Updating product prices for subscriptions requires careful planning to ensure pricing changes are applied correctly and communicated clearly to customers. This guide covers best practices for updating prices in Skio, whether you're adjusting prices for new subscribers, existing subscribers, or both.
Common scenarios include:
New product pricing: You're launching a new price point and want all future subscribers to pay the updated amount
Existing customer price increases: You need to raise prices for current subscribers due to increased costs, and you've communicated the change in advance
Promotional pricing adjustments: You're ending a promotional period and returning to standard pricing
Understanding how price updates work
New subscribers: When you update a product price in Shopify and sync it to Skio, new subscribers will automatically see and pay the updated price going forward.
Existing subscribers: Existing subscriptions retain their original pricing and are not automatically updated when you change prices in Shopify. To apply new pricing to existing subscriptions, you must use the Bulk Operations tool.
This separation ensures existing customers maintain their original pricing unless you actively choose to update them.
Before you update prices
Before making price changes, consider the following:
Decide who gets the new pricing
New subscribers only: Update the price in Shopify and sync to Skio. No additional action needed.
Existing subscribers only: Keep Shopify pricing the same and use Bulk Operations to update specific subscription segments.
Both new and existing subscribers: Update the price in Shopify, sync to Skio, then run a Bulk Operation for existing subscriptions.
Segment your subscribers
Decide whether all existing subscribers should receive the price update or only specific groups. Common segmentation strategies include:
Update only active subscriptions (exclude paused, cancelled, or failed)
Exclude loyal, long-term subscribers from price increases
Update subscriptions based on product, interval, or customer tags
Apply different pricing to different customer segments (e.g., VIP vs. standard)
Plan your communication
Price increases can impact retention, so communicate changes clearly:
Notify customers before the price change takes effect
Explain the reason for the increase (e.g., improved product quality, rising costs)
Provide advance notice (30+ days is ideal)
Offer options like locking in current pricing for a set period or switching to annual plans
Use tools like Klaviyo to email affected customers after exporting the list from Bulk Operations.
Set an effective date
Choose a strategic effective date for price changes:
Avoid applying increases immediately before a billing cycle
Give customers time to adjust or cancel if needed
Consider delaying the increase for subscribers with upcoming renewals
Update prices for new subscribers
Step 1: Update product price in Shopify
In your Shopify admin, navigate to the product you want to update.
Update the product price.
Save your changes.
New subscribers will now see and pay the updated price. Existing subscriptions remain at their original price.
Update prices for existing subscribers
See our guide on How to resync products in bulk.
Best practices checklist
Before updating prices, use this checklist to ensure a smooth process:
Decide whether the update applies to new subscribers, existing subscribers, or both
Segment existing subscribers appropriately (active only, exclude VIPs, etc.)
Update product price in Shopify if applying to new subscribers
Sync products from Shopify to Skio
Draft customer communication explaining the price change
Set up Bulk Operation with precise conditions
Preview and download the CSV to verify affected subscriptions
Notify customers in advance (30+ days recommended)
Run the Bulk Operation after communication is sent
Export success/failure logs from the History tab
Follow up with customers who may have questions or concerns
FAQ
Can I undo a price update after running a bulk operation?
There is currently no undo option. If you make a mistake, you'll need to run another Bulk Operation to revert the pricing or contact help@skio.com for assistance. Always preview your operation before running it.
How do I grandfather existing subscribers at their current price?
Update the product price in Shopify and sync to Skio, but do not run a Bulk Operation on existing subscriptions. Only new subscribers will pay the updated price.
Can I apply different price increases to different customer segments?
Yes. Run multiple Bulk Operations with different conditions and price points. For example, run one operation for standard customers and another for VIP customers with a smaller increase.
What happens if a customer has multiple products in their subscription?
You'll need to add a separate Update product price action for each product variant you want to update within the same Bulk Operation.
How do I update prices only for subscriptions billing after a specific date?
Use the Next billing date condition and select "on or after" the date you want the new pricing to take effect. This ensures only subscriptions billing after that date receive the update.
Can I update prepaid subscription prices?
Yes, but prepaid subscriptions must be updated separately from regular recurring subscriptions. Select Prepaid subscription in Step 2 of the Bulk Operations setup.
Should I increase prices all at once or gradually?
Gradual increases (e.g., 5% now, another 5% in six months) can reduce churn compared to a single large increase. Test what works best for your customer base.
How do I communicate price changes to affected customers?
After running the Bulk Operation, export the success log from the History tab. Upload this list to your email platform (like Klaviyo) to send targeted communication to affected subscribers.