Monthly Payment scheme tips/help

[Statuesque]

Hi all.

 

I was hoping you might have some thoughts/tips on the easiest way to achieve the following.

 

[before I begin, I can do this easily from outside of prestashop but I like the dashboard sales stats so looking to keep it within prestashop]

 

My products are released quite often months and even 1+ years in advance. I provide a 10% deposit,pay the balance once released type deal by using the attributes of an item so 1 attribute would be pay in full and another pay 10% etc. This works fine. I invoice the customer via paypal when the balance is due.

 

I intend on extending this though still via attributes so would add more such as 10% & 6 equal payments or as many variations as I feel like. The customer will pay the deposit price which prestashop will class as an order. I can invoice via paypal each month and the customer pays. This step repeats each month until balance completely paid and then I will ship the item.

 

My issue though is, once the deposit is paid which is essentially the order as far as prestashop is concerned, how can i go about adding the further payments the customer makes each month to prestashop? there's no more orders for that customer as the invoice was sent externally via paypal.

 

There's no obvious way to create an order not linked to a product to put against the paypal monthly payments.

 

I know of the layaway module but this is not something I am liking the look of just yet. In the customer orders page, it is possible to add payments but adding a payment doesn't seem to reflect anywhere and it actually produces an error saying customer has paid more than required. 

 

Anyone have any tips on how i might do this efficiently?

 

[Statuesque]

Actually, think I have the solution, if anyone can think of a better way, let me know

 

So customer chooses the item at 3 payments. Attributes create a product automatically for the attribute.

He pays for the order which is item price / 3 [leaves him 2 payments]

new month arrives, invoice customer via paypal 

customer pays his 2 payment of the 3

prestashop - go to orders and create a new order manually - the particular attribute version of the item is selectable and choose payment received etc

this means the monthly payment is paid via paypal and the order is just added manually, Having the payments in PS means customer can also see his payment progress from his account

[omine]

i think you can control by "order states".

but still not proper way to do... 

 

 

Another suggestion is create a module to hook into "displayAdminOrder".

 

The displayAdminOrder is the "order detail page" on backoffice

 

The module must have a method called "hookDisplayAdminOrder"

 

public function hookDisplayAdminOrder($params)
{
    $order = new Order($params['id_order']);

    /**
    Here, you do your stuffs..
    Example, consult database..
    */




    /**
    Assigning stuffs for smarty
    The .tpl file can be changed to any convenient name you wish.. dont need to be exactly "admin-order-instalments-info.tpl".. this is just an example.
    */
    $this->smarty->assign('test', time());
    return $this->display(__FILE__, 'admin-order-instalments-info.tpl');
}

 

 

the file admin-order-instalments-info.tpl must be into "modules/your_module_name/views/templates/hook/"

 

Of course, you must create the installer/uninstaller the hook registry... logo, etc.. the basic things for very basic module.

This is simple to do and, you can control much better the instalments. Obviously, looks very primitive, but just a simple sample to start something.

You can improve and add features later, according to your needs.
 

Edited July 6, 2015 by omine (see edit history)

[Statuesque]

Thanks a lot. I was not expecting such an in-depth  reply haha, I will confess that 95% of what you mention I have no clue about

It's really odd that this sort of feature is not requested more often. For now then the attributes solution seems to provide what I am after. I get the nice drop down where differing monthly payment terms can be selected and the price adjusts. It would be nice if choosing to pay over 6 months from the attributes drop down in the cart automatically created and order for 6 x that item version. 5 of them then would simple be marked as needs paying, a sort of backend reminder and constant visual for the customer that they have 5 payments to make, it would allow the customer to pay them directly when due or sooner if they wanted to . I use sagepay for accounting and so that reminds me automatically when payments are due for each account anyway, it's just small amount of non automated paperwork/admin necessary to achieve this layaway style option.

[omine]

Now i understanding better your situation.

 

So, are you not using credit card payment, right?

Credit card payment gateways offers deferred (instalments) and revolving (recurring) payments.

You just send the request one time, the gateway provider will care to bill the customer until finish entire amount

The options vary from provider to another, but all providers offers, basically, the same thing.

If not possible to use credit card gateway, you can use cronjob (linux) or schtask(windows) to set the periods to execute scripts to generate and send the billing requests notice to customer email.

If store increase the sales, for example, over 200 sales per day, will be a nightmare to do all manually .. I recommend to create the automation.

[selectshop.at]

If you don't get rid of your problem, than you can use designed modules for that:

 

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/advertising-marketing-newsletter-modules/5031-subscriptions.html

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/payments-gateways-prestashop-modules/18021-paypal-recurring-payments-subscription.html

Edited July 6, 2015 by selectshop.at (see edit history)

[Statuesque]

Now i understanding better your situation.

 

So, are you not using credit card payment, right?

 

Credit card payment gateways offers deferred (instalments) and revolving (recurring) payments.

You just send the request one time, the gateway provider will care to bill the customer until finish entire amount

The options vary from provider to another, but all providers offers, basically, the same thing.

 

If not possible to use credit card gateway, you can use cronjob (linux) or schtask(windows) to set the periods to execute scripts to generate and send the billing requests notice to customer email.

If store increase the sales, for example, over 200 sales per day, will be a nightmare to do all manually .. I recommend to create the automation.

A CC gateway is certainly something I can look at setting up for sure,I use paypal only at the moment and they do have something for subscriptions I believe.  with everyone wanting a % of the sales it can soon start to add up so i try to avoid these costs where possible. I certainly think the gateway would be an option to look in to a little deeper though to automate the payments for sure. 

 

edit: paypal provide subscription options via a button so not really of any use for what I wish to achieve.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Statuesque (see edit history)

[Statuesque]

If you don't get rid of your problem, than you can use designed modules for that:

 

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/advertising-marketing-newsletter-modules/5031-subscriptions.html

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/payments-gateways-prestashop-modules/18021-paypal-recurring-payments-subscription.html

Thanks for the links.

 

Not sure the modules do what I need though sadly. I do need a recurring payment option but they need to auto end when final payment is made. While monthly payments will be the same equal amounts, the final payment will include the shipping costs as well as I send the item once final payment is made. The payments are made monthly but not necessarily consecutively - for example we are July now 2015, if an item is released in March 2016 and customer wants to pay over 4 payments, they will pay 1st payment right away and the last 3 payments are timed so that the final payment will be the month the item is released so in this example Jan [pay2], Feb[pay3] March [pay 4 final]+shipping.

 

This sort of makes the situation a little more tricky you see for the module and the auto payment setup. Hope this makes sense.

 

Edit : Most modules like the ones above I have seen before do restrict the payment options, generally to 1, 2 or 3 payments only. They also do not cater on a per item basis and really provide a blanket solution providing same terms for all items. Most of my items will have varying payment option lengths. An item at 650.00 released in 1 years time would offer a 10 month option, whereas an item at 250.00 released in 8 months time would offer 6 months maximum as the option. Things can change though as an item at 250.00 released in 3 months time can only provide the option of 3 months maximum as this is when it's released so options need to be based on a per product plan rather than a generic plan based on price

Edited July 6, 2015 by Statuesque (see edit history)

[omine]

interesting.

this is more complex than you described on others posts.

 

You want module to set a quantity of months according to the release date of products, right?

The payments are not instalments but, recurring and must stop to bill the customer once last payment is done.

 

The basic part is create control for generic end time

Example, the maximum months will be 10 months

 

Product A: 2015-July

Months limit: 10 months

 

Product A: 2015-August

Months limit: 9 months

 

Product A: 2015-October

Months limit: 7 months

 

I think this can be more safe by payment gateway providers.
As suggested by other guy above, you can use Paypal.. Or credit card gateways. 

You said you want avoid gateways because the fees.

The fess are around 2.69% and 5.5%.

You can add the fee to the customer pay..

But , if want proceed manually, you must create module to control the limit time and the schedule tasks (cronjob/schtask)

 

One question, how you check if customer paid?

 

 

Edited July 7, 2015 by omine (see edit history)

[Statuesque]

interesting.

this is more complex than you described on others posts.

 

You want module to set a quantity of months according to the release date of products, right?

The payments are not instalments but, recurring and must stop to bill the customer once last payment is done.

 

The basic part is create control for generic end time

Example, the maximum months will be 10 months

 

Product A: 2015-July

Months limit: 10 months

 

Product A: 2015-August

Months limit: 9 months

 

Product A: 2015-October

Months limit: 7 months

 

I think this can be more safe by payment gateway providers.

As suggested by other guy above, you can use Paypal.. Or credit card gateways. 

 

You said you want avoid gateways because the fees.

The fess are around 2.69% and 5.5%.

 

You can add the fee to the customer pay..

 

But , if want proceed manually, you must create module to control the limit time and the schedule tasks (cronjob/schtask)

 

One question, how you check if customer paid?

Hi Omine.

 

I invoice customer manually via paypal so they can pay the invoice for the payment due so you can see when that is paid inside paypal directly. 

I thought I had found a module that might do what I needed, pictures suggested it does but after contacting the developer he said it was just a contact form which seems weird as the pictures show it doing so much more O.o 

https://addons.prestashop.com/en/pricing-promotion-prestashop-modules/10508-installment-and-credit-sales.html

Edited July 7, 2015 by Statuesque (see edit history)

[Statuesque]

The only other option I have seen in a web store was that you could buy an item, a deposit is taken initially right away. The customer is given the option to pay as much or as little as they want to and whenever they want to until the item is paid for in full and then it will get sent. I suppose this sort of opens some form of credit account in the back end for the customer. As they add money to it then the balance goes down. The terms are clear that the item needs to be paid in full within 30 days of item release how it's paid between now and release is basically down to the customer. It's a really nice option with complete flexibility for the customer. They don;t get the item until the complete balance is paid so although technically it is credit, there's no risks of loosing anything as the item won't be sent until all monies received, same as my deal except less rigid.

[selectshop.at]

Normally this is an application for a payment module. There are several, but are added to localization of the shop. For Brasil for ex. (very common to pay in rates) they are included on payment modules. The best is you search for a payment module for your country, which let you collect payments by rates.

 

Other options:

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/payments-gateways-prestashop-modules/2260-oleapaydiff-deferred-payments-to-end-of-month.html

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/payments-gateways-prestashop-modules/14019-leasing-form-first-installment-and-payment-plan-magic.html

https://www.prestashop.com/blog/en/set-auto-recurring-billing-online-store/

 

http://cleandev.net/en/2-subscription-management-and-recurring-payments.html - this is for per products.

[Statuesque]

Normally this is an application for a payment module. There are several, but are added to localization of the shop. For Brasil for ex. (very common to pay in rates) they are included on payment modules. The best is you search for a payment module for your country, which let you collect payments by rates.

 

Other options:

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/payments-gateways-prestashop-modules/2260-oleapaydiff-deferred-payments-to-end-of-month.html

http://addons.prestashop.com/en/payments-gateways-prestashop-modules/14019-leasing-form-first-installment-and-payment-plan-magic.html

https://www.prestashop.com/blog/en/set-auto-recurring-billing-online-store/

 

http://cleandev.net/en/2-subscription-management-and-recurring-payments.html - this is for per products.

Thanks for the links.

Module 1 really only defers to end of month so not something I am looking for.

Payment plan magic has things I need though. I don't need the form as I am really not interested in his mortgage payments or numbers of kids etc , I dislike taking card details through a form also. People are cautious about their credit cards, I know I am so I wouldn't put my card in to a form like this to be honest. I presume that taking the card detail though is so that payments can be billed manually for the order? it's not clear in the images what the module is doing with the order in the back end or at least not clear to me sorry.

 

The final link for 'Subscription management and recurring payments' unfortunately had no working demo or was not clear how we might try the demo. so I have no idea to be honest what I am getting for my 200 euro This is a common issue with ALL prestashop marketplace module sales. and it's generally the reason why i don;t buy from prestashop marketplace. If a developer cannot be bothered to provide a working demo that can be logged in to and used fully then it for me anyway tells me a whole lot about what type of support you might get once you hand your money over.

 

I appreciate the links though

[omine]

I thinking here, after read your posts, 

 

1. you already using paypal

2. you need something to control the recurring payments with limit.

 

i think you can use the installments

https://developer.paypal.com/docs/classic/paypal-payments-standard/integration-guide/installment_buttons/#id1052G0W0K92

 

The idea is, example

 

Product X

Cost: 250$

Payment in 5 monhts (250 * 5) = 1250$

 

And then, you just send the total amount 1250 as installment in 5 months.

Paypal will bill the customers 250$ in 5 times.

 

This is not better ?

[Statuesque]

Hey again. 

 

Yes mate that would be a solution absolutely. I know I want the deferred option so that payments time in with the release date of the item but I could remove that from the plan for sure and provide a buy now and pay over x months option. Sadly paypal will only allow for a 3 payment option though. If they had the flexibility to allow any length of time then it would be the answer. Most modules fail on the paypal automation to be honest as they are restricted by that 3 payment limit

 

It's really weird that there are no modules to do this without endless searching. You would think that offering customers the option to pay monthly is a common request.

 

I have found this module : http://addons.prestashop.com/en/checkout-modules/19789-partial-payment-credit-installment.html

It's one of a very limited choice that seem to tap in to paypal to allow some form of automatic payment via paypal while not creating a subscription as such as that 3 payment limit is a bit tight. Looking at the site , the downside seems to be that a customer cannot choose how many months they wish to pay for the item and is instead limited to the option I provide. It's presented really nicely though which all other modules I have seen do not do. A nice 'this is your payment plan' type box is visible actually on the item screen so that customer knows exactly what they are buying. I'll contact the developer to confirm some things. As it's a prestashop marketplace module you can be sure the demo won't work, the demo login access won't work etc

 

I can forget the deferred element of a purchase but the customer must have the choice of how many payments he/she would like to make up to a limit set up in the back end. If the limit for an item is 10 months then I really want the customer to be able to choose anything then for that item between 2-10 months and the pay in full option to.

[Statuesque]

ok, yes, the above module I just linked will not allow the customer to be able to choose the amount of months to pay, they can only accept the plan that's currently assigned to the item. They will edit at $20 per hour which is not something I will do. Seems normal to be honest to let customers choose the terms from a selection as standard:(

[Statuesque]

Happy ending!

 

The developer of a module will do the changes to the module for free as long as I buy it

 

pay 1 part payment immediately [basically a deposit of x% or a fixed amount] the future payments can be Deferred, choice of how many months to pay over, backend automation to send emails to customer as a reminder and it creates the order so the customer for the part payment the customer has to pay so when they log in to their store account they simply pay for that part order  This is also all done on a per item basis so it's not a generic across all items in the store meaning each item can have it's own set of payments set up 

 

Very happy now.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Statuesque (see edit history)

[selectshop.at]

I'm happy you solved your problem via module.