One-time to Subscription Quick Action setup

Before you start

To use this Quick Action, you’ll need:

• Access to Quick Actions in your Skio user permissions

• At least one Shopify one-time order to test the flow (real or sandbox) that also has a selling plan set

• An active Klaviyo integration if you plan to create the flow via Klaviyo

• Optional: A Discount Code in Shopify if you want to offer an incentive

Learn more about using Quick Actions in our guide here.

What is the One-time to Subscription Quick Action?

The One-time to Subscription Quick Action makes it easy to convert one-time buyers into subscribers, helping you grow recurring revenue without adding operational complexity.

After a customer’s first purchase, you can send them a personalized upgrade link that:

• Pre-fills their order details to reduce checkout friction

• Lets you control billing (charge immediately or set a future date based on likely refill timing)

• Supports page customization and discount offers

• Integrates with Klaviyo for automated follow-ups

This feature streamlines the upgrade experience for customers while driving more predictable subscription growth for your brand.

How to set up the One-time to Subscriptions Quick Action

Step 1: Navigate to Quick Actions

1. In the lefthand menu of your Skio Dashboard, go to Features > Quick Actions.

2. Click Create new action.

3. Select Convert a one-time order to subscription, then click Confirm.

Step 2: Name your action and configure billing

Name your action

Enter a name for your action like “Post-Purchase Subscription Offer” to easily identify it later. You can also add a description for internal use.

Action setup

Add a discount code if you want to incentivize the upgrade. 

Choose a billing method:

• Smart billing (recommended) doesn’t charge the customer right away. Instead, it uses their original order date and product interval to calculate a future subscription start date (for example, for “reorder when you're ready” flows).

• Immediate billing charges the customer right away.

Step 3: Customize the customer experience

Choose what customers can adjust:

• Allow customer to change the next billing date: If unchecked, the customer will see the calculated billing date but cannot edit it.

• Allow customer to edit product quantities: Allows the customer to increase or decrease the quantity of items before subscribing.

• Allow customer to remove products from the order: Allows the customer to remove items they don't wish to subscribe to.

Step 4: Configure the URL settings and actions

You can choose between two link types:

Universal Link

A link that you can use on any platform. 

When you select Universal Link, you’ll see a field to enter the Shopify Order ID. This field is where you will substitute the specific order ID for the customer.

When testing, you can use a one-time order tied to an email address you can access so you can confirm the link works correctly.

The generated URL will look like:

https://YOURSTORE.myshopify.com/a/account/quick-action-v3?orderPlatformId={{order_platform_id}}&stackId=b7601d92-7cdb-4366-9f0c-21f0aadbbbb4

You can manually replace the {{order_platform_id}} placeholder in the URL when sharing the link. Keep in mind that the link can only be accessed by the customer who owns the order.

Klaviyo Link

This link uses Klaviyo-specific variables that are dynamically generated. 

For either link type, you can also optionally configure:

• An expiration date for the link.

• A custom title and message to display on the customer page.

Step 5: Save your action

Click Save action and copy URL. 

How to use this Quick Action in a Klaviyo flow

The One-time to subscription Quick Action is most effective when placed in a post-purchase email flow designed for one-time buyers. Timing and targeting are key—you want to reach customers after they’ve had a chance to try the product, but before they reorder on their own.

Step 1: Create a new Flow in Klaviyo

In Klaviyo, the flow should be triggered by the Shopify "Placed Order" event.

Step 2: Apply Flow Filters

It is critical to filter this flow to ensure it only targets the correct audience. Apply the following rules at the trigger:

• Target One-Time Orders Only: The flow should only trigger for orders that do not contain a subscription. This can be done by filtering for orders where Subscription is not present in the Shopify tags or where a recurring property is false.

• Exclude Existing Subscribers: Add a filter to exclude anyone who is already part of your "Active Subscribers" list or segment in Klaviyo. This prevents you from sending a redundant offer to loyal customers.

Step 3: Add a Strategic Time Delay

• After the trigger, insert a "Time Delay" block. 

Note

A delay of 15-20 days is recommended. By 15 days, the customer has likely received their order, had a chance to use the product, and is still within the initial positive "unboxing" and trial period. It prompts them to subscribe just as they might be thinking about needing a refill, maximizing the conversion opportunity.

Step 4: Configure the Email Template

Design an email that reminds the customer of their recent purchase and highlights the benefits of subscribing (e.g., savings, convenience).

Step 5: Implement the Quick Action Link

• Create a prominent button with a clear call-to-action like "Subscribe & Save 20%" or "Start My Subscription."

• Go to the Quick Action you configured in Skio and copy the Klaviyo version of the URL.

• Paste this URL as the button's link destination in the Klaviyo email editor.

Authentication requirements

Because the Quick Action page displays customer info, authentication is required.

• Preferred method: Use the qaToken via Klaviyo to authenticate automatically.

• Fallback: Customers can verify via their email address if no token is used.

Why am I getting the error “link improperly set up”?

You’ll see this error when a checkout link fails key validation checks before processing.

This usually happens for one of the following reasons:

1. The order doesn't include a one-time item. Skio checkout links must include at least one one-time product to work correctly.

2. The one-time item is missing a selling plan. Even one-time products require a valid selling plan attached in order for the checkout to process.

3. The order doesn’t belong to the currently logged-in customer. Checkout links are customer-specific. If a logged-in customer tries to access a link that was generated for someone else, it will fail.

To resolve the error:

• Confirm that the product is marked as a one-time item.

• Make sure that a selling plan exists on the item and is properly configured.

• Verify that the logged-in customer matches the one assigned to the checkout link.

How does the dynamic variable in the Klaviyo quick action link work?

The quick action link uses dynamic variables that pull real-time data from Klaviyo events. To use this link correctly in a Klaviyo flow, the order ID placeholder in the Universal Link type is replaced with Klaviyo's event variable for the Shopify Order ID, which is typically {{ event.extra.id }}.

Your completed link should look like this: https://YOURSTORE.myshopify.com/a/account/quick-action-v3?orderPlatformId={{ event.extra.id }}?stackId=id. When the flow runs, Klaviyo automatically replaces {{ event.extra.id }} with the actual order ID from the customer's purchase. Learn more about using event data to personalize Klaviyo.

How do I set up an upgrade-to-subscription email in Klaviyo?

Use the Order placed (Subscription upgrade eligible) event metric when an order is eligible for a subscription upgrade. You can build a flow around this event to automatically offer a subscription version of the product using this Quick Action link whenever an order is eligible. See a list of all available Skio event metrics here. 

How to test and preview the One-time to Subscription Quick Action link

Learn more in our One-time to Subscription QA testing guide here.