> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.peakcommerce.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.peakcommerce.com/product/using-peakcommerce/ecommerce-and-payment-pages/updating-subscriptions-through-e-commerce.md).

# Updating Subscriptions Through Ecommerce

Customers can change an existing subscription — upgrade, downgrade, or add and remove add-ons — through a guided flow with no admin involved. Self-service change beats a support ticket for routine moves: it's instant for the customer, frees your team, and lets you insert save offers exactly where churn happens. In the current platform this is a **journey**, not a special page mode — the same building blocks as a new-sale flow, pointed at an existing subscription.

## How it works

1. Build a journey of type **Customer Self-Service** (see [Create a journey](/product/journeys-and-pages/journey-basics/adding-a-journey.md)) that loads the customer's current subscription.
2. Add [steps](/product/journeys-and-pages/journey-steps/managing-journey-steps.md) that let the customer pick a new plan or adjust add-ons.
3. The journey applies the change to the **existing** subscription in your billing system rather than creating a new one.
4. Add **branching** to respond to intent — for example a retention offer on a downgrade or cancellation.

## Key concepts

* **Journey type sets the audience.** **Customer Self-Service** is the end-customer-facing variant; for rep-assisted changes, build a **CSR Self-Service** journey instead so an agent can drive the same change on the customer's behalf.
* **Change, not re-buy.** These flows amend the live subscription (plan swap, add-on add/remove), so billing reflects a true upgrade/downgrade rather than a duplicate order.
* **Branching is where retention lives.** The same conditional routing that powers a checkout funnel lets you intercept a downgrade or cancel with an offer before it commits.

## Gotchas

* Use the right journey type: a **Customer Self-Service** journey is for the account holder; a **CSR Self-Service** journey is for a rep acting on their behalf. Picking the wrong one exposes the flow to the wrong audience.
* These journeys operate on an **existing** subscription — they must load the current subscription first, so the customer (or rep) needs to be in the right account context.
* This is distinct from a [payment page](/product/using-peakcommerce/ecommerce-and-payment-pages/external-payment-pages.md), which captures a payment method or pays an invoice but does not change what the customer is subscribed to.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.peakcommerce.com/product/using-peakcommerce/ecommerce-and-payment-pages/updating-subscriptions-through-e-commerce.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.