DISCUSSION: Paid Memberships or Subscriptions in Joomla!!

[charlwillia6]

Hi,

I am just starting to get Mambo set-up with phpshop and phpbb, and have a question regarding memberships.  What I would like to do is have three membership levels; one will be free, one will be like a level 1 membership with a fee, and then the other will be a level 2 membership, such as a dealer membership, also with a fee.  Of course each will have different areas they can go to and use on my mambosite, but I would like to know how hard it is to integrate the payment option into Mambo for this?  I haven't checked out the Mambo forums yet, don't have a lot of time to search at this time because of my schedule, so I was wondering if someone could post me some quick links to learn how to set this up, or if you have time, explain it to me.  I want it all to be automated.  I was thinking that people could pay the membership fee through the shop, and then I could manually add them to different groups, but that would suck.  I just need to know how I can implement this into my site.  Thanks for any feedback in advance.

Charles

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[ MOD NOTE: this is the discussion thread from the post SUMMARIZED here: http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/topic,37724.0.html ]

[charlwillia6]

Hi,

I am still looking to find a solution for this problem before I try tackling it on my own.  It maybe something easy to do, but since I am new to Mambo, I was hoping someone had the information to get me started or to tell me if this is possible.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Charles

[justokman]

You may want to check out the commercial component MamboCHARGE-PLUS from http://www.mamboresources.com/

It may not fit your requirements exactly but it's a good place to start.

[mambostoked]

hi charlwillia6,
we have just implemented a similar system with mambocharge plus, using hot property.
the way we have it setup, is there are 3 "user" types. member, agent & home owner.
members are treated like normal registered users & have all the same privelages as registered,
agent has a monthly subscription & can post unlimited properties & home owner works on a
pay per property basis. it is a commercial product, but is really worth every cent + the support
is excellent - which is an added bonus!! u can check it out at, mamboresources.com.
other commercial products u can look into are mambo access levels (mambobrothers.com) &
moslock (phil-taylor.com). hope that helps
cheers
chris

[charlwillia6]

Thanks for the infos guys.  If I can't seem to make these work I may need a programmer to help me out since PHP is not what I am good at.  I am hoping to design a few templates, but beyond CSS and HTML, I can't help much for configuring.  Is there a Mambo site that does Mambo customizations that is fairly reasonable with prices that can help with a already designed site to make the membership subscriptions work?

Charles

[charlwillia6]

I have been searching the forums here and at the mamboserver and finally found this product too after about two hours http://www.mambopal.com/.  But throughout the forums there and here no one ever mentioned it.  Does anyone know anything about this and if it is anygood?  If you haven't heard of it, can you check the site out and tell me what you think from a more mature mambo members point of view? 

They sell it with SMF intergrated.  I was going to use phpBB because of all the add-ons, but is there an opinon on what is better, SMF or phpBB?  I would like to know. 

One more I found at http://mamboforge.net/projects/accountexp.  This sounds promising, but I have not seen it listed that much in the forums either.  Anyone know much about this one?  Thanks in advance.

Charles

[mambostoked]

hi charlie,
i havent really looked into mampal (yet), so i cant really say.. as for the account expiration component, last time i looked at it, i was under the impression it was just used for expiring a users account if the account is dormant for a certain period of time. was this something you were looking for? if so, i am sure it will do the trick
cheers
chris

[charlwillia6]

Actually the AccountExp Mod v .3 now has PayPal intergrated and also uses the PayPal IPN.  The only thing I am not sure of is whether you have to move your users to the different member groups manually or if that too is automated.  I asked in the development forum of that mod to find out.  But it looks like it is now set up to do subscriptions. 

Anyone else know about MamboPal or the AccountExp Mod???

[mambostoked]

sounds interesting 
if u cld update this thread if u get any more info the acc-expire mod - i'll have to look into in when i get a chance..
cheers
chris

[charlwillia6]

I will do.  I am only testing locally right now and still designing, so it may be a little while.  I am interested to know if anyone else has used any of these options.  I am beginning to think that all the millions of mambo users already have good developers backing them or they simply do not make their sites as dynamic.  I have about a million questions and ideas for features that I am implementing for my site and I am a one man team.  Since I don't know php yet, most everything I will have to do will be from components or mods.  Maybe I will post a summarized sheet of what I am trying to do and people can help comment on how I should do it when they have the time.  I know no one wants to build my site for me, which is not what I want, but I am a newbie, so any links, info, suggestions, and other information will help me get my site up in a matter of months instead of years. 

I will keep looking for good member subscription program. 

Again, the services I would like comments on are:
Account exp .3 mod.
MamboPal www.mambopal.com
and also maybe amember pro www.amember.com

Thanks again

[mbd]

isn't there is a free one ? 

[charlwillia6]

Accountexp .3 is free.  There are also some user group ones that don't have any payment modules implemented, so I guess you can't say they are for subscriptions.  I wish there was a GPL OS mod for this use, but I guess the demand is high, or the development of such a mod is extensive and everyone wants to commercialize it after they have developed it.  There is no extensive mod that just has plain all subscriptions for paid memberships either.  Mambo Charge Plus, moslock, and MAL seem to have too many or not enough features that I want (I won't specify).  But MamboPal isn't too expensive and it seems to be just what I am looking for.  I  am looking forward to a community review on the first and last ones mentioned.

Charles

[ChuckTrukk]

There is a component called Community Builder http://www.mambojoe.com that allows lots of different options for individual users. scubaguy has posted a hack that allows members, once registered, to upgrade their account via Paypal IPN.

I am actually looking into integrating php-Shop, Community Builder, and LinkPoint payments. What I want to do is once a payment is authorized through LinkPoint, then php-Shop upgrades the user to "author"

Follow-up Question
Does anyone know the code to upgrade a user from regular user to author? or author to editor?

Thank you,
Chuck

[gsbe]

I am working on a site using MamboPAL with Community Builder. They are integrating quite nicely. I highly recommend them for their service and customer support so far.

[charlwillia6]

scubaguy has posted a hack that allows members, once registered, to upgrade their account via Paypal IPN.

Do you know if that is automated with the PayPal IPN?  This I would be interested in, instead of having to buy a bunch more components and mods for integrating into my site.  Do you have a link to that post?  I can't find it.  That sounds like a better solution because CB would already be integrated. 

Community Builder. They are integrating quite nicely.

I did email them and they are fast with their help and recommendations.  I was fairly interested in their SMF integration package they had with MamboPal, but they just sent me an email that made it sound as though the logins were not integrated (i.e. they have two seperate logins).  Do you know anything about that Gsbe?  Anyone?

[ChuckTrukk]

Here is a link to combine Account Expiration and CB http://www.mambojoe.com/index.php?optio ... =2&id=6719.

[charlwillia6]

Is this the hack that you said scubaguy knows?

[charlwillia6]

Ok, I did some research and it does look like scubaguy was the one that posted that hack.  Thanks scubaguy and ChuckTrukk!!  All my questions have been answered.

So here is the update:

Account Expiration Control Component at http://www.sounerd.com.br/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=46
makes it possible to have paid membership subscriptions for your site using PayPal.  And according to the developer on the forums, it is all automated!  No manually adding users to different groups or anything else, plus the mod keeps track of each account for when the membership is going to expire.  I do not think it automatically sends out the new subscription emails for renewal, but I am sure someone could help out with that for a future release maybe.  I am going to suggest it to the developer.

Release 0.3 includes:

    * Payment by PayPal;
    * Option for alternative payment;
    * Integration with user register process;
    * Possibility to create as many payment plans as you want;
    * Highly customizable;
    * Control over PayPal subscriptions, with active, cancelled and closed queues;
    * CSS style for frontend editable;
    * Default expiration for new users (not by PayPal) configurable.

That right there is more options than the mosLock component that is being SOLD commercial.  Not as many features as the Mambo Charge-Plus component yet, but I think this component looks very promising and will do everything I need.  It also integrates with CB, or CB enhanced with instructions at the link that ChuckTrukk posted earlier.  The fact that this one has the option for an alternative payment method, and mosLock does not, interests me too.  It's FREE.

The next best thing that I can see is the other component by MamboPal.com.  They have great support there too, fast.  The prices are not that much either.  I think about $45 for the component and it is loaded with features.  Then they also have a MamboPal+SMF ($52) package and a new MamboPal+CB package (this one sells for $75).  They are very helpful too, will install, and also will help with other components for integration. 

I hope this helps someone else also.

Charles

[ChuckTrukk]

This is what community means right here!

PS - nice to see another Charles on here...

[joomlasolutions_JB]

hi guys,
i have been using mamboCharge Plus now since around June, 2005. I use it for my Template Club and you can see it live in action at http://templateclub.mambosolutions.com

The component is really great. I am using it to offer subscriptions to download Mambo templates.

The thing that is really nice is that it is truly fully automated once installed and configured correctly. It handles PayPal subscriptions, which automatically rebill unless the customer cancels. In the even they cancel, they still have access through the length of the membership they chose.

When their time is over, it does not delete the account-it cleverly dis allows access to the goodies so  when they log back in, it tells them they need to subscribe.

Jeff, the developer, is a friendly  and very helpful person. If you don't can handle the installation and set up, you can most likely email him and he will help you.

www.mamboresources.com

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I like mamboCharge Plus 

[charlwillia6]

Mambo Charge Plus sounds good too, but I think it may have a couple more features than I need.  But I have checked out your website quite a few times and I think that what you have set up is what I would want.  I will look more into Mambo Charge too.

Charles

[ChuckTrukk]

I know this will sound petty, but looks make a world of difference. I think a new template will get him a lot more sells. Now I'm not a designer per se', but looks make a difference.

Chuck

[charlwillia6]

True.  I thought at times that since it is a template club he should have a better face to meet the public with.  But others also believe that you should keep it simple.  If it works....

[joomlasolutions_JB]

I know this will sound petty, but looks make a world of difference. I think a new template will get him a lot more sells. Now I'm not a designer per se', but looks make a difference.

Chuck

meaning the mamboresources.com template?

I agree with you... I will be creating anew template for http://www.mamboresources.com soon for Jeff, its just that I have been so busy.
Note to self: do it today!

[ChuckTrukk]

Yes, mamboresources.com. Again, not to be an a-hole. I just know how most people are. I know clients dont care about functionality as long as it looks pretty (until of course they want you to solve the worlds problems with a yes or no radio button on the last day of a project... but thats another topic).

Chuck

PS - am excited to see the new topic you create.

[mambopal]

It's great to see all the discussion on Paid Memberships with Mambo!

We have integrated Mambo with several payment processors (2checkout, paypal, myvirtualcard, authorize.net, worldpay, Ibil, stormpay, nochex) and several others and have lots of experience with integration.

We understand the challenges you have when trying to put all these peices of the puzzle together and make them work and that is why we spend the majority of our time doing custom development or integration for customers who need paid membership solutions and want them to work a certain way and won't settle for off the shelf solutions. The reality is that off the shelf solutions don't meet everyones needs all the time and that is why we offer customization on our products so in the end you get the functionality you want. 

In reading the forums we noticed someone inquiring about needing a muli-level membership system and we have implemented several of these

You should also evaluate how complex the solution is and if that complexity leaves opportunity for security risks or future problems with functionality as you make upgrades to individual components or modules.


Community Builder RC2 Status?
===================
We are anxiously awaiting a copy of Community Builder RC2 so we can start the integration development but in the mean time you can take full advantage of our integration with RC1.




If anyone has any questions or wants to chat about a project you have coming up let us know.

sales at mambopal.com

*Katrina Hurrican Relief*

We are donating 20% of the next two months of sales to the Katrina effort and you should consider helping if you can spare the funds.

[rsphaeroides]

I will keep looking for good member subscription program. 

Again, the services I would like comments on are:
Account exp .3 mod.
MamboPal www.mambopal.com
and also maybe amember pro www.amember.com

Thanks again

I've been using amember pro for about six months now to handle paid limited time memberships, paid downloads, orders delivered by mail, and credit card processing.  Very happy with it.  It is not on a mambo site, but I my initial testing with wrapper suggests it will work just fine.

One thing that may sway you towards amember is that purchasing it includes installation and set-up.  Like you my talents do not lie in PHP, and I was very satisfied with the installation.  It was quick and painless, and they did quite a bit of customization (and some trouble shooting of an issue that I had foolishly caused) at no extra charge.  It allowed me to get started, then explore around and change and modify things as I got more comfortable with it.

I can't compare it to any of the other options, but it's run trouble free for six months.

[charlwillia6]

I've been using amember pro for about six months now to handle paid limited time memberships, paid downloads, orders delivered by mail, and credit card processing.  Very happy with it.  It is not on a mambo site, but I my initial testing with wrapper suggests it will work just fine.

One thing that may sway you towards amember is that purchasing it includes installation and set-up.  Like you my talents do not lie in PHP, and I was very satisfied with the installation.  It was quick and painless, and they did quite a bit of customization (and some trouble shooting of an issue that I had foolishly caused) at no extra charge.  It allowed me to get started, then explore around and change and modify things as I got more comfortable with it.

I can't compare it to any of the other options, but it's run trouble free for six months.

Thanks for the info.  Because of this post and another, I have a lot of options I am going to try.  Thanks for the detailed description of your services MamboPal.  When I first did this post, I didn't know there was so many ways to get your paid memberships, but now I realize there a few and I just need to find the one that supports all my needs.  I just hope this post helps others too.

Charles

[gsbe]

One thing that may sway you towards amember is that purchasing it includes installation and set-up.  Like you my talents do not lie in PHP, and I was very satisfied with the installation.  It was quick and painless, and they did quite a bit of customization (and some trouble shooting of an issue that I had foolishly caused) at no extra charge.  It allowed me to get started, then explore around and change and modify things as I got more comfortable with it.

MamboPAL includes installation. As they said in the above post, they'll even install the trial for you for free.

[chess]

what i would like is a script with the source

i never distribute bought scripts, but i often make small tweaks that require the source code, and i hate it when i cant do that.