How To Process Paid Membership Pro Through Woocommerce

Combining the Power of Paid Memberships Pro and WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction:

Want to unlock the full potential of your WordPress site by offering both membership subscriptions *and* tangible products or services? Integrating Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro) with WooCommerce is the perfect solution. This powerful combination allows you to create tiered membership levels with exclusive product discounts, member-only products, and streamlined user management. This article will guide you through the process of connecting these two plugins, highlighting the benefits and potential drawbacks, to help you decide if this setup is right for you. We’ll break down the necessary steps, explore the various integration methods, and provide valuable insights to ensure a smooth and successful implementation. Get ready to transform your WooCommerce store into a thriving membership-based ecosystem!

The How-To: Integrating Paid Memberships Pro and WooCommerce

There are primarily two methods for integrating Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro) with WooCommerce: using the official PMPro WooCommerce Add On or leveraging code snippets and other plugins for a custom solution. We’ll focus on the recommended and most widely used approach: the official add-on.

Prerequisites:

Before you begin, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

WordPress Installation: You need a working WordPress website.
WooCommerce Plugin: WooCommerce must be installed and activated.
Paid Memberships Pro Plugin: Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro) must be installed and activated.
Paid Memberships Pro WooCommerce Add On: This is crucial for the integration. You can download it from the PMPro website (requires a PMPro license) or install it directly from your PMPro dashboard under “Add Ons”.

Step-by-Step Installation and Configuration:

1. Install and Activate the PMPro WooCommerce Add On:

Navigate to your WordPress dashboard.
Go to “Paid Memberships Pro” -> “Add Ons.”
Search for “WooCommerce.”
Click “Install” and then “Activate” the PMPro WooCommerce Add On.

2. Configure Membership Levels in PMPro:

Navigate to “Paid Memberships Pro” -> “Memberships” -> “Membership Levels.”
Create or edit your desired membership levels. Define their names, descriptions, pricing, and other relevant settings. These levels will determine the access and discounts members receive in your WooCommerce store.

3. Configure the WooCommerce Integration:

Go to “Paid Memberships Pro” -> “Settings” -> “Advanced Settings.”
Scroll down to the “WooCommerce” section.
Configure the following options:

PMPro Discount Code Field: Enable this to show the PMPro discount code field on the WooCommerce checkout page.
PMPro Coupon Code Length: The length of the PMPro Coupon Code
Force PMPro Membership for Purchase: Enabling this means you must have a PMPro Membership to make a purchase.
Automatically Create PMPro Memberships on WooCommerce Order Completion: When enabled this makes it easier to offer memberships along with products.

4. Setting Up Member Discounts:

There are three main ways to offer members discounts:
Membership-Specific Product Discounts: Edit a product in WooCommerce and in the “Paid Memberships Pro” tab, you can set specific discount percentages or fixed amounts for each membership level.

// Example: Applying a 10% discount for the "Gold" membership level.
// (This is a conceptual example and might require modifications for specific use cases).
if (pmpro_hasMembershipLevel('gold')) {
$product_price = $product_price * 0.9; // Apply 10% discount
}

Membership-Level-Specific Categories: Restrict entire product categories to specific membership levels using the “Paid Memberships Pro” tab in the category settings.
Global Membership Discounts: Create a coupon in WooCommerce with a usage restriction for PMPro membership levels to offer sitewide discounts to different membership levels.

5. Restricting Product Access by Membership Level:

Within the product editor in WooCommerce, the “Paid Memberships Pro” tab lets you restrict product access to certain membership levels. If a non-member attempts to view a restricted product, they will be redirected to the membership signup page or a custom URL.

6. Testing Your Integration:

Create a test user account on your website.
Assign a test membership level to the user.
Browse your WooCommerce store as the test user.
Verify that the correct discounts are applied, and restricted products are only accessible to the member.

Additional Customization:

Custom Code Snippets: For advanced customization, you can use code snippets to modify the integration’s behavior, such as displaying custom messages or handling specific scenarios. Remember to use a child theme to prevent modifications from being overwritten during updates.
PMPro Hooks and Filters: Paid Memberships Pro offers a comprehensive set of hooks and filters that allow you to extend its functionality. Consult the PMPro documentation for more information on these hooks and filters.

Pros and Cons of Integrating PMPro with WooCommerce

Like any integration, combining Paid Memberships Pro and WooCommerce has both advantages and disadvantages:

Pros:

Enhanced Customer Loyalty: Membership benefits incentivize repeat purchases and foster stronger customer relationships.
Increased Revenue Potential: Membership subscriptions provide a recurring revenue stream, while exclusive product access and discounts drive sales.
Improved User Management: Centralized user management within WordPress simplifies the process of managing both members and customers.
Targeted Marketing Opportunities: Membership levels allow you to segment your audience and deliver personalized marketing messages.
Flexibility: Offers lots of configurations on which membership levels can have access to specific product categories and/or single products.

Cons:

Complexity: Setting up and configuring the integration can be complex, especially for users unfamiliar with both plugins.
Potential Conflicts: Conflicts between plugins can arise, requiring troubleshooting and potentially custom code solutions.
Maintenance Overhead: Maintaining the integration requires ongoing monitoring and updates to ensure compatibility and functionality.
Cost: The PMPro WooCommerce Add On requires a paid PMPro license.
Learning Curve: Mastering all the available features and customization options can take time and effort.

Conclusion:

Integrating Paid Memberships Pro with WooCommerce can be a game-changer for your WordPress site, allowing you to create a powerful membership-based e-commerce experience. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can successfully connect these two plugins and unlock a wealth of new possibilities. While the process may require some technical expertise and ongoing maintenance, the potential benefits in terms of increased revenue, enhanced customer loyalty, and streamlined user management make it a worthwhile investment for many businesses. Carefully consider the pros and cons, and remember to test thoroughly before launching your integrated site to ensure a seamless user experience. Good luck!