PayPal Subscriptions subscr_modify: what can a user change on their own?

Question

I keep getting subscr_modify ipn notifications in PayPal, though I don't offer any modify buttons on my site. Can a user change the dates or prices of the subscriptions through their PayPal account without going through my site, or is this just caused by things like the user changing their address?

Answer 1

Although the original poster is not taking advantage of PayPal's option to modify existing subscriptions, it's a wonderful and crucial feature for subscription type content sites.

From page 37 of their manual here:

https://www.paypalobjects.com/webstatic/en_US/developer/docs/pdf/archive/PP_subscriptions.pdf

You can let your subscribers change the name, number, regular terms, or currency of an existing subscription without canceling it and re-subscribing by creating a Modify Subscription button. This button can be built to allow buyers to modify existing subscriptions only, or either modify existing subscriptions or sign up for a new subscription if no active subscriptions exist.

Buyers will not be able to modify the terms of their trial periods or change any variables other than: Subscription Name, Reference Item Number, Regular Subscription Rate, Regular Billing Cycle, and Currency

Enabling your subscriptions for being modified is simple: add this to the form (with the subscribe button) as a hidden input:

<input type="hidden" name="modify" value="x">

...where x is either 1 or 2.

According to the doc, here's the meaning of 1 versus 2 in that parameter:

– To make a Modify Or Sign Up button, meaning buyers can use this button to either modify existing subscriptions or sign up for new subscriptions, insert this line:

<input type="hidden" name="modify" value="1">

– To make a Modify Only button, meaning buyers can only use this button to modify existing subscriptions rather than signing up for a new subscription, insert this line:

<input type="hidden" name="modify" value="2">

Of course, when someone actually modifies their subscription, and assuming your site is listening for IPN communications, the txn_type will come back as "subscr_modify"... and your code can react accordingly.

Answer 2

The answer from PayPal support:

In this case the user cannot change the amount or length of the subscription, they can however change the funding source or address associated with their account. Those actions will generate the subscr_modify IPN that you are receiving.

Answer 3

You will get subscr_modify IPNs for a number of reasons. See the second table on this page:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/acc/ipn-subscriptions-outside

to get a clue. As an example, we get these messages when the user upgrades or downgrades a subscription to a meal delivery service.