Article · Snack boxes

How does a snack box store offer a free first box, then monthly, without people abusing it?

By Super Simple Co · Updated 2026-10-30

A snack box store offers a free first box by adding a Free trial subscription option in Supr: First order discount 100%, First paid order after 7 days, and the option priced at $19.99 every 1 month. Checkout then reads "First payment $0.00, then $19.99 every month". Once per customer is on by default, so a signed in customer cannot take the same option's trial twice, and a Minimum commitment stops people leaving right after the trial.

Who this is for: For snack and food box shops that want to offer a free first box without letting people sign up again and again.

The example used here

A snack box costs $19.99 a month. The first box is free, shipping is charged as usual, and the first paid box is charged a week later. The numbers are an illustration, use your own.

Set it up

In Shopify, open Supr Bundle & Subscription App > Offers, open the offer and click Add subscription option.
Choose Free trial as the type.
Price the option at $19.99, either as the product's price or as a Fixed price under the option's discount. Set Repeat order every to 1 and Order intervals to Month.
Set First order discount to 100%.
Set First paid order after to 7 days. The choices are days, weeks or months. Leave it empty and the trial lasts one delivery interval of the option.
Click Save, then place a test order and read the amount shown at checkout.

The customer enters payment details at checkout and pays nothing, apart from shipping. The first paid order is charged at the option's own price when the trial ends, and after that the option's frequency applies. A smaller percentage than 100% gives a discounted first box instead.

The limits against abuse

The first order counts towards the minimum. Minimum orders 2 means the customer must pay the first paid box before they can cancel from the portal. You can still cancel or pause from the admin yourself.

The message a shopper sees when the trial is refused is yours to reword under Design > Add-on settings > Limit text, and to translate under Settings > Translations.

Limit	Where	What it stops	What it misses
Once per customer	On by default on the Free trial option	A signed in customer taking the same option's trial twice	Guest checkouts are not checked, and other options count on their own
Max per customer	Limit active subscriptions on the option	One customer holding more than a set number of active or paused subscriptions on it	Guest checkouts are not counted
Minimum commitment	Minimum commitment on the option, set Minimum orders	Cancelling or pausing in the portal before the minimum orders	It is soft: a bank can still decline a renewal

Shopify only tells the app who the customer is when they are signed in. If your checkout lets guests buy, a repeat trial from a guest is not caught, so test that path and decide whether it matters to you.

What the shopper and you see

On the product page the option shows the first order's price. Turn on Subscription price details under Design > Add-on settings so its Later orders price line shows the price after the trial.
A $0 order is still created at signup. Ship it as the welcome box, or archive it if there is nothing to send.
A trial applies to checkouts only. A subscription you create or move in the admin, or a customer switching options in the portal, pays the option's own price.
A trial cannot be combined with a refill: an option is one type.

Before you advertise it

Your payment provider must support subscriptions. Check the help center's list of payment gateways.
Place a test subscription order, then open the subscription in Subscriptions and use Renew immediately to check the first paid box is $19.99.
If you also run a loyalty program on the option, check that any reward changing the price still makes sense after the trial.
Say clearly on the page when the first charge happens. A subscription box cancellation flow helps with those who leave once the trial ends.

Questions

Is shipping free on the free box?

No. First order discount at 100% makes the first order free, but shipping is charged as usual.

Can the trial be longer than a week?

Yes. First paid order after takes days, weeks or months. Leave it empty and the trial lasts one delivery interval of the option.

Can the same customer take the trial again on another option?

Yes. Once per customer counts each option on its own, so a customer who had one option's trial can still take the trial on another.

Can I offer a discounted first box that is not free?

Yes. Set First order discount to a smaller percentage, or use a Shopify discount limited to the first payment.

Every setting is covered in the help center: Offering a free trial or discounted first order.

Choosing an app for a skincare or beauty store? See the best Shopify subscription app for a skincare or beauty store.

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