Shopify theme with built-in subscription module

A Shopify theme with a built-in subscription module shows the one-time purchase vs subscription choice right inside the product form: two radio options, a recalculated price, a savings badge and a delivery frequency picker. For consumable products, this is what turns a single order into recurring revenue, as long as the offer is easy to read at the exact moment the shopper decides.

Why subscriptions are won on the product page

A customer who reorders is your most profitable one: you do not pay to acquire them again for every order. But they only subscribe if they instantly see what they save and how often they will receive the product. If the option is buried below the button or shows no visible saving, they default to a one-time purchase.

On the flip side, a pre-selected subscription with no clear benefit feels like a trap, and you pay for it later in support tickets and lost trust. The right display makes the choice obvious and fair: both options side by side, the saving spelled out, the frequency up to the shopper.

How the subscription block works in FullStack

The Subscription block is available from theme version 2.2.0. You add it inside the Product form block of the Product section, between the variant picker and the add to cart button. Key settings:

• Options order (options_order): one-time purchase first, or subscription first.
• Default selection (default_selected): independent from the order. You can list the subscription second and still pre-select it.
• Labels and descriptions for each option, to explain the offer in one line.
• Frequency picker (frequency_picker_type) as buttons or a dropdown. Frequencies follow the plans of the selected variant.
• Savings badge (sales_badge) as a percentage, an amount, or hidden.

The block is display only. Subscription plans are created in the Shopify admin through a subscription app. If a product has no plan, the block does not render. If a product requires a subscription, the one-time option is hidden automatically.

What subscriptions stack with in FullStack

The product form accepts several offer mechanics, and the theme automatically calculates the total price of the selection: variant, subscription, quantity and its discounts, ticked cross-sells. So you can stack:

• Quantity breaks: the “Applies to” setting (applies_to) targets one-time purchases, subscriptions or both, since Shopify applies a discount by purchase type.
• Buy X get Y: it is a preset of the same quantity breaks block, so it coordinates with subscriptions the same way.
• Tick-to-add cross-sells: placed right before the add to cart button, they go to the cart together with the main product.
• Auto gift: the gifts section adds a product to the cart once a threshold (cart value or quantity) is reached. The theme advises thinking through the overall equation with your other offers.

One limit to know: if you turn on the per-unit variant picker in quantity breaks (show_variant_picker), the Subscription block is hidden.

Examples by store type

Supplements: the monthly program

Put the subscription first (options_order set to subscription first), a percentage badge, frequencies as buttons. Below it, add 1, 2 or 3 month tiers with applies_to set to both: that is exactly the demo store page shown above.

Skincare and cosmetics: the refill

Keep one-time purchase first for discovery, but explain the subscription in subscription_description (“your refill delivered on your schedule”). Add a tick-to-add cross-sell for the applicator or accessory.

Coffee, tea, pet food: the recurring order

If the product only makes sense as a subscription, set the plan as required in your app: the theme then hides the one-time option. An amount badge (sales_badge set to amount) often reads better than a percentage on a small basket.

Best practices

• Pre-select the subscription only when the discount clearly justifies it, with a visible savings badge.
• Follow the logical form order: variants, offer (tiers and subscription), cross-sells, add to cart button.
• Do not overload the form: a simple offer is an offer that converts. A/B test your combinations.
• Make sure every discount shown actually exists in Shopify: the blocks present offers, they do not create them.

No display app needed (you still need a subscription app)

To be clear: FullStack does not replace a subscription app. Shopify needs one to create plans, and Shopify offers a free basic one. What the theme replaces is the display widget: the block works with any Shopify subscription app and blends into your design without code. To push volume further, see quantity breaks. License details are on the pricing page.

FAQ

Do I need an app to sell subscriptions with FullStack?

Yes, a subscription app is required to create the plans. The theme block takes care of displaying them on the product page.

Why is the block not showing on my product?

It only appears when the product or variant has at least one subscription plan. Also check that the per-unit variant picker is not turned on in your quantity breaks.

Can I combine subscriptions and quantity breaks?

Yes. The applies_to setting on quantity breaks decides whether the discount applies to one-time purchases, subscriptions or both, as long as the matching discounts exist in Shopify.