This document answers common questions about Services in BLOX NXT (Community > Services), including purchase rates, service settings, permissions, and specific service types.
Purchase rates, settings, and permissions
How do I change the price of a purchase rate?
A purchase rate's price and duration can't be edited once it's created. Create a new rate on the Subscription service, then point transitions or offers in Journeys at the new rate.
Why can't readers see or buy a new purchase rate?
A new purchase rate on a Subscription service must be added to an offer in Journeys before readers can buy it. Also check that the rate's start date has passed, Hide Rate from Website is off, and the rate doesn't require a promo code the reader didn't enter.
How do I set up an introductory offer, like $1 for three months?
On the Subscription service, create the regular rate first (for example, Monthly at $9.99 for 30 days). Then create the intro rate ($1.00 for 30 days), turn on Enable Rate Changes, set Total Transactions to 3, and choose the regular rate under Followed By. Add the intro rate to an offer in Journeys.
Why don't I see the Purchase Rates or File Upload panel when creating a service?
The Purchase Rates panel (Subscription services) and the File Upload panel (Delimited Verification services) appear only after the service is saved. Create the service first, then add rates or upload your file.
What's the difference between Service Disabled and Hide from Public?
Service Disabled (red Disabled flag) turns the service off so readers can no longer buy or renew it. Hide from Public (yellow Hidden flag) keeps the service active, and content it protects stays protected, but readers can't see or sign up for it on your site.
Can I test a service without charging real cards?
Yes. Turn on Testing Mode in the service's General Settings. Every transaction is marked as a test and runs through the payment handler's test processor, so no money is charged. Turn Testing Mode off to go live.
Should I turn off the grace period on a Subscription service?
Keeping a grace period is recommended. Without one, failed renewal cards are retried fewer times and more subscribers lapse.
Should recurring payments stay on for a Subscription service?
Yes, in most cases. With Recurring Payments off, readers have to renew by hand, which lowers renewal revenue.
Where do I edit the wording of service emails?
Open the service and go to the Email Notifications panel, where you can view and edit each email and turn it on or off.
Why can't I click New or Create Service?
You need the Edit services ability, or Subscription Full access, in your BLOX user group. Ask your site administrator to add it.
Can I copy services and rates to another site?
Not yet. Services and purchase rates are managed one site at a time. For Domain services, you can copy a domain list with the copy icon in Domain Management and paste it into another Domain service.
Service types and uploads
Which service type should I use?
Subscription to sell digital subscriptions; Delimited Verification to give print subscribers access from a list you upload; Domain to give a school or company access by email domain; Free for free access such as a registration tier; Linked Site to share a sister publication's subscribers; In-App Purchase or Subscribe with Google for app store and Google subscriptions; or the matching circulation integration if your circulation system manages subscribers.
Why isn't my circulation system or In-App Purchase listed when I click New?
In-App Purchase, Subscribe with Google, and circulation integration service types only appear in the New menu once they're set up for your site. Contact BLOX Digital support to set one up.
Why do I see a service type I can't create, like csv?
Services created with retired legacy types still appear in the Services list and keep working for existing readers. New services of those types can't be created in BLOX NXT.
Do I need to re-map columns every time I upload a Delimited Verification file?
No. The AI Smart Subscriber Upload wizard saves your column mapping and fills it in on later uploads, even for files without a header row. Check it on the Map Columns step if your file's columns have changed.
Why can't I continue past the Clean Data step when uploading subscribers?
The Next button stays unavailable until every row in Data with Issues is fixed or deleted. Click Edit to correct a row and Save Row, or click the trash icon to drop it from the import.
What file can I upload to a Delimited Verification service?
A CSV file of 50 MB or less. Account Number and Email columns are required.
Why can't I create a Linked Site service?
The Linked Site list only includes sites already linked to yours. If none are set up, Configuration shows "No configuration fields available for this service type" and the service can't be created. Contact BLOX Digital support to link your sites.
How do I add a lot of domains to a Domain service?
Copy your list of domains, then click the clipboard icon next to the domain search box in the Domain Management panel to paste them all in.
What happens if I turn on Auto Signup for a Free service?
Every reader who creates an account gets the Free service. With Trial also on, that free access continues indefinitely. Leave both off unless that's what you intend.