Complete a trial-to-paid conversion flow
This how-to guide walks through the full trial path — seller setup, buyer trial signup at checkout, trial monitoring, and first paid conversion. Read set up trial periods first for offer configuration.
Trials are a subscription feature. Buyers may receive access during the trial before the first regular charge. Support must know trial end dates and what happens when the first charge succeeds or fails.
For the initial subscription signup at checkout, see complete a subscription checkout flow.
Part 1 — Seller setup (before the buyer starts a trial)
- Confirm you are in the correct business workspace.
[Screenshot: App header — active business name and workspace switcher visible.]
- Open Products and select the subscription product with a trial.
[Screenshot: Products list — subscription product row highlighted.]
- Open Pricing and select the plan and offer with trial settings.
[Screenshot: Offer trial section — trial length and post-trial billing visible.]
- Confirm billing period after the trial matches checkout copy.
[Screenshot: Plan billing period — monthly or yearly renewal after trial ends.]
- Open the checkout builder and place trial and first-charge date near the payment action.
[Screenshot: Checkout preview — trial length and first charge date visible above pay button.]
- Confirm checkout is published and copy the checkout link.
[Screenshot: Published checkout link copied for trial offer test.]
- Brief support on trial status, cancellation during trial, and first-charge expectations.
[Screenshot: Internal support doc — trial FAQ for agents.]
Part 2 — Buyer checkout (trial signup)
- Open the checkout link in a browser.
[Screenshot: Live checkout page — trial offer summary and payment section visible.]
- Enter buyer details if the checkout requests email, name, or document.
[Screenshot: Checkout buyer fields — email and required fields filled in.]
- Select payment method and complete card or PIX signup as required for the trial offer.
[Screenshot: Payment method completed — card saved or PIX confirmed for trial start.]
- Submit checkout and confirm success messaging explains trial start and first charge timing.
[Screenshot: Checkout success page — trial started with first charge date stated.]
- Confirm the buyer receives access during the trial if your product policy allows it.
[Screenshot: Buyer access during trial — members area or delivery active for trial subscriber.]
Part 3 — Seller review (trial monitoring and conversion)
- Open Subscriptions in the seller app.
[Screenshot: Subscriptions list — trial filter or trial status column visible.]
- Find the test subscription and confirm status shows Trial (or equivalent).
[Screenshot: Subscription detail — trial status and trial end date visible.]
- Open Sales and confirm the trial signup sale or authorization is recorded as expected.
[Screenshot: Sales detail — trial subscription sale linked to buyer email.]
- Before trial end, confirm the buyer was not charged early unless your offer requires it.
[Screenshot: Subscription billing timeline — no premature charge before trial end date.]
- When the trial ends, confirm the first regular charge succeeds and status moves to Active.
[Screenshot: Subscription detail — Active status after successful first post-trial charge.]
- If the first charge fails, confirm the subscription moves to Overdue and follow overdue handling.
[Screenshot: Subscription overdue state — failed post-trial charge visible.]
- Open Financial Overview and review trial vs paid revenue separately before judging campaign performance.
[Screenshot: Financial Overview — trial and paid subscription revenue separated in report.]
- Document support steps for buyers who dispute the first charge after trial.
[Screenshot: Support escalation doc — post-trial charge dispute handling.]
Trial conversion cheat sheet
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | Buyer in trial period; first charge pending | Monitor end date; ensure access policy is clear |
| Active | First charge succeeded after trial | Normal subscription support flow |
| Overdue | Post-trial charge failed | See overdue subscriptions |
| Canceled during trial | Buyer canceled before first charge | Confirm access removal policy with product team |
| Buyer disputes first charge | Renewal timing was unclear on checkout | Fix checkout copy; review chargebacks |
Common mistakes
- Hiding the first charge date below long marketing copy on mobile.
- Judging ad ROAS from revenue during a trial-heavy launch week.
- Assuming trial cancellation automatically removes product access.
- Explaining failed post-trial charges without checking card declines.