatically. This article focuses on using the “Mark as Fulfilled” function to trigger automated subscription creation.

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Automate with the API

You can automate this process via our Customer API.

• Mark an individual order as fulfilled
  API Endpoint – Fulfill Order by ID
• Fulfill multiple orders at once (Bulk update)
  API Endpoint – Fulfill Orders in Bulk

How “Mark as Fulfilled” Works

The Mark as Fulfilled action is generally used to indicate that an order item has been shipped or delivered. In circuly, this action can also be configured to automatically start a subscription.

What Happens When You Mark an Order as Fulfilled:

• The order status changes from Open to Fulfilled.
• The Order Fulfilment Email is triggered (if the template is set up and activated).
• The customer's order status in the Self-Service Portal updates accordingly.
• If enabled, the subscription is automatically created and activated.

Enabling Auto-Activation

To automate subscription creation when fulfilling an order, turn on the relevant setting in the backend.

How to Enable:

1. Go to Settings > Subscriptions.
2. Navigate to Create Subscription.
3. Enable the switch for Auto activate subscriptions.

Important: Define the offset for the subscription start using the Auto activate offset setting. This value will be used to calculate when the subscription should begin.

Additional Fulfilment Setting

If you want every order to be automatically marked as fulfilled once all subscriptions are created, enable:

• Fulfil order when all subscriptions are created

This setting ensures the order status changes to fulfilled without manual action once the required subscriptions are in place.

Setup Checklist

Before using the fulfilment function to trigger subscriptions, ensure the following:

• Your email template for Order Fulfilment is created and activated.
• The Auto activate subscriptions setting is enabled if you want subscriptions to start automatically.
• The offset value is set correctly in the subscription settings.
• If automating via API, your integration is configured correctly.

For an overview of all available ways to create a subscription, check out the article:
All Different Ways to Start a Subscription in the circuly Operations Backend

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Introduction

The extension price determines the subscription fee that applies once the minimum subscription duration is over and the subscription continues through auto-renewal. This price ensures that your business charges customers correctly beyond the initial contract period.

The extension price is especially important for:

• Prepaid subscriptions, where the full amount is charged upfront for a set period, and a monthly price needs to be defined for the post-prepaid phase.
• Regular subscriptions, where you may want to apply a different rate after the minimum term is completed.

Feature overview

The extension price is configured per product variant in the circuly Hub It is used when:

• A subscription continues after the minimum commitment.
• A prepaid subscription transitions into a regular monthly billing model.

Good to know

• The extension price only becomes relevant after the minimum contract period is completed.
• The subscription will continue at this price unless manually changed or cancelled.
• The extension price appears in the subscription creation screen, but it can only be edited via the Products > Variants section.

Step-by-step guide: Set or edit extension price

• Go to the Products tab in your circuly Hub.
• Navigate to the Variants section.
• Select the variants you want to update by checking the boxes next to them.
• Click the Edit extension price button.
• In the input field, enter the monthly extension price that should apply after auto-renewal.
• Click Save changes.

Once set, this price will be automatically applied when the subscription enters its extension phase.

FAQ

Q: Can I leave the extension price blank?
A: No. It’s strongly recommended to define an extension price to avoid disruptions or errors in billing after the minimum subscription period.

Q: Does the extension price override the initial monthly price?
A: Only after the minimum contract period ends. The initial monthly or upfront price remains in effect until then.

Q: Can the extension price be changed later?
A: Yes. You can return to the Variants list at any time and update the extension price.

Introduction

When a payment fails in circuly, you can retry the payment manually or automate the retrial process. However, even after retrying, the payment may still fail. At this point, it’s recommended to reach out to your customer to resolve the issue. Once the customer confirms that they’ve resolved the problem on their end, you can use the Charge Invoice feature to attempt the payment again.

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Feature Overview

Charge invoice is a feature available in the circuly Hub that enables you to manually charge an invoice with the "failed" payment status. An invoice has the "failed" payment status if a payment attempt was made but failed.

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Step-by-step guide

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Invoices tab.
• Search and click on the invoice you want to charge.

Tip: You can user the filters options to filter the Invoice list and only display payment that have the "failed" payment status".

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• Click on the invoice > In the Invoice overview window > Click on the Charge invoice button.

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• Then click on the Submit button.

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What happens next

The circuly system attempts to charge the invoice.

• If successful, an email is sent to the customer to inform them about the charge.
• If unsuccessful, you'll see a notification that the charge was unsuccessful. At this point you can either get in touch with your customer or hand over the invoice for debt collection.

Introduction

Billing frequency refers to the interval at which your business charges customers for a product or service, defining how often payments are collected. In circuly, you can adjust the billing frequency for both consumer durable and consumable products. However, the process for modifying billing frequency differs based on the product type. This article focuses specifically on changing the billing frequency for consumable products.

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Good to know

The option to change the subscription frequency is only available for consumable subscriptions and will be greyed out for all other subscription types. To change the billing frequency for consumer durable products, follow this guide on changing subscription attributes.

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Step-by-step guide

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Subscriptions tab.
• Click on the three dots to displayed the menu options > Click on change billing frequency.
• In the Change subscription frequency window select the new Time-unit (weekly, monthly, quarterly) and and a numeric value under interval.
• Confirm your selection by reviewing the output under Frequency and click on the Confirm button to finalise your change.

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Introduction

Prepaid Subscriptions are subscription orders where the customer pays the full subscription fee upfront instead of in monthly intervals. This model is beneficial for both you and your customer — it supports predictable cash flow on your end and often comes with incentives (like discounts) for customers who commit to paying in advance.

Feature overview

With prepaid subscriptions:

• Customers pay for the subscription period upfront.
• No recurring payments are scheduled until the initial prepaid period ends.
• After the prepaid period, the subscription can auto-renew monthly using the defined extension price.
• You can distinguish between prepaid and monthly variants through clear naming.

Technical setup

Setting up prepaid subscriptions

Prepaid subscriptions are set up in your shop system by creating a variant with an upfront payment plan. During the variant creation, define whether the payment should be charged monthly or in full at once.

Configuring extension/renewal pricing

To continue charging monthly after the prepaid period:

1. Go to Products > Variants in the circuly Hub.
2. Select the variants for which you want to define an extension price.
3. Click on Edit extension price.
4. Enter the monthly extension price that should apply after the prepaid term ends.

This price will be used when the auto-renewal activates after the prepaid term.

Prepaid subscriptions in the circuly Hub

• The variant title should indicate whether it's an upfront or monthly plan.
• No recurring payments are scheduled until the auto-renew starts.
• The extension price is visible during subscription creation but can only be edited via the Product List > Edit Variant screen.

Introduction

In circuly, you can edit orders—such as changing products, addresses, or prices—before a subscription has been created. Once a subscription is attached to an order, the order becomes locked and can no longer be modified. This edit functionality is especially useful when handling last-minute customer requests or internal adjustments, such as correcting details or switching products before finalising the subscription.

Feature Overview

The Edit Order feature allows you to update key components of an existing order directly from the circuly Hub. When you select “Edit Order,” circuly creates a draft copy of the original order, preserving all items, customer details, and payment info. You can then adjust the draft as needed and confirm it as a new, active order.

Key things you can do during editing:

• Add, delete, or modify order items
• Update shipping or billing addresses
• Send the updated order directly to the customer as a pre-filled checkout link or simply confirm it internally
• Choose whether customer confirmation is required or not
• Trigger new payment collection if needed

Once confirmed, the edited order is treated as a new order in both circuly and your shop system. The original order must be cancelled and, if applicable, refunded manually.

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Step-by-Step Guide

Editing an Order

• Log into your circuly Hub.
• Navigate to the Orders tab and select the order you wish to edit.
• Click on the three dots in the top-right corner and select Edit Order.
• circuly will create a draft version of the order.
• From here, you can:
  • Click Add to include new products or the cross icon to remove products (note: this doesn't trigger an automatic refund).
  • Click Edit to modify item details such as product variant, pricing, or quantity.
  • Update shipping and billing address fields.
• Choose how the updated order should be processed:‍
  
  • Send to customer for confirmation (toggle on): Sends a pre-filled checkout link for approval.‍
  • Process internally (toggle off): The order is confirmed without customer involvement, using their original payment method.

• Click Create Order to finalize the updated order.

Customer journey

If the updated order is sent to the customer:

• The customer receives a new checkout link.
• They open the link, review the updated order, and re-enter their payment details.
• Once checkout is complete, the draft becomes a finalized order.

If the order is processed internally:

• The customer does not need to take any action.
• The payment method from the original order is reused.
• The customer receives an updated order confirmation email.

In both cases, the updated order becomes active, and the original order should be cancelled and refunded manually if needed.

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What happens next

Cancelling and refund the original order

You need to cancel (and refund) the old order manually with a suitable message so that your customer understands why he / she is charged (again).

To do so open the order > click on the three dots at the top right > select cancel order to do so and select the checkbox "full refund". If you only want to partially refund an order, please learn more about refunding an order here.

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Charging the initial payment of the updated order

Once the updated order is created, you have to charge the initial payment manually.

To charge the initial payment open up the updated order > click on the three dots at the top right > select Charge Initial Payment.

When charging the initial payment, you can add a custom message to explain why your customer is charged. Make sure to click on charge xx,xx so that the payment will be initiated through your payment service provider. The customer will then also automatically receive an invoice.

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How to identify edited orders?

You can identify edited orders easily since they marked as Origin: Clone. You can always find the original order by copy / pasting the parent ID in the order search (for example if you want to cancel and refund the original order).

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You will also find this information in the order list:

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Introduction

By default, circuly generates its own Order ID when a customer completes checkout. However, if you’re using Shopify as your shop system, each order also has a separate Shopify Order Name (often referred to as Shopify’s order ID).

To avoid confusion—especially in email communication or when syncing data across platforms—you can choose to replace circuly’s Order ID with the Shopify Order Name.

Why replace the circuly Order ID?

There are two common reasons to use the Shopify Order Name instead of the circuly-generated Order ID:

1. Cross-referencing in communication
   If you're referencing the Order ID in emails sent via Shopify or other tools (outside circuly), using the same value helps ensure consistency.
2. Avoiding confusion for customers
   When customers see different IDs across emails and portals, it may lead to unnecessary support requests. Replacing the circuly Order ID with Shopify’s Order Name ensures your customers only see one consistent identifier.

Technical background: Order ID vs order name

• circuly Order ID
  Automatically generated when an order is placed via your circuly white-label checkout. Used internally and displayed in circuly’s email templates and Self-Service Portal.
• Shopify Order Name
  Generated by Shopify and assigned to every new order. This is what customers typically see in Shopify-based communications.

Where the Order ID is used in circuly

The circuly-generated Order ID appears in:

• The Order confirmation email
• The Customer self-service portal

If not changed, this is the value customers will see by default.

When should you replace Iit?

You should consider replacing circuly’s Order ID with Shopify’s Order Name if:

• You send additional emails to customers outside of circuly’s templates (e.g., directly via Shopify)
• You want consistent identifiers across your shop system, email templates, and Self-Service Portal
• You want to reduce confusion caused by customers seeing two different order numbers

How to replace the Order ID in circuly

To use the Shopify Order Name instead of circuly’s Order ID:

1. Go to your Email Templates in the circuly Hub.
2. For each relevant email (e.g. Order Confirmation), replace the variable {{order_ID}} with the Shopify order name variable.
3. Save your changes.

Once updated, customers will see the Shopify Order Name in their emails and in the Self-Service Portal.

Introduction

Subscription fatigue poses a growing challenge for consumers juggling multiple recurring payments and contract renewals. While auto-renewals are a great sign of retention, they can also lead to frustration—especially when customers forget about upcoming charges.

circuly helps you tackle this issue by enabling you to send automated reminder emails before a subscription ends and giving you full control over whether a subscription should renew automatically. In this article, we’ll explain how to set up reminder emails, configure auto-renewals, and make your subscription experience more transparent and customer-friendly.

Feature Overview‍

circuly enables you to:

• Send automated reminder emails before a subscription ends, giving customers time to decide whether to continue or cancel.
• Renew subscriptions automatically if the customer doesn’t cancel in time.
• Customise settings to handle edge cases, such as short-term subscriptions or auto-renewed contracts.

The result: A smoother customer experience and fewer support tickets related to surprise charges.

Step-by-step setup guide

Sending reminder emails before subscription ends

Step 1: Navigate to Email Settings

• Go to your Circuly Hub
• Click on Settings > Emails > Subscription Information

Step 2: Enable Reminder Email Option

• Toggle the switch "Subscription is almost over when auto renew is off" to ON.

Step 3: Define Timing for the Reminder Email

• Enter a numeric value in "Days calculation before ending"
  • Example: Enter 14 to send the reminder email 14 days before the subscription ends.

Step 4: Understand When the Email Triggers

• The email will only be sent if the auto-renew switch is inactive for that subscription.
• Auto-renew switch is inactive if:
  • The global Auto-renew subscriptions setting is OFF.
  • The subscription was created before auto-renew was enabled.

Enabling auto-renewal for subscriptions

Step 1: Navigate to Subscription Settings

• Go to your Circuly Hub
• Click on Settings > Subscription > Auto-renew subscriptions

Step 2: Enable Auto-Renew

• Toggle the switch "Auto-renew subscriptions" to ON.
• This enables auto-renew for all newly created subscriptions.

Step 3: Manually Enable Auto-Renew for Specific Subscriptions (if needed)

• Go to the Subscription Overview for the desired subscription
• Manually activate the auto-renew switch

📝 Note: Simply activating the switch manually does not renew the subscription unless the global auto-renew setting is enabled.

Optional Settings: Enhance Your Reminder StrategyI

If you'd like to send reminder emails in edge cases, toggle these additional settings in Settings > Emails > Subscription Information:

• "Subscription is almost over" for one-month subscriptions: enabling this switch will send the subscription is almost over when subscription duration is less than or equal to one month.
  
  Use case: When you do not have a minimum subscription duration and all your subscriptions are for a month. The subscriptions are extended on a monthly basis. If you enable this switch then the subscription is almost over email will be sent to the customer every month.

• "Subscription is almost over" for auto-renewed subscriptions: typically when subscription have been auto-renewed there is no need to send the subscription is almost over email to the customer. Additionally when subscriptions are auto-renewed due to the auto-renew subscription setting, the auto-renew switch in the subscription overview window is made active. The active state of the auto-renew switch prevents the “subscription is almost over” email from being sent. 
  
  However enabling this setting will bypass this rule and send the email even if subscriptions have been auto-renewed and the auto-renew switch in the subscription overview window is active. 

• "Subscription is almost over" email also if auto-renew is active: as explained above, the subscription is almost over email is not sent to the customer i the auto-renew button switch is active. However you can still decide to send the email and by pass this rule.
  

These options help you stay flexible and customer-friendly across different use cases.

By combining automated renewal reminders with clear subscription policies, circuly helps you reduce subscription fatigue, avoid customer frustration, and strengthen long-term customer relationships. Use these step-by-step guides to customise your renewal flow and keep your customers informed and satisfied.

Introduction

circuly gives you the flexibility to decide how your system-generated emails are sent to your customers. You can either use your own SMTP server or take advantage of circuly’s built-in Mailgun SMTP integration. This guide explains both options and outlines all the necessary steps for setup.

Feature Overview

You can configure your outgoing email setup in two ways:

• Option 1: Use your own SMTP server (e.g. Gmail, Outlook, or another email service)
• Option 2: Use Circuly’s pre-integrated SMTP server via Mailgun

Each approach ensures that all automated customer communication (order confirmations, subscription updates, etc.) is delivered reliably under your brand identity.

Option 1: Using Your Own SMTP Server

1. Navigate to: Settings > Setup and Design > Email Server Settings
2. Enter your SMTP details:
   • Host
   • Username
   • Password

This method gives you full control over email authentication and deliverability using your company’s own email infrastructure.

Option 2: Using Circuly’s Mailgun SMTP Server

This is a fully managed option handled by Circuly, ensuring professional-grade deliverability while still allowing emails to appear as if sent from your domain.

Step 1: Set Sender and Reply-To Emails

• Navigate to: Settings > Emails > General
• Enter:
  • Sender Email Address (e.g. service@yourcompany.com)
  • Reply-to Email Address

Circuly will use these to set up your email identity in Mailgun.

Even though emails are routed via Circuly's Mailgun SMTP server, your customers will only see your company's branded email addresses.

Step 2: DNS Configuration

Circuly will generate TXT and MX DNS records that you must add to your domain provider’s DNS settings.

Explanation of DNS Records:

• MX (Mail Exchange): Directs incoming emails to the right mail servers.
• TXT (Text Records): Verifies domain ownership and is used for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to prevent spoofing.

⚠️ Verifying your MX records is highly recommended to prevent email delivery failures and improve authentication reliability.

Step 3: SMTP Credentials Setup

Circuly’s technical team will:

• Create SMTP credentials in Mailgun
• Add them to the Email Server Settings in your Circuly Hub

These credentials ensure that emails are securely sent via Mailgun with the correct authentication.

Step 4: Update Your Domain DNS Records

You will receive DNS entries (TXT & MX) from Circuly. Here’s how to add them:

1. Log into your DNS hosting provider (e.g. GoDaddy, IONOS, Cloudflare).
2. Navigate to your DNS management area.
3. Add or update DNS records as provided.
4. Save changes.

DNS propagation may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to reflect globally.

Conclusion
Whether you choose to manage your email delivery through your own SMTP provider or use Circuly’s Mailgun setup, both options ensure reliable, branded communication with your customers. For most businesses, the Mailgun integration offers a hands-off, secure, and scalable solution. If you need help or would like Circuly to configure this for you, simply contact our service desk.

Introduction

If you allow your customers to make cancellation requests from the Customer Self-Service Portal, they will be required to select a reason for their cancellation during the process. Collecting cancellation reasons allows you to gain valuable insights, make informed decisions, and improve your offerings. It also demonstrates that you value customer feedback and are committed to enhancing their experience, ultimately fostering stronger customer relationships.

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The importance of collecting cancellation reasons

Some of the reasons to consider adding cancellation reasons to your cancellation process are:

1. Feedback and Improvement: By providing a cancellation reason, customers can offer valuable feedback to the business about why they decided to cancel the product or service. This feedback can help the business understand customer preferences, identify common issues, and make necessary improvements to their offerings.
2. Problem Resolution: Sometimes customers might be cancelling a product due to a specific problem or issue they encountered. By selecting a cancellation reason, the business can proactively address these issues and work towards resolving them to prevent future cancellations.
3. Personalisation and Retention: If a business understands why customers are cancelling, they may be able to offer targeted solutions or incentives to encourage customers to reconsider the cancellation. For instance, if the cancellation reason is related to price, the business might offer a discount or a better pricing plan. This can potentially lead to retention rather than loss of a customer.
4. Data Analysis: Collecting cancellation reasons allows businesses to gather data and perform analysis to identify patterns or trends in cancellations. This can provide insights into broader issues that might be affecting multiple customers or specific areas that need improvement.
5. Product and Service Evaluation: The cancellation reasons can also be used to evaluate the performance of different products or services. If a particular product consistently receives certain cancellation reasons, it might indicate that there's something about that product that needs attention.
6. Customer Experience Enhancement: Understanding cancellation reasons can contribute to an overall improvement in the customer experience. Businesses can use this feedback to refine their processes, enhance customer support, and streamline their offerings.
7. Reporting and Accountability: Cancellation reasons can be used for reporting purposes, helping businesses track the reasons for cancellations over time. This can be useful for managerial decisions and accountability within the company.

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Feature overview

When using the circuly's Self-Service Portal to make cancellations, the process includes selecting a "type of cancellation" and providing a cancellation reason. The "type of cancellation" is standardised and consists of two fixed options: normal and extraordinary. However, the cancellation reasons within these categories are fully customisable. You can define and tailor these reasons to suit your business needs, directly in your settings.

- Normal cancellation

The process of terminating a subscription within the standard terms and conditions set forth by the service provider. 

- Extraordinary cancellation

Extraordinary cancellation refers to the termination of a subscription under exceptional circumstances that deviate from the regular terms and conditions. 

- Customisable cancellation reasons

The cancellation reasons that you as a circuly user add under normal and extraordinary cancellation.

- Language & translation

While adding cancellation reasons, you also have the option to enter translated versions of the reasons. The available language options in the "Add Cancellation Reason" window are based on your Allowed Language settings. Only the languages selected in the Allowed Language dropdown will be available for defining the cancellation reasons and its translation.
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Step-by-step setup guide

To add cancellation reasons, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings > Subscription > Scroll down to Cancellation reasons.

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• Click on the “+” icon under Normal Cancellations or Extraordinary Cancellations to begin adding cancellation reasons for the selected cancellation type.
• The Name input field is for internal use only, helping your team distinguish between different cancellation reasons. The text entered in the Translation input field is what will be displayed to customers in the Self-Service Portal.
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• After adding the name and its translation, click the Submit button.
• Once you’ve completed adding all the cancellation reasons, click Save Changes to finalize your updates.

Introduction

Reserving a serial number (asset) means that a specific product unit is pre-assigned to an order and will automatically be linked to the subscription once it's created. This ensures better inventory control, traceability, and operational efficiency.

Enabling this feature in circuly allows serial numbers to be automatically reserved—removing the need for manual assignment during subscription creation.

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Why reserving serial numbers matters

Here are a few key reasons to reserve serial numbers in circuly:

1. Inventory management
Reserving a serial number ensures the specific product required for the order is set aside and not mistakenly allocated to another customer. This helps maintain accurate inventory levels.

2. Product traceability
With unique serial numbers assigned to each order, you gain clear traceability. If there’s ever an issue or product recall, you can easily identify and track the affected items.

3. Warranty & support
A reserved serial number simplifies support. When a customer needs assistance, your team can quickly retrieve relevant order and product details using the serial number.

Overall, it contributes to operational accuracy, faster service, and better organisation throughout your order and subscription processes.

How to enable serial number reservation in circuly

To enable automatic reservation of serial numbers:

1. Go to your circuly Hub
2. Navigate to:
   Settings > Checkout > End checkout
3. Enable the setting “Reserve serial number”

Once this switch is enabled, circuly will:

• Automatically reserve a serial number from the Asset List
• Assign the reserved asset to the order item when creating a subscription
• Update the asset’s status from “in stock” to “reserved”
• Once a subscription is created, change the asset status from “reserved” to “rented out”

When you create a subscription, the serial number will already be pre-assigned to the order item—saving you an extra step.

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How to add assets to circuly

To use the serial number reservation feature, your assets need to be added to circuly and marked as “in stock”.

Steps to Import Assets:

1. Download and fill out the asset import template.
2. Make sure each asset has the correct status set to “in stock”—only assets with this status can be reserved.
3. Go to the Assets tab in your circuly Hub.
4. Click the CSV icon to upload your asset file.

Once imported, circuly will use these assets to fulfill orders with automatic serial number reservation.

There can be various reasons for swapping subscription products, such as product breakage, product loss, upgrades, downgrades or simply because of the nature of your business. 

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The set up and the process of changing products in a subscription also depends on the reason why the product needs to be changed. 

Use case based set up overview

The set up process based on the use case for exchanging a product. 

• Use case 1: Nature of your business
  
  • Enable product swaps as a built-in part of your subscription model. Choose between:
    • Exchange Groups: Customers select from a predefined collection.
    • Free Selection: Customers can choose any product from your full catalog.
• Use case 2: Swapping lost products
• Use case 3: Swapping broken products.
  
  

Use case 1: Nature of your business

If you have a business model that allows your customers to exchange products from a predefined group, continue reading this article about Exchange Groups. 

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What are exchange groups?

When you want your customers to select a product for exchanging from a predefined group, you can set up exchange groups in the circuly Operations Backend. Typical use cases include an exchange group for consumable subscription products such as protein powder, where the customer can change between the different flavours, an exchange group for kids bike, where the customer can select a bigger size, or an exchange group for toys, where your customer can swap between toys.

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Use case 2: Swapping lost products.

Since lost products are not expected to come back, the swap process for such products looks slightly different than the regular swap process. 

The reason why Lost product swaps are treated differently from other product swaps is because Lost products are not expected to come back. Speaking in technical terms, Lost products will not have a Pending Return status. This essentially means that normally you would expect a product to come back and if the customer doesn't send the product back, you can keep billing them. But in case of Lost products there is no possibility to get the product back hence no reason to bill the customers for two subscriptions. 

In order to utilise the swap feature within the circuly Operations Backend, it is important to go through the following steps:

Step 1: Review and configure the swap settings.

Step 2: Add swap reasons. Swap reasons are used for internal communication. 

Step 3: Learn how to process a swap request for missing products. 

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Use case 3: Swapping broken products.

Make sure you’ve configured the swap settings and added the swapping reasons. 

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Continue reading this article to learn more about swapping broken products. 

As the name suggests, the Delete recurring payments setting can be used if you want to delete future recurring charges after a subscription status is set to pending return via a cancellation request made from the Self-Service Portal. The recurring payments are deleted until the subscription is reactivated.

User actions in the circuly Operations Backend that set the subscription status as pending return do not interact with the Delete recurring payments setting.

Important: The payments are deleted irrespective of whether or not you’ve received the product back from the customer.

Are the recurring payments deleted permanently?

No, the recurring payments are not deleted permanently. In case the customer does not return the product, the subscription can be reactivated and the recurring payments will continue to be charged.

When this setting deletes the recurring payments, you can ideally avoid a situation in which a customer is charged for an additional month while the customer is in the process of returning the product.

To access the setting > Go to Settings > Customer Login > CANCEL OPTIONS > Delete recurring payments.

If you offer pickup services for your products, you can enhance the customer cancellation experience by allowing them to select a preferred pickup date via a calendar. This feature is available directly within the cancellation window of the Self-Service Portal.

Introduction

A smooth and flexible return experience is key to customer satisfaction, especially in a subscription-based business. Allowing customers to schedule a product pickup date makes the return process more convenient for them and more predictable for you.

Feature Overview

The pickup calendar is an optional feature in the circuly Self-Service Portal. It functions similarly to the delivery date picker used in the checkout process. If enabled, the calendar appears during the cancellation process, allowing the customer to choose a specific pickup date for their subscription product.

Here’s how the pickup calendar is displayed in the self-service portal. 

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What it Does:

• Displays a pickup calendar during the cancellation flow.
• Allows customers to select a preferred date for product pickup.
• Optionally makes the selection of a pickup date mandatory.

Process Overview

To enable the pickup calendar, you need to access your circuly settings and activate the relevant switches under the cancellation options.

There are two main configurations:

• Enable pickup date selection.
• (Optional) Require the customer to select a pickup date to proceed.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Enable Pickup Date Selection

• Log in to your circuly Operations Backend.
• Go to Settings > Customer Login > CANCEL OPTIONS.
• Find the Pickup Date setting.
• Enable the switch for Pickup date.

Step 2: Make Pickup Date Mandatory (Optional)

• After enabling the pickup date setting, an additional switch appears.
• Enable the switch for Require pickup date to make date selection mandatory during cancellation.

Final Note

Activating the pickup calendar improves your logistics planning and gives customers more control over their return process. If your business offers pickups, enabling this feature is a simple way to provide a more user-friendly and efficient experience.

If your customers decide they want to keep a product they’ve been renting, circuly makes it easy for them to buy out the subscription directly from the Self-Service Portal.

Introduction

Whether it’s a bike, baby product, or another consumer durable, customers may grow attached to the product during their subscription. circuly allows them to seamlessly transition from renting to owning by initiating a buyout directly in the Self-Service Portal.

Feature Overview

The buyout feature lets customers purchase their currently subscribed product. The system automatically calculates the buyout price based on the product’s retail price and subtracts previous payments (e.g., the initial fee and monthly subscription payments).

Key highlights:

• Customers can initiate the buyout themselves from their subscription view.
• The system calculates and displays the adjusted buyout price.
• The transaction is processed using the customer's stored payment method.
• The subscription status and invoice handling is updated accordingly.

Note: The buyout option may not be visible if a minimum contract duration hasn't been reached yet.

Customer Instructions

You can provide these step-by-step instructions to your customers:

• Navigate to the Subscription
  • Log in to your customer account and go to the active subscription.
  • Click on the dropdown menu next to the subscription.
• Initiate the Buyout
  • Select the "Buy product" option.
  • A window will slide in from the right showing the product, subscription details, and calculated buyout price.

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• Understand the Pricing
  • The window shows both the Retail Price and the Buyout Price, which deducts any previous payments (initial fee and subscription payments).
  • If your previous payments exceed the retail value, a symbolic buyout price of €1 will be displayed with an explanation.

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• Confirm the Payment
  • Click CONFIRM AND PAY.
  • A confirmation box will appear, and the subscription status changes to Pending Buyout until the payment is completed.

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• What Happens Next
  • All other dropdown menu options will disappear except for Report an Issue, to avoid duplicate buyout requests.

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• You will receive an invoice as confirmation.
• An email titled "Buyout Order Confirmation" will be sent.
• A one-time payment is triggered based on the Buyout Price, using your stored payment method.
• Upon successful payment, you’ll receive another email titled "Payment was successful" with an invoice.
• The subscription status will update from Pending Buyout to Bought Out.

Summary

The buyout process in circuly is simple, transparent, and efficient—ensuring that customers who love your product can keep it without hassle. The real-time status updates, automated payment handling, and clear communication ensure a seamless transition from subscription to ownership.

Introduction

circuly gives your customers the flexibility to change their subscribed product directly from the Self-Service Portal. This article explains how the product change experience looks for your customer and what happens in the background once the request is submitted.

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Step-by-step guide

• Log into the Self-Service Portal. 
• Click on the dropdown menu to see the option.
• Select "Change product" from the menu options.

• Click the "CONFIRM" button.
• A new window slides in from the right-hand side.

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• Click the dropdown arrow to view available product options.

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• Select a new product from the collection displayed.

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• Once a product is selected, the product image and price are shown.

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• Clicks on the Save changes button to confirm your selection. 

Once the change is submitted:

• The subscription status changes from “active” to “pending replacement”. 

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• This marks the end of the customer’s interaction.

Introduction

circuly enables you to reward loyal customers for helping you grow your customer base. With the Refer-a-Friend feature, customers with an active subscription can share a unique code with friends and receive credit when that code is used for a new order. This article explains how your customers use this feature and how the process works behind the scenes.

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Feature overview

• The feature is only available to customers with an active subscription that has passed the early cancellation period.
• Customers generate a unique referral code via the Self-Service Portal.
• Friends use the code during checkout for a discount.
• The referrer receives account credit once the order is placed.
• This credit is automatically applied to the next recurring payment.

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Customer Journey: Generating and Sharing a Referral Code

• The customer logs in to the Self-Service Portal.
• Clicks on the "REFER A FRIEND" button.
• In the voucher window, clicks "CREATE REFERRAL CODE".

Customer Journey: Friend Using the Referral Code

• The friend visits the checkout page.
• Adds the referral code in the voucher input field.

• Clicks "VALIDATE".

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• To verify the code, the friend adds their email address and clicks "VALIDATE" again.
  • Note: The voucher is only valid for new customers.
• Once verified, the discounted price is shown on the checkout page.

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• The friend proceeds to payment to complete the order.

• Proceed to the payment process to finalise the checkout.

What happens next

• Once the referred friend completes their order:
  • The original customer (referrer) receives a credit on their account.
  • This credit is not transferable or withdrawable.
  • It is automatically applied to the next recurring payment.
  • The customer receives an invoice with the adjusted amount reflecting the credit.

Note: Credit cannot be transferred to a bank account and is strictly applied to future subscription payments.

Introduction

circuly gives your customers the option to cancel their subscriptions directly via the Self-Service Portal. This article outlines the cancellation process, types of cancellations, and what your customers can expect depending on the timing of their request.

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Types of Cancellation

There are two main types of cancellations your customers can make:

1. Cancellation within the Early Cancellation Period ("Widerrufsfrist")
2. Regular Cancellation (outside of the early cancellation period)

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Note: The key difference between these two types is that if the cancellation is within the Early Cancellation Period, customers will see the option to return the product—either immediately or after the minimum subscription duration. In contrast, if it's a Regular Cancellation, the return option is not shown; customers can only request cancellation.

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Customer Journey: Cancellation Within the Early Cancellation Period

If a customer’s subscription is still within the early cancellation period, they can cancel as follows:

• Log in to the Customer Self-Service Portal.
• Go to "Your Subscriptions" and select the subscription to cancel.

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• Click on "CANCEL NOW".
• In the subscription overview window:
  • Select a Cancellation Type (Normal or Extraordinary).

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• Choose a Cancellation Reason from the dropdown.
• Choose how to return the product:

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• Option 1: Immediately
  • A confirmation email is sent.
  • The subscription status changes to "cancelled".
  • The customer receives return instructions.
  • Once the product is returned, a refund is issued.
• Option 2: After Minimum Duration
  • The subscription status becomes "cancellation requested".
  • An email confirms the request.
  • A reminder email is sent when the end date is near.
  • After the end date, return instructions are sent.
• Customers can optionally leave a message.
• Click "CANCEL NOW" to submit the request.

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Customer Journey: Regular Cancellation (Outside Early Cancellation Period)

• Log in to the Customer Self-Service Portal.
• Go to "Your Subscriptions" and select the subscription.

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• Click "CANCEL NOW".
• In the subscription overview window:
  • Select a Cancellation Type.
  • Choose a Cancellation Reason.

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• The return product option is not displayed.
• The subscription status updates to "cancelled" or "cancellation requested".
• The cancellation date and end date are displayed.

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Processing Rules:

• If still within the minimum duration: cancellation is scheduled for the end date. An email will be sent with next steps.
• If outside the minimum duration: Circuly checks for notice period compliance and cancels accordingly.

Note: In both cases, subscriptions will not renew again, but the actual cancellation depends on timing.

Your customers can download invoices for payments that have already been charged.

Given below are steps you can share with your customers or add to your FAQ section:

To download an invoice > Go to Your invoices > Click on the download icon > Your invoice will be downloaded and available for you to view in your browser > To view your invoice click on the downloaded file > The invoice will open up in a new window > From there you can download and/or print your invoice. 

Tip: This process can be automated via our customer API. This is the GET request you can use https://api-docs.circuly.io/docs/customers-api-docs/tyvbuteuftq44-get-the-order-s-update-payment-link that you can use to get the link for updating the payment details. You can forward the link to your customer via email.

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Your customers can change their payment details in the Self-Service Portal in the same window as their address. 

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Given below are the instructions you can pass on to your customer about updating their payment details from the Self-Service Portal:

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To change payment details > Go to Your Orders > Choose an order and click on the arrow icon > You will be taken to your order overview page > in the order overview page scroll down to Current payment method > Click on UPDATE PAYMENT METHOD. 

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Note: If you wish to add a custom description to this window, you can write us a service desk ticket, with your desired text.

You will be taken to a new browser window where you will have the option to update your payment method > Click on your desired option > Fill in your payment details > Confirm your selection.

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Your payment method will now be updated.

Introduction

circuly enables your customers to independently update their personal details through the Customer Self-Service Portal. This article outlines how the experience looks for your customers when they update their contact details or address, and why the process differs slightly for each type of information.

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Customer Journey: Updating Profile Information

Your customers can change their name, email, and phone number by following these steps:

1. Log in to the Customer Self-Service Portal.
2. Click the "YOUR PROFILE" button.
3. In the "Your Profile" window, click the pencil icon to begin editing.

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1. Make the necessary changes.
2. Click "SEND" to submit the updates.

These changes are sent to the Circuly system and updated accordingly.

Customer Journey: Updating Shipping or Billing Address

To update the shipping or billing address for a specific order:

1. Log in to the Customer Self-Service Portal.
2. Go to the "Your Orders" section.
3. Select the relevant order and click the arrow icon to view the order overview.
4. On the order overview page, click the pencil icon next to the address.
5. Make the necessary updates.
6. Click "SEND" to confirm the change.

The updated address is saved in the Circuly system and associated with the selected order.

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Why Contact Details and Address Are Handled Separately

Customers may use a single email ID to place multiple orders—for themselves, family, or colleagues—each potentially with a different delivery address. To avoid conflicts or incorrect data changes across orders, addresses are managed separately at the order level.

‍Introduction

circuly allows you to offer a localised experience for your customers by supporting multiple language options in the Customer Self-Service Portal. This article explains how language preferences are managed and how they influence customer communication.

How to configure available languages

As an admin, you can control which languages are available to your customers. For details on configuring language options or troubleshooting issues, refer to the language settings article.

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How language preferences work

The language selection feature in the Customer Self-Service Portal allows customers to choose the language in which the portal is displayed. This preference not only affects the interface language but also determines the language of transactional email communications sent to the customer.

Customer journey: changing the portal language

Here’s how your customers can change their preferred language:

1. Log in to the Customer Self-Service Portal.
2. Click the small grey language selector button in the top-right corner.
3. Select a preferred language from the list.

Implication: Once changed, all future transactional emails will be sent in the selected language. The circuly system automatically saves this preference.

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How to configure available languages

For more details on configuring language options or troubleshooting issues, refer to the language settings article.

Introduction

By embracing the power of the circuly Customer Self-Service Portal (CSS), you're not only empowering your customers with more control and transparency but also freeing your Customer Success team from repetitive operational tasks.

Transparency isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s essential for building trust and enhancing the customer experience. The CSS provides exactly that: a simple and intuitive interface where customers can manage their subscriptions, invoices, and personal data independently.

This article is written for your customers. Feel free to copy and paste this guide onto your website. Just be sure to use your own screenshots to align the look and feel with your brand.

Note: If you do not provide one or more of the options listed below, you can customise this content accordingly.

Feature Overview

The Customer Self-Service Portal offers an overview of all relevant account and subscription details. Through the portal, customers can:

• View their active and ended subscriptions
• Access all their orders
• Download invoices
• Update personal and payment details
• Manage language preferences
• Cancel subscriptions or report issues
• Refer friends, buy products, or switch products (if allowed by your setup)

What You Can See in the Self-Service Portal

Customers will find the following sections in their CSS:

Your Subscriptions

• View both active and ended subscriptions.
• See the monthly subscription price for each product.
• Note: Only subscription-based products appear here. One-time purchases are shown under "Your Orders."

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Your Orders

• See all orders in one place – both subscription and one-time orders.

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Your Invoices

• Download invoices for already paid subscription payments.
• Note: Unpaid invoices or upcoming charges are not displayed.

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What your customers do in the CSS

The CSS allows customers to perform multiple self-service actions without needing to contact customer support. Here's what customers can do:

• Change the language
• Change personal details
• Change payment details
• Download invoices
• Cancel subscriptions
• Report issues
• Refer a friend
• Change product
• Buy product

Additional Settings

Availability of some features depends on your specific Circuly configuration. If certain features (e.g., Refer a Friend or Change Product) are not visible in your CSS, it's likely they are not currently enabled in your system.

What Happens Next

Once the portal is live:

• Your customers can manage their subscription lifecycle independently.
• Your support team will receive fewer repetitive inquiries related to account updates, cancellations, and invoice requests.
• You can improve customer satisfaction by making their journey smoother and more self-directed.

To fully benefit from the CSS, consider embedding a link to it prominently in your website's account or support sections, and customise it visually with your branding and screenshots.

Introduction

In subscription businesses, customer cancellations are inevitable. When customers cancel early—especially within the legally mandated early cancellation period—it’s often expected that their initial payment will be refunded. To streamline this process, circuly offers a setting that automates refunds for qualifying cancellations. This helps reduce manual effort and improves customer experience by ensuring timely refunds.

Settings Overview

The Auto refund immediately cancelled subscriptions setting automatically refunds the initial payment for subscriptions cancelled via the Self-Service Portal under the following conditions:

• The cancellation is made within the early cancellation period.
• The customer selects “immediately” as the option for returning the product.

Once these two conditions are met and the setting is enabled, the payment will be refunded—even if the product has not yet been returned.

Note: If you prefer to refund only after the product is returned, keep this setting disabled and handle refunds manually.

Setup Guide

To enable the Auto refund immediately cancelled subscriptions setting:

• Log into your circuly Hub.
• Navigate to Settings.
• Go to Subscriptions > Cancel subscriptions.
• Enable the switch for Auto refund immediately cancelled subscription.

Once active, the circuly system will take care of refunding payments under the specified conditions without any manual input from your team.

Learn more about how you can manually process a refund.

When enabled in your circuly Hub settings, the 'Check system stock' setting performs a stock check in the background as soon as the customer arrives on the checkout page. This check uses the stock level data stored in the circuly Hub as its base which is in turn based on an automatic sync between your shop system and the circuly Hub.


Product is available: if the product is available the customer can proceed with the payment and finalise the order.
Product is not available: If the selected product is not in stock, an error message is displayed on the checkout page and the customer is prevented from proceeding to the payment page.

Access the setting

To access the setting > Go to Settings > Checkout > PRE CHECKOUT > Check system stock. 

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Learn more about stock management with circuly.

What is a payment cycle?

In circuly, a payment cycle refers to the complete process of retrying a failed payment the maximum number of times you've configured in your settings.

Feature overview

When a recurring payment fails, circuly will automatically retry the payment based on your defined settings. This retry process is called a payment cycle.

A payment cycle =
1 failed recurring payment
retried automatically up to the maximum number of times (e.g. 3 retries)

Once all retries have been attempted and the payment still fails, the payment cycle is considered completed—but the payment is still marked as failed.

Good to Know

• You can set the number of retry attempts in:
  Settings > Invoice & Payment > FAILED PAYMENT > Maximum number of payment attempts
• Multiple payment cycles are used to determine subscription-level actions (e.g. auto-cancellation after two failed payment cycles).

Example:
If Max attempts = 3 and a payment fails, circuly will retry it 3 times.
That’s 1 payment cycle.
If another payment fails and is also retried 3 times, that’s a second payment cycle.

Introduction

In circuly, you can designate a specific customer care email address to receive automatic notifications when key customer-related events occur. These notifications help your internal team stay informed and take timely action when needed.

Feature Overview

The email address you define in your circuly Hub will receive alerts for the following types of events:

• Failed Payments – When a recurring payment attempt does not go through.
• Unreturned Products – When the return deadline has passed and no product has been received.
• Subscription Cancellation Requests – When a customer initiates a cancellation.
• Chargebacks – When a customer disputes a transaction with their payment provider.
• Issues Reported – When a customer reports a problem via the Self-Service Portal.

This setting ensures that your customer service team is always in the loop and can respond quickly to customer needs or potential problems.

How to set up the customer care email address

1. Login to your circuly Hub
2. Navigate to: Settings > Company Settings > Base Setup
3. Locate the field labeled Customer Care Email Address
4. Enter the email address that should receive the notifications.
5. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

✅ Tip: Use a shared customer support email (e.g., support@yourcompany.com) so multiple team members can monitor incoming alerts.

Examples of Email Notifications

Below are examples of the kinds of notifications your team might receive:

1. Unreturned Product Notification
   Subject: “Product not returned – [Order ID]”
   Body: Alerts the team that a return deadline has passed without product return.
2. Failed Payment Notification
   Subject: “Failed Payment – [Customer Name or ID]”
   Body: Informs about unsuccessful payment attempts requiring follow-up.
3. Issue Reported from Self-Service Portal
   Subject: “Customer reported an issue – [Subscription ID]”
   Body: Includes the customer's message and issue details.
4. Subscription Cancellation Request
   Subject: “Cancellation request received – [Subscription ID]”
   Body: Lets your team know a customer wants to end their subscription.
5. Chargeback Notification
   Subject: “Chargeback initiated – [Transaction ID]”
   Body: Notifies you that a dispute has been raised by the customer’s payment provider.

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Setting up the Customer Care Email Address in Circuly ensures that your team receives critical updates without delay. With automated notifications for cancellations, payment failures, and other key events, you can proactively manage customer support and maintain high service standards.

Introduction

circuly supports multiple languages to help you deliver a localized experience across your Checkout, Self-Service Portal, and email communication. With just a few settings in your circuly Hub, you can configure the languages available to customers and how those language preferences influence the user experience and system communication.

This guide walks you through the languages supported, how to activate them, and how the system handles language preferences.

Feature Overview

To see the languages currently supported by circuly, go to your Settings in the circuly Hub and check the available options under Allowed Languages.

circuly is constantly expanding the list of supported languages to help you offer a localized experience to your customers across different markets. If your desired language isn’t listed yet, feel free to reach out to us via the service desk—we’re always improving and updating language support based on customer needs.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Enabling Languages

Step 1: Define Allowed Languages

Allowed languages are the ones your customers can choose from during checkout or in the Self-Service Portal.

To enable them:

1. Go to Settings > Company Settings > Locale in your circuly Hub.
2. Under Allowed Languages, select the languages you want to offer from the dropdown.

When you select an allowed language, a new column is added in the Email Templates tab for that language—so you can configure email templates accordingly.

Step 2: Set Up Email Templates (If Needed)

Selecting a language under “Allowed Languages” does not automatically create translated email templates. You’ll need to:

• Go to the Email Templates tab in your circuly Hub.
• Use the new language column to manually create or translate the templates for that language.

Step 3: Define a Default Language

The default language acts as the fallback language for all communications when a customer's preferred language is missing or email templates aren't set up in their chosen language.

To set the default language:

1. Go to Settings > Company Settings > Locale.
2. Choose your Default Language from the dropdown list.

Note: You can only set one default language.

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Terminology Explained

Allowed Language

Languages made available to customers in the Checkout and Self-Service Portal, selected via the "Allowed Languages" setting.

Preferred Language

The language selected by the customer during checkout or in the portal. This preference is saved and used for all communication (emails, invoices, etc.).

Default Language

Used when:

• No preferred language is available for the customer, or
• The email templates for the preferred language are not configured.

How circuly Uses Language Preferences

• When a customer visits the checkout and switches to a different language from the available list, circuly saves that language as their preferred language.

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• Any email or transactional message sent afterward (automatically or manually) will use this preferred language—if email templates are set up.
• If templates are missing for the preferred language, circuly defaults to the default language set in your settings.

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FAQ: Common Language Questions

What language is shown to customers the first time they access checkout?
The checkout language is based on the browser language. If the browser is set to English, the checkout and communication will start in English—even if your default language is different.

What changes the customer’s preferred language?
If the customer switches languages in the Self-Service Portal, circuly automatically updates their preferred language and uses it for all future communications.

What language is used when I manually resend an email?
The email will be sent in the customer’s saved preferred language, regardless of whether it’s triggered manually or automatically.

Tip If you don’t see a specific language in the Default Language dropdown, make sure it’s first added under Allowed Languages.

Introduction

circuly offers multiple language options for the Checkout and Self-Service Portal to ensure a seamless experience for customers across different regions. This article outlines the languages currently supported, how to enable language options, and how the system uses language preferences to communicate effectively with customers. It also explains the importance of setting up a default language and answers commonly asked questions about language selection and email communication.

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Languages currently supported by circuly

The Checkout and Self-Service Portal are available in multiple languages and can be displayed in the following options:

• German
• English
• French
• Spanish
• Dutch
• Swedish
• Norwegian
• Greek
• Italian
• Spanish
• Slovenian

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Note: While translations of the checkout and self-service portal are available in the languages mentioned above, the email templates are only available in English and need to be translated for all other languages. 

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Language types in circuly

To better understand how language settings function in Circuly, it's important to define the three main types of language settings used within the platform: Allowed Language, Preferred Language, and Default Language. Each plays a key role in ensuring effective and seamless communication with customers.

- Allowed Language

The Allowed Language refers to the list of languages that you, as a business, make available for your customers to choose from on the Checkout page and in the Self-Service Portal. These languages are configurable in the circuly Hub, allowing you to select which languages should be accessible for customers based on their region or preferences. Only the languages selected from the Allowed Languages dropdown are available for customers to select.

- Preferred Language

The Preferred Language is the language chosen by the customer from the Allowed Languages list during their interaction with the Checkout page or Self-Service Portal. It can also be based on their browser language settings. Once selected, the customer’s Preferred Language is saved in the circuly system and used for all future communications, such as emails, invoices, and notifications.

- Default Language

The Default Language serves as the fallback language in case no Preferred Language is selected, or if there are no email templates available in the customer's selected language. It is the language Circuly will use for all communications (emails, invoices, etc.) when no language preference is provided or when the customer’s Preferred Language is unavailable. This ensures there are no gaps in communication and that customers always receive the necessary information, even if their selected language is not available.

Example: You have three language options available on your webshop; English, German, and Dutch. A prospect lands on your webshop and proceeds to the checkout page in Dutch. The preferred language of this customer is saved as Dutch in the circuly operations backend. If you have email templates set up in Dutch then the circuly operations backend will use Dutch as the language of communication with your customer. If you do not have email templates set up in Dutch then the circuly operations backend will use the default language and the email templates set up in the default language.

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As you can see setting up a default language is important to avoid any communication gaps and operation hassles. 

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Step-by-step setup guide

Follow the steps given below:

- Setup guide for Allowed languages

• Log into your circuly Hub.
• Navigate to the Settings tab in the top navigation bar.
• Go to Company Settings > LOCALE > Allowed Languages.

• In the Allowed Languages section, you will see a dropdown menu where you can select the languages you wish to offer to your customers.‍
• Pick the languages you want to make available for your customers in the Checkout page and the Self-Service Portal.
• To finalise and save your settings, click on the Save changes button.

Once selected, these languages will be displayed in the language switcher, allowing your customers to switch between the available options.

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Note: When you update the Allowed Languages settings by adding or removing languages, a corresponding language tab will appear or disappear in the Email Templates tab. Please note that emails for newly added languages are not automatically created; you will need to manually configure the email templates for these languages.

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- Setup guide for Default language

• Log into your circuly Hub.
• Navigate to the Settings tab in the top navigation bar.
• Go to Company Settings > LOCALE > Default Language.

• Click on the dropdown arrow to see the dropdown list and proceed by selecting a language that should be used as the default language.
• To finalise and save your settings, click on the Save changes button.

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- Setup guide for Preferred language

There is no separate setup guide for Preferred Language, as the Preferred Language is automatically based on the language selected by the customer during the Checkout process or in the Self-Service Portal. When a customer chooses a language from the available Allowed Languages, their selection is saved as their Preferred Language in the system, which is then used for all subsequent communications.

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Frequently asked questions

1. What language will be shown to the customer when they access the checkout for the first time t?

The language shown in the checkout is based on the browser preference. Hence if your browser preference is English but your default language is German, the checkout would still be shown in English and also the email sent in English. 

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2. What triggers the email to be sent in a different language?

If the customer changes the language after checkout in the Self-Service Portal, this will also change the selected email language. 

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3. In what language will be the email sent if I trigger the email manually again from the circuly Hub?

The email will be always sent out in the saved preferred language that the customer selected.

Introduction

In a world where consumer choice is abundant, guiding your customers with curated selections can dramatically improve their decision-making experience. Research shows that 87% of customers appreciate curated product experiences that reduce decision fatigue and support confident choices.

circuly’s Exchange Groups feature enables you to deliver this experience. By allowing customers to choose a replacement product from a pre-defined, tailored group, you empower them to swap products without being overwhelmed by irrelevant options.

Feature overview

Exchange Groups is a feature in the circuly Hub that lets you:

• Create collections of related product variants.
• Enable customers to swap their current subscription product with another from the same collection.
• Maintain price consistency or customise pricing for each variant.
• Limit availability based on stock.

One-time feature setup

Step 1: Create an exchange group collection

Step 2: Map variants to the collection

Step 3: (Optional) Go over the swap settings in the Settings tab

Step 4: Enable the "Check System Stock" setting

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Technical setup

Step 1: Create an exchange group collection

• Go to Products > Exchange Groups tab.
• Click on + Exchange group.

• Fill in the group title, description, and optional exchange discount.

• Assign product variants via the dropdown or skip this and assign them in the next step.

• Click Submit.

Note: An exchange group can include up to 1000 product variants.

Step 2: Map variants to the collection

• Navigate to the Variants tab.
• Select the variants you want to group by checking the checkbox > Then click on Map to exchange collection button.
• Choose the desired collection from the dropdown > Click Map to groups.

To verify, scroll horizontally in the Variants tab to view the Exchange Group column.

Step 3: (Optional) Review swap settings

Exchange Groups use the swap logic and associated settings. Ensure your swap settings are configured under Settings > Swaps.

Step 4: Enable system stock check

To avoid offering out-of-stock products, activate the stock validation feature:

• Go to Settings > Checkout > Pre-Checkout > Check System Stock.
• If already active for checkout, the same logic applies to the Self-Service Portal.

Note: Update your collections regularly if you have stock-sensitive items like refurbished products.

Good to Know

1. All product data (e.g. price, name) is imported from your shop system into circuly.
2. Exchange Group pricing follows your shop system by default, but flat pricing per collection can be arranged upon request via the service desk.
3. Exchange Groups are only available for new orders. If you want to enable this feature for existing subscriptions, contact circuly support.

Process for your customers

Here’s how the exchange process looks for your customers:

1. Customer logs into the Self-Service Portal.
2. Opens subscription menu > Clicks Change product.
3. Clicks CONFIRM.
4. A window slides in from the right.
5. Customer selects a product from the dropdown (display includes product image and price).
6. Clicks Save changes.

Stock validation is triggered at this point. If the selected product is out of stock, an error is displayed.

The subscription status changes from active to pending replacement.

Note: To display your custom terms and conditions, share the desired text with circuly to include in your white-label Self-Service Portal.

Process for a circuly user

• A new order is created in the circuly Hub unless the Delay Swapped Orders setting is enabled.
• Process this order manually or update its status based on your shop system flow.

Learn more about manually creating subscriptions or using the bulk update feature to update orders.

Business cases and ideas

1. Consumable subscriptions

• Example: Protein powders in different flavours (vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough).
• Create a collection named “Flavours – Black Edition” and map the variants.
• Customers choose their preferred flavour through the Self-Service Portal.

Also applicable to coffee, baby diapers, wine, and other consumables.

2. Tangible product subscriptions

• Strollers: Offer swaps between compact, large, or double strollers.
• Bikes: Let customers upgrade to bigger kids’ bikes as the child grows.
• Furniture: Allow seasonal swaps (e.g. summer lounge chairs vs. winter armchairs).

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Introduction

In a subscription-based business model, customers don’t just purchase products—they use them for a defined period, often with the option to return, upgrade, or replace them. That’s where product swapping comes in.

Swapping allows customers to exchange one product for another during their subscription term. This can be due to breakage, loss, dissatisfaction, or a change in needs—like upgrading to a newer model or switching to a more suitable product. It's a critical feature in making a subscription model work smoothly, especially for physical products that require flexibility and long-term use.

To support this, circuly provides a swap feature within the circuly Hub and the Self-Service Portal. With the right configuration, businesses can streamline how swaps are handled—ensuring a smooth experience for both customers and operations teams while preventing misuse and managing logistics efficiently.

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Feature overview

circuly supports product swaps through two main channels:

• circuly Hub: Swaps can be manually initiated and processed by your internal team.
• Self-Service Portal: Customers can initiate a swap themselves using the “Change Product” option.

Both methods integrate into your subscription flow and trigger a series of backend processes depending on how the swap settings are configured.

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Settings overview

Here’s a breakdown of the key swap-related settings in the circuly Hub:

• Maximum number of swaps per original order
  Set a limit on how many times a single order can be swapped. This helps prevent abuse or suspicious activity by stopping additional swaps once the limit is reached.
• Delay swapped order
  Instead of immediately creating a new active order after a swap request, enabling this setting creates a draft order. This ensures you can receive the original product before shipping a replacement—helping reduce fraud.
• Prevent swap if customer has failed payments
  Automatically blocks swap requests from customers with unpaid or failed payments and also prevents a user from processing a swap if a customer has failed payments, helping reduce risk.
• Swap reasons
  Add customisable reasons for swapping, which are then displayed to a circuly user when processing a swap.
• Tag after swap
  Add a label (e.g. "replacement" or "swap") to orders processed as swaps, making it easier to differentiate them from regular orders.
• Extend subscription on return
  Automatically extend the subscription end date by 7 days to account for the delivery time of the replacement product—especially useful if the customer is close to the end of their subscription.

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Setup guide

To configure the swap settings, navigate to the Settings tab in your circuly Hub. Under the settings menu click on Swapping and configure the settings you need.

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Learn more about exchanging and swapping products.

Introduction

Each tab in circuly Hub (Orders, Subscriptions, Customers, Invoices) has an index page that displays a list — such as the Order List, Subscription List, or Customer List. You can use filters to segment these lists and display exactly the information you want. The filter functionality in the circuly Hub helps you quickly narrow down data so you can focus on what matters most.

Feature Overview

• Flexible filtering: Apply multiple filters to slice your data based on different fields and criteria. The fields available depend on the tab you’re working in (e.g. Customer fields under the Customers tab).
• Saved views: You can save your filter settings as default views, making it easy to switch between different filtered perspectives without setting them up each time. You can save multiple views and toggle between them whenever needed.
• Active filters: All applied filters are shown under Active filters, so you always see exactly how your data is being filtered.
• Resetting filters: Clear all filters anytime with the Clear button to return to the unfiltered list.
• Browser-friendly: Filters are added to the URL string, so if you navigate back and forth using your browser’s arrow keys, your filters stay intact and don’t reload — making it easier to explore data without losing your current view.

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Step-by-Step Guide

How to add a filter

• In the circuly Hub, click on the Filter button.
• Select a Filter key.
  • The options shown here depend on which tab you’re in. For example, in the Customers tab, the dropdown will show all the column headings from your customer list.
• Select an Operator to define your filter condition.
  • Available options include:
    
    • ‍Is, Contains, Excludes, Matches, Is Empty, Date, or Date Range.
    • Certain value options also contain predefined values such as status.
    • In case of numerical possibilities operators like greater than and less than as well.

• Click + Add filter to apply it.

Note: if you don’t actively click this button, the filter won’t be applied.

• Once applied, the filter will appear under Active filters.
• Repeat these steps to add more filters as needed.

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• When you’re ready, click Search to update your list with the applied filters.

How to save a filter view

• After adding all your desired filters, click on the Save as function.

• Give this set of filters a name to save it.

• You can create and save multiple views.
  • Later, simply select the saved view to instantly apply all its filter settings.

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How to navigate between saved filter views

If you’ve saved more than one filter view, you’ll see a list of saved filters under “Saved Filters.”

To switch between different filtered perspectives:

• Simply click on any saved filter in the list to apply it immediately.
• To move from one applied filter to another, just select a different saved filter from the list.

Important: Clicking on the cancel (×) icon next to a saved filter will permanently delete that saved filter.

How to see which filter is currently active

You can always tell which saved filter is currently applied by checking the highlighted or selected filter under the Saved Filters section. This clearly shows which conditions are filtering your displayed list.

Pro tips: browser navigation & bookmarks

• When you use your browser’s back and forward buttons, the circuly Hub keeps your filters intact — even if you move to another tab and return — because the filters are stored in the URL.
• You can also bookmark the URL (including the filter string) to always land on the exact filtered view you want whenever you log back into Circuly.

You’re all set to start using filters in the circuly Hub. Try out different combinations and save your favourite views to make your work even easier.

If you have any questions or run into something unexpected, our team is always here to help.

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Introduction

If you have access to the Admins section in the circuly Hub, you can add users to your company and customise their permissions. 

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Feature Overview

With advanced user management in circuly, you can:

• Invite both internal team members and external partners
• Assign roles based on responsibilities
• Control access per tab (e.g., limit a user to only the “Invoices” tab)

This gives you full flexibility to tailor permissions to each person’s role — without giving more access than needed.

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Step-by-step guide

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Users tab.
• Click on the + Invite user button. 
• In the Invite User window enter the user's:
  • Email
  • Name  
  • Role of the user
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• Click on the Submit button.

Admin - when you give a user the role on an “Admin”, the user is able to see the Admins section in the left navigation bar and access everything that comes under it, such as Settings, Repair Questions etc.‍

User - when you give a user the role of a “User”, the user is only able to access the non-admin tabs in the circuly Hub.

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Once invited, the user appears in the list. You can adjust their permissions at any time by clicking on their name and checking/unchecking access to specific tabs.

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What happens next

• The invited user receives an email invitation with a link to create their account.
• This link is valid for 24 hours, so they must complete the sign-up within that time.
• The user creates a password and logs in to the circuly Hub using their email and password.

Login options:

• Social login: If their email is linked to Google or GitHub, they can log in using that account.
• Standard login: If not, they can create a password using the same email.

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User is unable to log in

The most common reason is an expired invitation link.
If the user doesn’t create a profile within 24 hours, the link becomes invalid.

➡️ In this case, please create a ticket in the Support tab in the circuly Hub to resend the invitation.

To avoid login issues, ensure users complete their sign-up promptly.

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How to Remove a User

1. Go to the Users tab
2. Search for the user in the list
3. Click on the three dots next to their name
4. Select Remove user
5. Confirm by clicking Remove

Introduction

When customers request to cancel a subscription, circuly provides two paths: manual cancellation by your support team or self-service cancellation by the customer via the Customer Portal. To reduce manual handling and improve automation, circuly offers a setting called Auto cancel subscription. This setting controls what happens after a customer initiates a cancellation—especially in relation to the subscription status and return workflow.

Understanding how this setting behaves in different scenarios is essential to ensure you meet both operational needs and customer expectations.

Settings Overview

The Auto cancel subscription setting determines whether the circuly system should automatically update a subscription’s status after a cancellation request is made via the Self-Service Portal.

• Default state: Disabled
• Location: Settings > Customer Login > Cancel options > Auto cancel subscription

When enabled, the system can automatically:

• Set the subscription status to pending return
• Trigger the return workflow
• Turn off the Auto renew setting
• Cancel the subscription either immediately or at the end date (depending on user input)

When disabled, these actions may require manual input depending on the scenario.

Setup Guide

To enable the Auto Cancel Subscription setting:

• Log into your circuly Operations Backend.
• Go to Settings > Customer Login > CANCEL OPTIONS.
• Enable the switch for Auto cancel subscription.

Once activated, the circuly system will take automated actions during cancellation requests as per the scenario.

Cancellation Scenario Overview

Below is an explanation of how the Auto Cancel Subscription setting behaves in various scenarios, both within and outside the early cancellation period.

Cancellation Within Early Cancellation Period

Scenario 1: Auto Cancel Enabled + “Immediately” Selected

• Subscription status: Set to pending return
• Auto renew: Turned off
• Subscription: Cancelled
• Reason: Customer has the right to cancel within the early cancellation period
• Auto cancel setting has no effect (legal override applies)

Scenario 2: Auto Cancel Disabled + “Immediately” Selected

• Subscription status: Set to pending return
• Auto renew: Turned off
• Subscription: Cancelled
• Reason: Same legal override applies
• Auto cancel setting has no effect

Scenario 3: Auto Cancel Enabled + “After Minimum Duration” Selected

• Subscription status: Set to pending return
• Auto renew: Turned off
• Tag: “Cancelled by customer”
• Action: Subscription is scheduled to cancel at the end date
• Auto cancel setting takes effect

Scenario 4: Auto Cancel Disabled + “After Minimum Duration” Selected

• Subscription status: Remains active
• Auto renew: Turned off
• Tags: “Cancelled by customer” and “Cancelled on end date”
• Auto cancel setting prevents cancellation from being processed

Cancellation Outside Early Cancellation Period

Scenario 5: Auto Cancel Enabled

• Customer sees: No return option, only cancellation reasons
• Subscription status: Set to pending return
• Auto renew: Turned off
• Tag: “Cancelled by customer”
• Minimum subscription duration: Ignored
• Auto cancel setting triggers full cancellation flow

Scenario 6: Auto Cancel Disabled

• Customer sees: No return option, only cancellation reasons
• Subscription status: Remains active
• Auto renew: Turned off
• Tags: “Cancelled by customer” and “Cancelled on end date”
• Auto cancel setting prevents automatic cancellation

By understanding and configuring the Auto cancel subscription setting properly, you can better control your cancellation workflows while staying compliant with legal requirements—especially regarding early cancellation rights.

Introduction

Early cancellation refers to a customer's legal right to cancel their subscription shortly after it starts—commonly within 14 days in countries like Germany. circuly supports this process through the Customer Self-Service Portal and allows you to automate nearly every step while remaining fully compliant.

This article explains how early cancellations work, what your customer sees, and how you can set up the logic and communication behind the scenes in the circuly Hub.

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Feature Overview

When early cancellation is enabled in circuly, customers who cancel within the defined period are presented with two return options:

• Immediately
• After minimum subscription duration

Each choice leads to a different flow within circuly, affecting subscription status, customer communication, and return handling.

Early cancellation requests can be made directly in the Customer Self-Service Portal, provided that the "Cancel now" button is visible.

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Process Overview

How early cancellation works for customers

• The customer logs into the Self-Service Portal.
• They click on “Cancel subscription” from the subscription action dropdown.

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• A window slides in, where the customer selects a cancellation type (normal or extraordinary).
• Based on their selection, a list of cancellation reasons appears.
• circuly checks if the request is within the early cancellation period.
  • If within the period: two return options are shown—“Immediately” or “After minimum duration.

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• If outside the period: only the option to submit a cancellation request is shown

Option 1: Return Immediately

• The order status is set to Cancelled

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• The subscription status is automatically set to Pending Return
• The customer receives two emails:
  • Subscription cancellation received

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• Subscription pending return
• The return process begins. Either the customer sends the product back or a pickup is arranged
• Once the product is received, you mark the subscription as returned in the Returns tab

Option 2: Return After Minimum Duration

• The order status is updated to Cancellation Requested
• The customer continues using the product and paying for the subscription
• Near the subscription end date, circuly sends:
  • Subscription almost over email
  • Once the end date is reached: Subscription pending return email
• The subscription status is then set to Pending Return
• You or the customer initiate the product return
• Once the product is received, the subscription is manually marked as returned

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Step-by-Step Setup Guide

1. Define the Early Cancellation Period

This defines the time window (e.g., 14 days) during which early cancellation options are available.

How to set it:

• Go to:
  Settings > Subscriptions > Cancel subscription > Early cancellation period
• Enter the number of days (e.g., 14)

circuly will use this value to determine whether the customer is still within the allowed period when they initiate a cancellation.

2. Set Up Cancellation Reasons

Customers must select a cancellation type and reason when cancelling.

How to configure:

• Go to:
  Settings > Subscriptions > Cancellation reasons
• Click the + icon to add reasons under:
  • Normal cancellation
  • Extraordinary cancellation

These reasons help you understand customer churn and can be used for internal reporting or churn prevention efforts.

3. Show the “Cancel Now” Button in the Self-Service Portal

If the “Cancel now” option is hidden, customers won’t be able to start the cancellation process themselves.

How to enable:

• Go to:
  Settings > Customer login > Features > Hide cancel now
• Disable the switch

In Germany, a cancellation button is legally required.

4. Add a Support Email Address (Optional)

This email is displayed in the Self-Service Portal as a way for customers to reach out.

How to set it:

• Go to:
  Settings > Customer login > General > Support email address
• Add your contact email

This address is only for display. It does not trigger automation if customers send a cancellation request via email.

5. Add a Customer Care Email Address

This email address receives system notifications, including cancellation requests.

How to set it:

• Go to:
  Settings > Company Settings > Base setup > Customer care email address
• Add your internal team’s contact email

circuly will use this to notify you whenever a cancellation request is submitted.

6. (Optional) Enable Pickup Date Selector

If you offer product pickup, show a calendar so the customer can select a date.

How to enable:

• Go to:
  Settings > Customer login > Cancel options > Pickup date
• Enable the switch

To make it mandatory:

• Enable the Require pickup date switch below it

7. (Optional) Automate Refunds for Early Cancellations

If a customer cancels within the early cancellation period and chooses to return the product immediately, you can refund them automatically.

How to activate:

• Enable the Auto refund immediately cancelled subscriptions setting in your cancellation settings

8. (Optional) Restock After Cancellation

To automatically update inventory in your shop system after a cancellation:

• Enable the Restock item after order cancellation setting
  (See the Stock Management in circuly article for more detail)

Introduction

Initial payment is the payment that is due when an order is placed. The initial payment often refers to the first recurring payment plus any other payment (setup, shipping, additional products) you charge when a customer places an order on your checkout page. You can choose not to charge the initial payment in the checkout and delay the charge, (delayed charge) until a later point in time. 

Delayed charge - delayed charge is a feature available in the circuly operations backend that you can use if you do not want to charge the initial payment in the checkout and instead delay the charge until a later point in time. 

Currently the option to delay a charge in your white-label checkout or the initial payment is only available if you use the following Payment Service Providers: 

• Stripe
• Braintree

Here's when you might want to delay a charge: 

• Limited stock availability - If you are unsure whether you can fulfil the order or not because you don’t have the necessary stock amount and need to order the stock from your supplier first.
• Validating the credit worthiness of the customer - If you want to check the credit score of the customer first and based on the credit score decide whether you actually want to fulfil the order or not.
• Checking if delivery is possible - If you want to check first whether you can actually deliver your product to the requested area & you need to manually follow up with the customer for the delivery of the product.

Learn more about delaying initial payments in this article. 

Feature Overview

Charge initial payment is a feature available in the circuly operations backend that lets you manually charge the initial payment. The reason why you may want to manually charge an initial payment could be because you use the delayed charge feature.

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Automation via API

The process of charging the initial payment can be automated via our customer API. This is the POST request you can use https://api-docs.circuly.io/docs/customers-api-docs/3ouxo0e215vwt-charge-initial-payment-by-id that you can use to charge the initial payment.

One time payment is a feature available in the circuly operations backend that you can use, as the name suggests, to charge non-recurring, one-time payments to your customers payment method. The reason why you need to charge a one-time payment can be anything from product buyout to product repair charges. 

Read more about how to charge a one-time payment. 

Introduction

Refunds are a common part of any e-commerce business—whether you're dealing with cancellations, product issues, or customer dissatisfaction. With circuly, refunds can be managed efficiently while giving you full control over what gets refunded and how much.

circuly not only handles the transactional communication triggered by the refund but also allows you to customise the refund amount, taking into account factors like delivery costs, usage time, or repairs.

Tip: This process can also be automated using circuly’s API. See our API docs for more.

Article overview

• Overview
• Payments that can be refunded
• Checking whether a payment can be refunded
• Choose what to refund
• Refunding the same invoice more than once
• Step-by-step guide for circuly users

1. Payments that can be refunded

Refunds can be processed for:

• Recurring payments
• One-time payments (e.g., initial payment, shipping costs etc.)
• Buyout payments

2. Checking whether a payment can be refunded

You can only refund payments that have already been charged. If a payment is uncharged or scheduled for the future, the Refund option will be disabled (greyed out).

To check charge status:
Look at the "Paid" column in the Invoices tab.

If the column isn't visible:

• Click on the eye icon (top-right corner of the table)
• Check the box for "Paid" to enable the column

3. Choose what to refund

Once the refund window is open, every line item on the invoice—the product itself, shipping, insurance, and so on—is listed separately, with its own quantity, price, and refund amount field.

Option 1: Full refund

• Switch on the Full refund toggle to refund every line item at its full amount in one action.

Option 2: Refund specific line items

• Leave "Full refund" off and check the box next to the line item(s) you want to refund.

Option 3: Custom (partial) amount

• With a line item checked, edit the value in its Refund amount field to enter any amount up to what's still refundable on that line.
• Useful when deducting delivery, repair, or other costs, or refunding only part of a period.

The window totals show:

• Total refund—what you're about to process now
• Refundable amount—the maximum still available for that line item

4. Refunding the same invoice or order more than once

If you need to do another refund on the same invoice you can do so as long as there is an amount connected to it that hasnt already been fully refunded.

• The window will show what's already been refunded and what's still refundable, per line item.
• A line item that has been fully refunded is greyed out and can no longer be selected.
• A line item with a remaining balance stays selectable, and can be refunded again—fully or partially—as many times as needed until nothing is left on it.

5. Step-by-step: How to process a refund

Step 1: Find the invoice

• Go to the Invoices tab in your circuly Hub
• Click on the Invoice ID (coloured text) to open the invoice detail view

Step 2: Open the refund window

• Click the Refund invoice button in the invoice window

Step 3: Choose what to refund

• Toggle Full refund ON to refund everything, or
• Check the line item(s) you want to refund and, if needed, edit the Refund amount field to enter a custom value.

Step 4: Add a message to customer (optional)

Use the Message to customer field to add a note for the refund email.

Note: This will only show in the refund email if your Refund Invoice email template includes the variable {{description}}.

Final step: Confirm refund

• Double-check the refund amount (displayed on the Refund € button)
• Click Refund to complete the process

Once processed:

• The payment status updates to refunded
• A Refund Invoice is emailed to the customer

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Introduction

In any subscription business, it's common for customers to update their payment methods — whether due to an expired or stolen card, switching banks, or simply wanting to manage payments more efficiently.

circuly simplifies this process by allowing both internal users and customers to change the stored payment method. Once an order is placed and a payment is successfully processed, circuly creates a payment profile. This profile stores the payment method in the circuly Hub and is used for all future charges — including recurring and one-time payments.

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Feature Overview

circuly supports two ways to update payment methods:

• By a circuly User: Internal users can manually trigger a payment method update via the circuly Hub.
• By the Customer: Customers can update their payment details themselves through the Self-Service Portal.

This dual-option setup ensures flexibility and reduces support overhead.

Step-by-Step Guide

For circuly Users

To initiate a payment method update from the backend:

• Go to Orders in the circuly Hub
• Go to the relevant order from the Order List > Click on the three-dot menu to see the menu options.
• Choose Update Payment Method from the dropdown options.

• In the pop-up window > Click on the Click here text to open the update page.

• On the next screen, choose a new payment method and enter the updated details.

For your customers

Review this article to see how customers can change the payment method on their own from the self-service portal.

Additional Settings

There are no special settings required to enable this functionality. However, make sure:

• The Self-Service Portal is activated and accessible to customers.
• Your shop system and PSP (Payment Service Provider) integration supports dynamic payment method updates.

What Happens Next

Once a new payment method is saved:

• Future charges (recurring or one-time) will use the new payment method automatically.
• The updated payment method will be visible in the Order Overview under the Orders tab in the circuly Hub.
• For transparency and audit purposes, all changes are recorded in the system.

If a payment fails due to an outdated method, prompting the customer to update it via the CSS can prevent churn and reduce failed transaction rates.

Downloading invoices in the Customer Self-Service Portal

Your customers can download their invoices from the Customer Self-Service Portal thus eliminating the need for them to get in touch with your customer support. 

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To enable your customers to download their invoices make sure that you have the right setting enabled. 

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Go to Settings > Customer login > FEATURES > Make sure that the Hide invoice download switch is disabled. 

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When enabled the icon to download the invoices is not available in the Self-Service Portal. 

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Educate your customers on how they can download invoices from their Self-Service Portal by writing an article on including a FAQ section on your website. 

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Here’s how the process looks for your customers:

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• Your customer logs in to their Self-Service Portal
• On the homescreen they can navigate to Your Invoices and click on the download icon to download the invoices.

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Note: Only invoices that have been settled can be downloaded. Upcoming invoices are not displayed in the Customer Self-Service Portal. 

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Introduction

The checkout is perhaps one of the most important step in any online shopping experience. With circuly you can not only customise the branding of the checkout but you can also decide how your checkout behaves.

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Feature Overview

The available customisations are categorised into two groups: Options and Limitations. As the name suggests, Options allow you to enhance the checkout experience by adding features such as use of Google places, credit check, stock check etc. Limitations let you set specific restrictions in the checkout process such as minimum cart value to be reached for free shipping, maximum number of items per SKU permitted to proceed to payment page etc.

Let's understand each of these options and limitation in detail.

• Check system stock - The circuly system performs a stock validation and checks if the desired product is in stock. If the product is not in stock, an error message is displayed and the customer is prevented from proceeding to the payment page. Enable the switch for this setting if you would like to have the option of stock validation in your checkout. This feature is useful if you have limited stock availability and do not want the hassle of refunding orders manually.
  
  
• Limit number of total cart items - This setting enables you to add a limitation on the maximum number of items allowed to proceed to checkout and finalise the order.
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• Limit number of items per SKU - This setting enables you to add a limitation on the maximum number of items allowed per SKU to proceed to checkout. 

• Allowing the use of voucher codes - If you use vouchers you can enable the toggle for this setting to allow the use of voucher codes on the checkout.

• Allow selecting delivery date - decide if you want to offer your customers the possibility to select a delivery or pick up date on the checkout page. Prerequisite: Set up the availability calendar.

• Mandatory date of birth - You can make the date of birth input field a mandatory field like the name and address field. We recommend making the date of birth field mandatory if you use CRIF to do credit checks as CRIF requires date of birth to perform credit checks. 

• Set minimum age - You can define a minimum age that a visitor needs to have to proceed to the payment page when placing an order. The circuly system checks the age of the visitor against the value inserted in the date of birth input field. 
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• Validate phone number - when you enable this switch the visitor is prompted to add a valid phone number in the phone number input field.
   
• Allow company name - when you enable this switch an additional input field is added to the checkout where the visitor can add their company name. 
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• Mandatory company name - when you enable this switch the company name input field is converted into a a mandatory input field. 
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• Allow VAT number - enable this switch if you want to offer your customers the possibility to add their VAT number on the checkout page. 
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• Mandatory VAT number - enable this switch if you want to make the VAT number input field a mandatory input field. The customer will be prevented from going to the payment page if they do not add a value in this field. 
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• Limit delivery countries - enable this switch if you want to offer delivery services only in a few selected locations. 
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• Allow different shipping address - enable this switch if you want to allow your customers to add a different shipping address than the address already added on the checkout. 

Displaying information on the checkout and checkout Overview page. You can choose to display or hide information on the checkout page. Given below are few options that can be customised.

• Show subscription start date - this setting, as the title suggests, enables you to decide if you want to show the subscription start date on the checkout and order overview page.
  
• Show cart sum - decide if you want to display the sum of the cart.
  
  
• Show subtotal - decide if you want to display the subtotal (that is the price before any shipping or tax calculation) on the checkout page.
  
  
• Show purchases sum - decide if you want to display the purchases sum. 

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• Show subscription sum- decide if you want to display the sum of all subscriptions on the checkout page.
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• Show shipping cost - decide if you want ti display the shipping costs on the checkout page. 
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• Show total - decide if you want to show a total amount on the checkout page. 
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• Show shipping methods - Display shipping methods on the checkout page. Prerequisites: Set up the shipping methods.
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• Show legal terms above buy button - Decide if you would like to display the legal terms above the buy button and change its position. 
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• Show apple warning - you can decide to display a warning message when checkout is on safari browser on Apple devices for PayPal issues. 

Checkout options

• Use Google places - enable your customers to search for their address when filling out the address input field.
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• Hide street number - enable this switch if you want your customer to add the street number and house number in the same inout field.
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• Delivery countries - select a list of countries that will be displayed on the checkout page as possible delivery locations.
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• Free shipping cart value - define a free shipping cart value. The circuly system will calculate the total and add shipping charges base don the subtotal. If the cart qualifies for free shipping (as per the value inserted here) shipping costs will bot be charged. 
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• Delay charge in checkout - you can decide to delay the initial charge when an order is laced and instead charge it at a lter point manually. 

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Options for cart limitation

• On your own product page - limit your "add to cart button" by limiting the quantity to be added to one. You can also use visual aids (such as greying out the add to cart button after the maximum amount has been added) to make it easily recognisable for your visitors.

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If you would  like to limit your cart and have some limitation logics, we recommend doing so on the product page level with the support of your developers if you do not use the circuly cart.

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• Via the circuly settings: if you are using the circuly cart, you can also use our settings to limit the amount of items / SKU per cart. Continue reading the article for settings available in circuly.

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NOTE: You still may want to apply the above mentioned visual suggestions on your product page to avoid confusion. 

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There are several options and settings available in the circuly Operations Backend to customise your checkout page.

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Step-by-step guide

To access the checkout limitation and options, in your circuly Hub > Go to Settings > Checkout and customise the given settings as per your business needs.

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Use cases for using limitations & options

• Pilot phase - in the pilot phase you may have limited units of a product but may still want to have a large test group. 
• Limiting fraud or suspicious business activities - for some people subscription businesses make it possible to acquire large quantities of product at a low (initial) price. In order to prevent such cases, products can be limited based on SKU or quantity so that a prospect with large units of products is prevented from placing the order.
• Product / target group based limitations: another use case can be to show a custom message on the product page if the visitor has added more than x number of items in the basket or given any other indication of being a business customer. For B2B cases you ideally want to negotiate differently.

Introduction

Given below are common reasons why your customers are prevented from placing an order

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1. Checkout not possible without date of birth

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A prospective customer is prevented from completing the checkout if they do not fill the date of birth input field even if you have the setting for making the date of birth as a mandatory field disabled. 

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Explanation: One of the many custom checkout field options available on the circuly white-label checkout is Date of Birth. You can decide to make the field a mandatory or an optional field depending on your business case. 

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The date of birth custom field option is by default disabled and can be enabled If you want to ask for the date of birth of the customer on the checkout page in the Settings tab. 

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However you might have noticed that your customers are prevented from proceeding to the payment page if they do not add their date of birth in the date of birth input field, even though it is not mandatory (that is the setting for making date of birth a mandatory field is disabled).

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This happens if you use CRIF to do credit checks on your checkout page to prevent fraud and to check the credit worthiness of the customer. 

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Date of birth is a mandatory piece of information that CRIF needs to perform the credit check.

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That is why it is recommended to make the date of birth field mandatory, if you use CRIF to do credit checks.

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2. Checkout not possible if the customer has reached maximum number of allowed cart items. 

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Your customer is prevented from completing the checkout and advancing to the payment page if they have reached the limit of the maximum number of allowed items in the cart. 

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Explanation: Your customers will be prevented from completing the checkout if they have reached the limit for the maximum number of items allowed in the cart. 

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This happens when you’ve defined a value for the maximum number of cart items that a customer can proceed with to the payment page in your Settings. 

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3. Checkout not possible if the customer has reached maximum number of allowed cart items of a particular SKU. 

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Your customer is prevented from completing the checkout and advancing to the payment page if they have reached the limit of the maximum number of allowed items per SKU in the cart. 

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Explanation: Your customers can be prevented from completing the checkout if they have reached the limit for the maximum number of items allowed in the cart per SKU 

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This happens when you’ve defined a value for the maximum number of items allowed in the cart per SKU that a customer can proceed with to the payment page. 

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4. Checkout not possible if the customers chosen payment method fails to be charged. 

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The customer is unable to place an order if there are problems with the payment method of the customer such a insufficient card balance, wrong card details etc. 

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Explanation: when your customer adds their payment details in the payment input field and clicks on the checkout button, circuly sends a payment token to your connected payment service provider to charge the payment. 

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The payment service provider then tries to charge the payment. If the payment service provider is unable to do so the customer is not able to place an order due to problems with their chosen payment method. 

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The reason why the payment service provider is unable to charge the payment can vary from insufficient balance to wrong information. 

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When a payment fails, the customer gets either of the following prompt: 

• Your card was unfortunately not accepted.
• An error occurred.
• Unable to proceed with the checkout

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When an order fails due to payment reasons, you will not be able to see it in the circuly Operations Backend. You can however see an overview of your failed orders in connected your shop system. 

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5. Checkout not possible due to stock limitations

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The customer is unable to place an order and gets an error message of insufficient stock. 

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Explanation: circuly enables you to prevent your customers from proceeding to the payment page if they have a product in the cart that is not in stock. 

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There is a setting available in the Settings tab that can be enabled if you want to prevent customers from placing orders that you cannot fulfils due to stock limitations. 

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The setting is by default disabled and can be enabled. 

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6. Checkout not possible due to wrong age

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A customer will be prevented from proceeding to the payment page if you set a minimum age for placing the order in your Settings tab. 

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When a customer enters their date of birth on the checkout page, the circuly system checks the year of birth against the minimum age setting. If the age is below your defined number, then the customer is prevented from proceeding to the payment page. 

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7. Checkout not possible due to invalid number

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A customer can be prevented from proceeding to the checkout if they’ve inserted an invalid number in the phone input field. Enable the setting for validating phone number under Checkout in the Settings tab.

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8. Checkout not possible if customer doesn't fill in the mandatory fields. 

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Certain fields like Name, address and contact details are mandatory fields. In order to advance to the payment page, these fields must be filled.

There are additional fields such as company name and  VAT number that can be added to the checkout and can also be converted into mandatory fields.

When these fields are converted into mandatory fields, the customer on the checkout will be prevented from proceeding to the payment page if these fields are left blank. 

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To access the additional fields > Go to Settings > Checkout > PERSONAL INFORMATION > Enable the switch for the additional fields you would like to add to the checkout > Then decide if you would like to convert them into mandatory fields. 

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9. Checkout not possible due to payment failure.

Customer doesn't get to the order confirmation due to payment failure.

Introduction

E-commerce businesses rarely sell just one type of product as a subscription. As soon as different product categories come into play, various factors—like tax rates and shipping costs—start influencing the final price a customer pays. For example, smaller bike components might qualify for standard parcel delivery, while larger items like bike tires or the bike itself may have different tax rules and higher shipping costs. Manually managing these variations for each product can quickly become complex and time-consuming.

To simplify this process, circuly introduces a feature that allows businesses to group products based on shared rules, logic, or actions. Instead of setting tax rates and shipping costs individually for every product, they can be applied at the group level. This ensures that when a customer reaches checkout, the correct taxes and shipping costs are automatically calculated based on the product collection—streamlining setup, reducing errors, and making it easier to manage large inventories.

In this article, we’ll explore how this feature works, how to set it up, and how it helps businesses optimise their pricing calculations effortlessly.

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Feature Overview

In circuly, products can be grouped together into a Product Collection. This allows businesses to apply shared tax rates, shipping costs, and other relevant rules to multiple products at once, rather than configuring them individually.

- Key Concepts

• Product Collections: When products are grouped together, they form a collection known as a Product Collection.
• Mapping Products to Collections: Once a collection is created, products can be added to it. This process is referred to as mapping products to collections.
• Default Collection:
  • Initially, when no custom collections exist, all products are assigned to the default collection by default.
  • The default collection cannot be deleted or edited, ensuring that every product is always part of a collection.
  • If a product is not explicitly mapped to any other collection, it remains in the default collection, and the tax and shipping rates set for the default collection (if configured) will apply.

By structuring products into collections, businesses can automate tax and shipping calculations, making pricing management more efficient and reducing manual effort.

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Step-by-step setup guide

• Define and set up product collections
• Map products to the product collection

- Define and setup product collection

In your circuly Hub > Go to the Products Tab > Navigate to the Taxes tab > Click on the + PRODUCT COLLECTION button.

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In the Create product collection window > Give a Title, and a description to your collection so that you can differentiate it from other collections > Click on the Submit button to save your collection.

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Note: You do not need to define the Tax code as it is only relevant for you if you are based or operate in the US and use the Taxjar integration.

The collection is then added to the Product Collections list along with the option to assign the tax percentages.

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- Map products to the product collection

By default all products are mapped to the default collection.

To reassign products to a different collection > Under the Products tab > Navigate to the Products > Select products to map to a collection by checking the check box > And click on the Map to product collection button.

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• In the Map to product collection window > Select the right collection from the dropdown menu > Click on the Map to collection button. 

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The selected products are now mapped to your chosen product collection.

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Next steps

If you want to define the tax rules and shipping costs for each collection, follow these guides:

• Set up tax rules
• Set up shipping rules

Once you've set up your shipping methods in circuly, your customers will see the appropriate options directly on the checkout page. This ensures a smooth and tailored experience for every customer based on their country and language preferences.

Dynamic Shipping Options Based on Country

When a customer reaches the checkout and selects their shipping country, circuly dynamically displays the available shipping methods associated with that country.

How it works:

• The customer selects their country in the Country dropdown.

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• The “Choose a shipping method” section automatically updates with the shipping options configured for that country.

This allows you to provide region-specific options (e.g., DHL Germany, PostNL Netherlands) and costs.

Shipping Method Display Based on Language

If your checkout page is available in multiple languages, shipping information will be shown in the language selected by the customer.

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Important Setup Note:

When configuring Shipping Methods in the circuly Hub:

• You must add translations for each language you offer.
• Under Language and Translations, define the Title and optionally the Description for each shipping method in every supported language.
• These translations will be shown directly on the checkout page.

If translations are missing for a selected language, the shipping method might not display correctly or may appear in the fallback/default language.

Next Steps

To ensure a seamless multilingual checkout experience:

• Review all your Shipping Methods.
• Add translations for Title and Description under each language you support.
• Verify how they appear in the checkout for each country-language combination.

For help setting up shipping methods and logic, check out the article:
How to Configure Shipping Methods in circuly

Introduction

The circuly Self-Service Portal (CSS) gives your customers full control over their subscription—allowing them to manage payments, view invoices, update details, and more.

To maintain security, access to the portal is limited to the email address used during checkout or order placement.

Step-by-Step Guide: How the Login Process Works

Step 1: Access the Self-Service Portal

Customers can access their portal by visiting your company’s URL and clicking on a link that indicates that its a portal for the customer.

Example: See how Strollme guides customers to their Self-Service Portal below.

Step 2: Enter Email Address

On the login screen, the customer enters the same email used at checkout in the email input field.

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Step 3: Receive One-Time Password (OTP)

If the email matches a subscription in your system, the customer receives a one-time password via email.

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Step 4: Log In with OTP

• Copy the OTP from the email and paste it into the login page.
• Alternatively, click the login link provided in the email to access the portal directly.

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Step 5: Explore the Portal

Once logged in, the customer will see an overview of their subscriptions, payments, and more.

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What customers can do in the Self-Service Portal

• Reporting an issue
• Changing the language
• Changing the personal details
• Changing the payment details
• Downloading invoices
• Cancelling subscriptions
• Referring a friend

Introduction

The circuly Self-Service Portal enables customers to independently manage various aspects of their subscriptions — from downloading invoices and updating personal information to submitting cancellation requests. Among these features, one essential function is the ability to report issues directly through the portal.

This functionality creates a clear line of communication between the customer and your support team without requiring manual outreach via email or phone.

Feature Overview

The Report an Issue feature allows customers to send a support request directly from their subscription view. The request is forwarded to your team’s support email address, ensuring you’re notified and can respond promptly.

Key highlights:

• Customers can submit a support message directly from the portal.
• An inline confirmation message is shown once the issue is submitted.
• The message is delivered to your support inbox.
• No additional configuration is needed to enable this feature — it’s part of the default portal setup.

Note: The inline confirmation message that appears after sending the issue report is hard-coded. If you would like to change this message, you can request it via a service desk ticket to the circuly Customer Success team.

How It Works (Customer View)

Here’s how the issue reporting process looks from a customer’s perspective:

• The customer logs in to the Self-Service Portal.
• Under the Your Subscriptions section, they open the action dropdown next to their subscription.
• They select Report an issue and click CONFIRM.
• A new window appears with a text input field labeled Your Message.
• The customer types a message describing the issue and clicks SEND.
• An inline confirmation message appears, and the request is sent to your support email.

No further action is needed from the customer unless your team follows up for more information.

Summary

The Report an Issue option in the Self-Service Portal provides a convenient and direct way for customers to get help with their subscription. By routing the message straight to your support inbox, it ensures quick visibility while keeping the experience frictionless for the customer.

Let me know if you'd like to include troubleshooting tips or add internal response suggestions for your support team.

Introduction

The Customer Self-Service Portal (CSS) empowers your customers to manage their subscriptions with ease—and that includes the ability to report product issues directly, without needing to contact your support team manually.

This feature not only improves the customer experience but also reduces operational load on your Customer Success team by automating issue intake and tracking.

By default, the option to report an issue is enabled and visible in the subscription action dropdown in the CSS. If you prefer not to offer this functionality, you can disable it in your circuly Hub settings.

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Feature Overview

Here’s what happens when a customer reports an issue through the CSS:

• The issue is submitted through a structured form.
• circuly sends an automated email notification to the email(s) you’ve specified under the Customer care email address setting.
• The issue report also appears in the Email History tab in the circuly Hub for record-keeping and internal follow-up.

Why This Matters

• Customers can raise concerns without needing to email support.
• Your team is notified automatically—no manual monitoring needed.
• All issue reports are logged and searchable.

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Step-by-Step Guide

How Customers Report Issues

In the Customer Self-Service Portal, there are two ways a customer can report a product issue. For full instructions and screenshots, refer to your guide on how customers can use this feature.

By default, this option is:

• Visible in the CSS
• Accessible from the action dropdown under each subscription

How to Disable Issue Reporting (If Needed)

If you do not wish to allow customers to report issues via the CSS, you can toggle the feature off:

1. Go to the circuly Hub
2. Navigate to:
   Settings > Self-Service Portal > Features
3. Toggle off:
   Allow report issue

How to Receive and Access Reported Issues

To ensure you're notified when a customer submits an issue:

1. Set a Customer Care Email Address
   This is where all issue-report notifications will be sent.
   Go to:
   Company Settings > Base Setup > Customer care email address

Important: If no email is added here, you won’t receive issue alerts.

2. Check Email History for Logs
   All email activity is also logged in:
   Email History Tab in the circuly Hub

To find reported issues:

• Use the filter or search for the subject:
  "Customer reported an issue"
• Click the email ID to view the full message or hover over the eye icon for a preview.

Additional Settings

Customer Care Email Address vs. Support Email Address

Customer care email Receives system-triggered notifications like reported issues

‍Support emailShown to customers in the CSS as a visible contact option

Note: If customers email the support address to request a cancellation, no automated flow is triggered.

To update the Support email address:

• Go to: Settings > Customer Login > General > Support email address
• Add a valid email (only one is supported)

Add a BCC List (Recommended)

To receive copies of all system-generated emails:

1. Go to: Settings > Email > General > BCC list
2. Click the + icon to add each address
   (Repeat the step to add multiple recipients)

This is especially useful for monitoring communications or archiving.

What Happens Next

Once everything is set up:

• Customers can report product issues independently via the CSS.
• Your team is notified via email, with the report also logged in the Email History tab.
• You maintain a clear and centralised record of all reported issues for faster resolution.

To encourage usage, we recommend proactively informing customers about this feature—e.g., via onboarding emails, FAQs, or in-app prompts.

Introduction

The Date Picker feature in circuly enables you to provide your customers with the ability to select a delivery or pickup date when finalising their subscription product order on your checkout page. This feature allows for greater flexibility, helping customers schedule deliveries or pickups according to their preferences. Whether you use the calendar for delivery, pickup, or both, the Date Picker enhances customer experience by streamlining the ordering process.

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Feature Overview

The Date Picker feature allows you to integrate a calendar on your checkout page, where customers can choose their preferred delivery or pickup date. This feature can be customised to suit various needs, including specifying which days are available for delivery, setting limits on the number of deliveries per timeslot, and defining specific times for delivery or pickup. You can also include custom messages to guide your customers through the selection process.

Key options include:

• Custom note: Display a personalised note on the checkout page and in the self-service portal.
• Days availability: Choose the days of the week available for delivery or pickup.
• Ignore quantity: Decide if there should be limits on how many deliveries/pickups can be scheduled for a given time slot.
• Lead time: Specify how many days in advance a customer can select a delivery/pickup slot.
• Quantity: Set the total number of deliveries/pickups available in a given timeslot.
• Timeslot Days: Determine the number of available slots per day.
• Timeslot Duration: Define the duration of each time slot.
• Start and End Time: Control the earliest and latest available time slots.

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Step-by-step setup guide

Follow these steps to set up the Date Picker and customise the options for your customers:

• Navigate to Settings > Checkout > Delivery Date.
• Click on the arrow to expand the section.
• Enable the switch for Allow selecting delivery date.
• Custom Note: Add a custom note to be displayed on the checkout page and in the self-service portal. This note can inform customers about specific details like opening hours, special instructions, etc.‍
• Date: Select Available Delivery Days. Choose which days of the week customers can select for delivery or pickup. You can exclude weekends or offer specific days only (e.g., Saturday and Sunday).‍
• Enable the Ignore quantity switch if you don’t want to limit the number of deliveries/pickups for a given timeslot. If you want to limit the number, set the Quantity value to define the total number of products that can be delivered or picked up per timeslot.‍
• Set Lead Time. Define the Lead time by specifying how my days from today the first available timeslot will be offered.‍
• Timeslot Days: Set the number of available slots for each selected delivery day (e.g., 6 slots per day).‍
• Timeslot Duration: Set the duration for each timeslot (e.g., 2 hours per slot)

See the image reference below to see how the time slots are displayed when the timeslot duration is 2 hours.

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• ‍Start Time: Choose the earliest time that can be selected for delivery or pickup (e.g., 9 AM).‍
• End Time: Choose the latest time available for a timeslot (e.g., 4 PM).‍
• After customising all options, click Save changes to apply the settings.

You can customise the checkout page by adding custom input field to it. Custom fields can be used to collect additional information from your customer besides payment, address and contact details. 

Possible custom field option in the circuly Operations Backend include:

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• Text - for one-two line sentences. 
• Text area - for longer text inputs.
• Dropdown - a dropdown menu with predefined options such as pick-up location.
• Date picker - a calendar to select a date. Can be used to select pickup date or delivery date.
• Switch - a toggle that can be turned on/off on a click.

Custom fields are hardcoded into your checkout. If you want to add custom fields to your checkout, get in touch with your customer success team by creating a ticket in the Support tab.

Here’s where the data from the custom fields is stored

All data from custom fields can be accessed from the Orders tab. 

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In your circuly Operations Backend > Go to Orders > Select an Order from the Order List > Scroll down to DETAILS > You’ll find all your custom fields in this section.

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Examples of custom fields:

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1. Strollme

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2. Bugaboo Flex

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Introduction

Typically an order appears in the circuly Hub when a website visitor goes over your checkout page and places an order. The next step is to create a subscription for the order to start collecting recurring payments.  However you also have the possibility of creating orders from the circuly Hub. The Draft order feature in circuly allows you to create an order manually from the circuly Hub. This is especially useful in B2B transactions where you may operate on order-to-quote basis, in-store purchases, or customer service teams placing orders on behalf of customers.

Feature overview

In the Orders tab of the circuly Hub, you now have two options to create an order:

Create Quote

• Sends your customer a PDF quote + a pre-filled checkout link.
• The order will stay in Draft until the customer confirms by completing checkout with their payment details.
• Alternatively, you can confirm the order immediately and use the customer’s existing payment method (or let new customers add one in the Self-Service Portal).

Create Order

• Directly creates and confirms an order in circuly without any customer action.
• Payment will either be charged via the customer’s existing payment method or handled by invoice (the payments needs to be manually marked as setteled incase you chose to settle the payment via invoice)

This flexibility lets you decide whether you want the customer to complete checkout themselves or create a confirmed order on their behalf.

Step-by-step guide

Creating a order or quote

• In the circuly Hub > Navigate to the Orders tab.
• Click either +Create quote or + Create order in the to right corner.

• In the Create window start by adding an item. To do so click on the Add item button.
  
  • In the Add item window fill in the needed information such as:
    
    • Selecting the product and the product variant (Note: Only limited number of products are visible in the dropdown menu. Therefore if you can’t find a product, simply type the name of the product in the input field. )
    • Type of subscription: normal, consumable or digital
    • Price & quantity
    • Subscription details such as duration, freuency etc.
  • Confirm your selection by clicking on the Add item button.
  • Repeat the process if you want to add more items to the same order.

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• Continue to the Address section > And add the customer information. 
• Alternatively you can also choose an existing customer if the order is for a customer whose details already exist in the system. You can do so by clicking on the Select existing customer dropdown option and selecting a customer (You can search via first name, last name or email address).
• Check the details.
• (Optional) Add a note for the customer under Remarks (only available when you're creating the order as a quote). This note will be included in the email sent to them.
• Review all details and click Create to finalise.

Customer journey

• If you created a Quote:
  • The customer receives an email (based on the templates Order Offer and Order Offer PDF) with the PDF and a pre-filled checkout link.
  • They complete checkout by adding payment details.
  • Once confirmed, the order automatically moves from Draft to Orders.
  • The customer also receives an Order Confirmation email.
• If you created an Order:
  • The order is immediately visible under Orders in circuly.
  • If invoice payments are used, invoices can still be sent via circuly, and payments should be marked as settled manually.

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Note: The email templates used to send the email are: Order Offer and Order Offer PDF. Set up the email template before you start using this feature.

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• When the customer clicks on the link, they are taken to the checkout page. All the details on the checkout page are pre-populated. 

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• The customer continues and finalises the order by adding the payment details and proceeding to the Order confirmation page. 
• The customer also receives the Order Confirmation email when the order has been successfully processed. 

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What happens next

The status of the order will change from open to completed once the customer has successfully completed the process by adding their payment details on the checkout page. 

Create a subscription for the order to start collecting the recurring payments.

Note: You can also work with the circuly API to create manual order. You can find the documentation here. Please keep in mind that this works only for offline payments. If you want to create an order with other payment service providers, kindly write a service desk ticket to our customer support.

Introduction

When a customer completes the checkout process and finalises their order by making a payment, an order is created in circuly, and the initial payment is processed. This initial charge corresponds to the amount the customer agreed to on the checkout page.

However, if you have enabled the "Delay charge in checkout" setting, no payment is processed automatically during checkout. In such cases, the initial payment must be charged manually. This step is essential because, typically, a subscription cannot be created unless the initial payment has been made. This safeguard prevents accidental subscription creation for orders where no payment exists or has not been collected yet.

An exception to this rule occurs if you have also enabled the "Allow unpaid subscriptions" setting alongside "Delay charge in checkout." This configuration allows you to create a subscription even if no payment has been processed. However, this should be treated as a special case and communicated clearly to all users of the circuly Hub to avoid confusion.

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Feature Overview

If you have enabled the "Delay charge in checkout" setting, no payment is collected after a customer finalises the order. The payment must be charged manually. To do so you can use the charge initial payment feature available in the circuly Hub that lets you manually charge the initial payment.

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Step-by-step guide‍

The option to charge the initial payment can be approached either from the Orders tab or the Customer tab. No matter which way you choose, the result is the same.

- Charge the initial payment from the Customers tab

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Customers Tab > Select the corresponding customer from the Customer list.
• In the Customer Overview Window > Navigate to Orders > Click on the three dots to display the menu options > Click on Charge initial payment.‍
• In the Charge initial payment window > Type a message in the Message to customer input field (Optional). The message will be sent as an in-line text to the customer with the "Payment" email.
• Confirm your action by clicking on the Charge x,xx € button. 

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- Charge the initial payment from the Orders tab

• In your circuly Hub > Go to the Orders Tab > Select on the corresponding order from the Order List.
• In the Order Overview Window > Click on the three dots in the top right corner to display the manu options > Click on Charge initial payment.‍
• In the Charge initial payment window > Type a message in the message input field (Optional). The message will be sent as an in-line text to the customer with the "payment"email.
• Confirm your action by clicking on the Charge x,xx € button. 

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Next steps

After you have charged the initial payment, you can proceed to create a subscription for the order.

Introduction

Delayed charge is a feature available in the circuly Hub that you can use if you do not want to charge the initial payment in the checkout and instead delay the charge until a later point in time. 

Currently the option to delay a charge in the checkout or the initial payment is only available if you use the following Payment Service Providers: 

• Stripe
• Braintree

Here’s when you might want to delay a charge:

• Limited stock availability - If you are unsure whether you can fulfil the order or not because you don’t have the necessary stock amount and need to order the stock from your supplier first. 
• Validating the credit worthiness of the customer - If you want to check the credit score of the customer first and based on the credit score decide whether you actually want to fulfil the order or not. 
• Checking if delivery is possible - If you want to check first whether you can actually deliver your product to the requested area & you need to manually follow up with the customer for the delivery of the product. 

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Good to know

If you choose to delay the charge during checkout, here’s what happens:

• The order amount is only reserved on your customer’s bank account—no money is charged immediately.
• The order will be created in both your shop system and Circuly, but the payment status will show as Payment Required.
• You won’t be able to start the subscription until the initial payment has been charged.
• You need to charge the payment manually first before you can create a subscription for the order.

Why this matters:By default, circuly prevents subscription creation without the initial payment to protect your business from fraud and to avoid unintentionally activating unpaid subscriptions.

However, if you have internal processes that require creating subscriptions for unpaid orders, circuly allows you to do this via the Allow unpaid subscriptions setting.

To enable it:Go to Settings > Subscription > Create Subscription > Allow unpaid subscriptions and toggle the switch on.

Once enabled:

• You can create a subscription even if the payment hasn’t been charged.
• circuly will automatically trigger the initial payment once the subscription is created.
• The customer will receive the Order Confirmation email.

📢 Be sure to clarify in the Order Confirmation email that it confirms receipt of the order request—not its acceptance. Update your email template accordingly to manage expectations.

In the Order Overview, you'll also see a new menu option under the three-dot menu: "Charge initial payment"—in case you prefer to initiate the payment manually.

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Step-by-step guide

Enable the setting

• Go to Settings > Checkout > End checkout > Enable the switch for Delay charge in checkout.
• Change the Default payment status to “payment required”. 
• Navigate to the Email Templates tab and adapt the Order Confirmation email. Make sure you communicate that this is only a confirmation email for order request and not order confirmation. ‍
• Optional: adapt the content of your Order fulfilment completed email or your Subscription Activated email. You may want to do this if you officially want to confirm the order to your customer. You can do this either when you are sending out the product to the customer (in the order fulfilment email) or with the subscription activation. Inform your customer that you can confirm the order, that the money has been therefore charged and that the product is delivered or is under delivery.

Note: The change applies to all orders only after you have activated the associated setting.

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What happens next

You need to charge the initial payment.

•  When the Delay charge in checkout setting is enabled, in your Order overview Window under the menu options, you will find a new menu option “charge initial payment”. 
• Go to the menu option and and charge the initial payment. 
• Once the initial payment has been successfully charged from your customers’ account, the Payment was successful email will be automatically sent to the customer. 
• The payment status will then change to paid. 
• Continue with your planned fulfilment / subscription process. 

Note: You can only Create a subscription once the initial payment has been processed. The button/option to so will now we be available to you or you've enabled the Allow unpaid subscription setting.

Introduction

When a transactional email doesn’t reach your customer, it’s important to understand that sending an email and successfully delivering it to the inbox are two separate things. circuly may send the email without any errors, but the customer still might not receive it due to issues on their end or with the email provider.

This guide helps you determine whether an email was sent and what to do if it wasn’t delivered.

Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Check if the email was sent

Before diving into possible inbox issues, first verify whether the email was actually sent from circuly.

Option 1: Check via the Email History Tab

1. In your circuly Hub > Go to the Email History tab.
2. Enter the customer’s email address in the search bar.
3. Look for the relevant email and check its status.

Option 2: Check via the Customer Profile

1. Go to the Customers tab.
2. Select the relevant customer from the list.
3. Open the History tab inside the customer profile.
4. Look through the list of actions and emails to find the one in question.
5. Check the status of the email:
   • Success = the email was sent.
   • No status or missing email = it may not have been sent. Try Option 1 again or continue to Step 2.

Step 2: If the email was sent but not delivered

If the email status is "Success" but the customer didn’t receive it, the issue likely lies with delivery. Here are the most common reasons and what you can do:

1. The email landed in the spam folder

• Ask your customer to check their spam or junk folder.

2. DNS settings are misconfigured

• The reverse lookup for your sender email may have failed.
• Check your DNS records with your email provider to ensure they’re correctly set up.

3. Using an unsuitable email provider

• Some providers (e.g., Gmail or Outlook) may block or deprioritise transactional emails—especially those that look repetitive or "promotional."
• Recommendation: Use a dedicated transactional email service like Mailgun for better deliverability.

4. External links in your email template

• Many mail providers filter out emails with external links (e.g., login URLs).
• A common issue is with one-time password (OTP) emails that include login links.
  • Try removing the link and sending a new version to test deliverability.

Step 3: Retry Sending the Email Manually (if needed)

If circuly shows that the email failed to send, you can manually resend the email from the circuly Hub. This helps test whether the issue was temporary or ongoing.

Final Step: Contact circuly support (if necessary)

If you’ve verified that:

• The email was sent correctly,
• You’ve checked common deliverability issues,
• And you’re still facing problems...

Submit a ticket in the circuly Support tab. We’re happy to investigate further or guide you on the next steps.

Introduction

What are chargebacks?

A chargeback is a term used to describe a customers request to reverse a payment by disrupting the charge on their account statement. Chargebacks were introduced to offer customers an easy way to dispute suspicious transactions and to protect them against financial fraud. A chargeback need not always be due to fraudulent activities but can also be due to simple processing errors such as charging the customer twice or sending a damaged product. A customer can file a chargeback with their bank. Once approved, the customer receives the amount back. But merchant have the option of disagreeing with the chargeback and claiming it back. 

Chargebacks and refunds both involve the return of funds but a major differentiating factor between the two is that for refunds the customer directly gets in touch with the merchant while for a chargeback they contact their bank. The process also tends to be longer for chargebacks and the fees are often significantly higher. 

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How are chargebacks bad for business?

Chargebacks often come with additional fees which are to be paid by the merchant. Banks and card providers also tend to penalise the merchant if the chargeback ratio becomes too high. 

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How does a chargeback occur?

When customers place an order through your checkout page, they receive an Order Confirmation email. Additionally, they receive a Payment Confirmation email when the initial payment is successfully charged, as well as subsequent Payment Confirmation emails for recurring payments.

In some cases, a customer may dispute a payment, claiming they did not authorize it, and request a chargeback. To initiate this, the customer can click the Payment Service Provider (PSP) link included in the Payment Confirmation email. The PSP processes the chargeback request, and once approved, the customer is refunded the payment.

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Feature Overview

When a chargeback occurs, circuly automatically updates the order and payment status in your system to reflect the chargeback. Here’s how the feature works in detail:

• In your circuly operations backend, the payment status of the order changes to “chargeback”. 
• The order is automatically canceled, and the cancellation reason is set to “chargeback.”
• The asset revenue is updated with the chargeback amount. 
• If the customer has not received the asset then the subscription status is updated to “cancelled by customer”.
• If the customer has received the asset then the subscription status is changed to "cancelled by customer" and the customer receives the Order Cancellation email. Additionally the subscription status is changed to pending return and the customer receives the return instruction email. 

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- How to identify orders with chargeback in circuly

Chargebacks can be identified in both the Payments and Subscriptions tabs within the circuly Hub. Here's how to view chargebacks in each section:

• Payments Tab
• Subscriptions Tab

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Chargebacks in the Payments tab

To see the chargeback > Go to the Payments Tab > You’ll see a list of all the payments > Use the filter function to only display payments with the chargeback status. 

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Chargebacks in the Subscriptions tab

Go to the Subscriptions tab and select a subscription from the Subscription List > In the Subscription Overview Window scroll down to Payments and Recurring Payments. 

• When recurring payments are charged back, you can see it in the Recurring Payments section. The status of the payment is displayed as “failed” and the reason for the failed payment is marked as chargeback payment under the Failed Reasons column. (See image)

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• When a non recurring payment is charged back, you can see it in the Payments section. The status of the payment is marked as chargeback. (See image)

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- How to deal with chargebacks

Follow up with your customer manually to find out why they have initiated a chargeback. Depending on the outcome of the call you can either agree to the chargeback or charge the customer a one-time payment if the chargeback was mistakenly reported.

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Introduction

If your business ships products within Europe or internationally, understanding how VAT (Value Added Tax) applies is essential. VAT obligations apply whether you're located inside or outside the EU. Additionally, even within a single country—like the USA—tax rates may vary by state. This guide will help you set up taxes properly in circuly to ensure compliant and accurate billing.

Note: If you're operating in the USA, circuly offers an integration with TaxJar for automated tax calculations. Reach out to the service desk to activate this integration.

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Key concepts

- Value Added Tax (VAT)

VAT is a consumption tax charged as a percentage of the value of goods and services purchased by consumers. VAT applies to nearly all goods and services, but different products may be subject to different tax rates depending on their category.

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- VAT regulations for cross-border sales within the EU

The EU has set a threshold amount for businesses situated within the EU selling to customers in another EU country:

• If the business generates less than €10,000 in revenue from sales in another EU country, it charges VAT based on the country where it is registered.
• Once the business reaches the threshold, it must charge VAT based on the country where the customer is located.

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- Factors influencing VAT calculation and application

As mentioned above, the VAT is calculated and applied on the basis of three things:

• The category of the product - different products fall under different product categories and are therefore subject to the tax rates of the respective category.
  
  
• The country you plan on shipping to - if the minimum threshold amount is reached then the tax rates of the country you are shipping to apply.
  
  
• Whether or not the threshold amount has been reached - if the threshold amount has been reached then the tax rates of the country you are shipping to applies. If the threshold amount has not been reached yet then the tax rates of the country you are located in apply.

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Note: If you are below the threshold you can choose to apply the tax rates of either the country you are located in or the country you are shipping to. 

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- When tax configuration is not required

You do not need to configure tax rates if:

• Your business operates in only one country.
• You do not have different tax categories for your rental products.
• Tax rates remain the same regardless of the shipping destination.

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Feature Overview

With this feature you can set up tax logics that apply to different categories of products based on the different factors that influence it. This features enables you to assign the right taxes to the products. Before you begin setting up the taxes make sure you have set up the following:

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Step-by-step setup guide

• Prerequisite: Define base country, delivery country and product collection
• Set up tax rules

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Prerequisite: Define base country and delivery country

Before getting started with the tax rate set up you need to do the following:

• Define your base country: The base country is treated as your default country for tax calculation in case the minimum threshold has not been reached in the long-distance shipping country (the country you are shipping to).
  
  In your circuly Hub > Go to the Settings Tab > Company Settings > Company data > In the Country dropdown menu select your default country > To save your changes, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Save changes button. 

• Define your delivery countries: When you define your delivery country, a new country column is added to the Tax rules tab so that you can assign the tax percentages to the product collections.
  
  In your circuly Hub > Go to the Settings Tab > Checkout > DELIVERY > Scroll to Delivery countries and select your delivery countries from the dropdown menu > To save your changes click on on the Save changes button. 

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Note: If you do not set up the delivery countries in the Settings, you will only see the tax collection from the country that you have entered in your company address (company settings). As a result you will not be able to set up tax rules in the Products tab for countries that have different tax percentages and where you want to offer shipping.

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Step 1: Create Product Collections

By default, all products are mapped to the default product collection. If you offer products that fall under different tax categories (e.g., standard vs. reduced rate), you must create new collections.A new tax rule row will appear for this collection under both the base and delivery countries.

• Navigate to: Products > Taxes
• Click + Product Collection
• Enter a title and description
• Click Create

A new tax rule row will appear for this collection under both the base and delivery countries.

Step 2: Assign Tax Percentages

Now configure tax percentages for each collection and delivery country:

• For the base country, check the box with the applicable tax rate.
• For each delivery country:
  • If your revenue from that country exceeds €10,000: Check the box for the correct VAT rate.
  • If below threshold: Leave the delivery country box unchecked — the base country VAT will apply automatically.

Here’s an example.

Scenario: Your default country is Germany and you’re shipping to Austria and Norway. In Austria you earn a revenue of over 10.000 euros and in Norway, you’re under the threshold amount.

How should the tax percentage boxes be checked for the above scenario?

• For Germany, the highest tax percentage will be applicable for the default category.
• For Austria (since it is over the minimum threshold) check the box for the tax percentage that is applicable for the default category. 
• For Norway (since it is below the threshold)  you do not have to check any checkbox. Since the threshold amount has not been reached, the tax rates will be automatically calculated as per the default country.

Step 3: Map Products to Collections

To apply the correct VAT logic, map products to the appropriate collection:

• Navigate to: Products > Products
• Select the products to reassign
• Click Map to Product Collection
• Choose the correct collection from the dropdown
• Click Map to Collection

How tax is applied on the checkout page

• Before Delivery Country Selection:
  • Tax is calculated using your base country rates.
  • An info note alerts customers that final tax will update based on delivery country selection.

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• After Country Selection:
  • Above revenue threshold: Tax from the selected delivery country applies.
  • Below revenue threshold: Base country VAT continues to apply.

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Important: Tax percentages in circuly are fixed in the system. If your business is enrolled in a special tax program or needs custom rules, contact our service desk for adjustments.

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Configuring your tax rules in circuly allows you to operate compliantly across borders while ensuring customers are charged the correct VAT. With automated logic tied to product type, revenue thresholds, and shipping destinations, you can reduce errors, simplify reporting, and deliver transparency at checkout.