Billing for extra returns / Shopify usage-charge limit / No additional returns possible
The way Shopify has built their subscription billing for apps is different than a regular credit card subscription works.
Shopify's subscriptions have a limit on their usage charges which means that after the limit is reached the account cannot be charged for additional usage. There is also no option to upgrade a plan automatically once a certain limit has been reached for a smoother process.
That's why we - permanently - display messages at 3 different stages in the dashboard:
- 80% of monthly included volume
- first warning - permanently displayed
- 100% of monthly included volume
- second warning - permanently displayed
- more than 100% / Usage charges
- the exact number of remaining returns is permanently displayed based on the remaining usage charge amount
- e.g. "Your customers can start 498 additional returns. After that customers will not be able to start a return until the end of the current billing period due to Shopify's usage-charge limit on your account. Upgrade your plan now"
This warning gives accounts usually at least 2 weeks or more of runway to have a user with billing privileges upgrade their plan. As mentioned the exact number of remaining returns is displayed right in the dashboard.
- Choose a plan that easily accomodates your monthly returns volume for a smooth process on your customer's side
- In times of increased return volumes (e.g. Christmas, BFCM) upgrade your plan temporarily to a higher tier. You can downgrade at any point later
- Set up a process with your Customer-Support staff to inform a store-admin at one of the described 3 stages about a plan upgrade