How to Enable Multiple Quantities on Subscription Products for WooCommerce

5 min readSep 12, 2024

WooCommerce is one of the most powerful eCommerce platforms for WordPress, allowing businesses to manage their online stores with great flexibility. One of its most valuable features is the ability to offer subscription products, which can be a game-changer for businesses aiming for recurring revenue. However, enabling customers to purchase multiple quantities of a subscription product can be challenging if you’re not familiar with the system. This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to enable multiple quantities on subscription products for WooCommerce, helping you maximize your store’s potential.

What Are Subscription Products in WooCommerce?

Subscription products in WooCommerce allow customers to subscribe to a product or service at regular intervals, such as weekly, monthly, or yearly. This feature is particularly useful for products that are consumed regularly, such as food items, software licenses, or membership services. By enabling subscription products, store owners can benefit from a steady income stream and build a loyal customer base.

However, the standard WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin does not allow customers to purchase more than one quantity of a subscription product by default. This limitation can lead to frustration for customers who want to buy multiple quantities of a subscription product at once, and for store owners who want to offer this flexibility.

Why Enable Multiple Quantities for Subscription Products?

Enabling multiple quantities on subscription products can significantly enhance user experience and increase sales. Here are some compelling reasons:

Improved Customer Flexibility: Customers may want to buy several units of a subscription product for personal use, family members, or as gifts.
Boosted Average Order Value: Allowing customers to buy more can lead to higher sales per transaction.
Greater Customer Satisfaction: Meeting customer demands for more flexible purchasing options can lead to better reviews and repeat business.

Understanding how to enable this functionality in WooCommerce is key to optimizing your store for both usability and profitability.

Step-by-Step Guide to Enable Multiple Quantities on Subscription Products for WooCommerce

To enable multiple quantities for subscription products in WooCommerce, you will need to make some configurations and possibly install additional plugins or use custom code. Follow these detailed steps:

1. Install and Set Up WooCommerce Subscriptions Plugin

The first step is to ensure you have the WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin installed on your WordPress website. This plugin is the foundation for managing subscriptions and will provide the basic functionality needed.

Go to your WordPress dashboard.
Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
Search for “WooCommerce Subscriptions” and install it.
Activate the plugin and configure the settings according to your needs.

This plugin is a premium tool from WooCommerce, so it will require a purchase, but the investment is worthwhile for stores looking to maximize subscription potential.

2. Understand the Limitations of Default WooCommerce Subscription Settings

By default, WooCommerce does not allow multiple quantities for subscription products because each subscription is treated as a unique order. This default behavior ensures that each subscription can be managed independently, but it restricts customers from purchasing multiple units of the same subscription at once. Therefore, to enable multiple quantities, we need to tweak some settings or use additional plugins.

3. Use the ‘All Products for WooCommerce Subscriptions’ Extension

The All Products for WooCommerce Subscriptions extension is one of the most effective ways to enable multiple quantities of subscription products. This extension extends the default WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin, allowing you to convert any simple or variable product into a subscription.

Install the Extension: Go to WooCommerce > Extensions and search for “All Products for WooCommerce Subscriptions.”
Configure Settings: After installation, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Subscriptions. Ensure that the “Allow Multiple Subscriptions Per Product” option is enabled.

This extension allows you to sell multiple quantities of subscription products seamlessly.

4. Utilize WooCommerce Custom Code Snippets

If you prefer a code-based solution or want to avoid using additional plugins, you can achieve similar functionality by adding custom code snippets to your theme’s functions.php file. This approach requires some coding knowledge and access to your WordPress site's files.

Open your WordPress theme’s functions.php file.
Add the following code snippet to enable multiple quantities for a subscription product:

add_filter( ‘woocommerce_subscription_product_quantity’, ‘__return_true’ );

Save the changes.

This simple code will override the default behavior and allow customers to purchase multiple quantities of subscription products.

5. Use the ‘WooCommerce Mix and Match’ Plugin

The WooCommerce Mix and Match Products plugin can also be a powerful tool for enabling multiple quantities on subscription products. This plugin allows customers to mix and match different products and subscriptions in the same order.

Install the Plugin: Go to Plugins > Add New and search for “WooCommerce Mix and Match Products.”
Configure the Plugin: After installation, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Mix and Match and configure the settings to allow for multiple quantities of subscriptions.

With this plugin, you can create a customizable bundle of products that includes subscription options, thereby enabling the purchase of multiple quantities.

6. Test and Ensure Proper Functionality

After setting up the desired method for enabling multiple quantities on subscription products, it’s crucial to test the checkout process thoroughly:

Add multiple quantities of a subscription product to your cart.
Proceed to checkout and ensure the subscription details are correct.
Confirm that the billing cycle, total price, and other subscription-related information display correctly.

Testing will help identify any issues and ensure a smooth user experience.

7. Optimize for Customer Experience and SEO

Once you have enabled multiple quantities for subscription products, you must ensure that your store is optimized for user experience and SEO. Here are some tips:

Clear Product Descriptions: Ensure that product descriptions clearly explain the benefits of subscribing and the option to purchase multiple quantities.
User-Friendly Checkout Process: Streamline the checkout process to avoid cart abandonment.
SEO Optimization: Optimize product pages and subscription options for relevant keywords like “multiple subscription quantities WooCommerce,” “WooCommerce subscription flexibility,” and “enable WooCommerce subscription quantities.”

Conclusion

Enabling multiple quantities on subscription products for WooCommerce can unlock new opportunities for your online store. Whether you choose a plugin-based approach with “All Products for WooCommerce Subscriptions” or “WooCommerce Mix and Match Products,” or prefer a custom code solution, the benefits are clear. By enhancing your store’s subscription capabilities, you can offer a more flexible and satisfying shopping experience for your customers, driving both revenue and customer loyalty.