Chargebee

RefRef offers a comprehensive integration with Chargebee to track subscriptions, manage recurring billing, and automate referral rewards for subscription-based businesses.

Overview

The Chargebee integration enables you to:

• Track subscription sign-ups as qualifying events
• Monitor subscription renewals, upgrades, and downgrades
• Automatically issue rewards based on subscription activity
• Sync customer data between platforms
• Leverage Chargebee's billing capabilities with RefRef's referral tools

Prerequisites

Before setting up the Chargebee integration, you'll need:

• An active Chargebee account
• API keys from your Chargebee dashboard
• Administrator access to your RefRef account
• Subscription plans configured in Chargebee

Setting Up the Integration

Step 1: Connect Your Chargebee Account

1. Navigate to Integrations in your RefRef dashboard
2. Select Chargebee from the available integrations
3. Click Connect with Chargebee
4. Enter your Chargebee site name and API key
5. Authorize the connection between platforms

Step 2: Configure Webhook Events

RefRef needs to listen for specific events from Chargebee:

1. In the Chargebee integration settings, review the webhook configuration
2. Ensure the following events are enabled:
   • subscription_created
   • subscription_renewed
   • subscription_changed
   • subscription_cancelled
   • subscription_reactivated
   • payment_succeeded
3. Save your webhook configuration

Step 3: Map Chargebee Plans to Qualifying Events

Connect your Chargebee subscription plans to RefRef qualifying events:

1. Go to Qualifying Events in your program settings
2. Select Add Chargebee Event
3. Choose the subscription plans that should trigger referral conversions
4. Configure conversion rules and reward values
5. Set attribution windows and validation criteria

Tracking Referrals with Chargebee

Initial Subscriptions

For tracking new subscription sign-ups:

1. Add the referral identifier to the Chargebee checkout or hosted page
2. RefRef will automatically attribute the subscription to the referrer
3. Configure reward rules based on subscription plan or value

Example of adding referral data to a Chargebee checkout:

// Adding referral data to Chargebee checkout
Chargebee.getInstance().openCheckout({
  hostedPage: hostedPageObj,
  loaded: function() {
    console.log("Checkout loaded");
  },
  success: function(hostedPageId) {
    // Handle success
  },
  close: function() {
    // Handle close
  },
  step: function(value) {
    // Handle step change
  },
  metadata: {
    refref_id: "REF123",
    refref_campaign: "summer_promo"
  }
});

Subscription Lifecycle Events

For ongoing subscription management:

1. Configure which subscription events trigger rewards
2. Set rules for renewals, upgrades, and downgrades
3. Define reward structures for different subscription tiers
4. Establish rules for subscription longevity milestones

Processing Rewards

RefRef can automatically process rewards based on Chargebee subscription events:

Monetary Rewards

For cash rewards to referrers:

1. Configure payout methods in RefRef
2. Set up automatic or manual approval workflows
3. Define payout schedules and thresholds
4. Configure notification templates for reward issuance

Subscription Credits

For subscription-based rewards:

1. Configure subscription credits or discounts
2. Set up automatic application to Chargebee subscriptions
3. Define credit application rules and durations
4. Establish delivery methods for subscription rewards

Advanced Configuration

MRR-based Rewards

For rewards based on Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR):

1. Navigate to Advanced Rewards in your integration settings
2. Configure MRR-based reward tiers
3. Set up progressive rewards for higher-value subscriptions
4. Define rules for MRR changes over time

Multi-plan Campaigns

For businesses with multiple subscription plans:

1. Create plan-specific referral campaigns
2. Configure different reward structures by plan
3. Set up targeted promotional materials for each plan
4. Track performance metrics by subscription tier

Webhooks and API

RefRef to Chargebee

RefRef can send data to Chargebee for:

• Creating promotional codes
• Updating customer information
• Applying subscription credits
• Modifying subscription features

Chargebee to RefRef

Chargebee sends webhook events to RefRef for:

• Subscription creation and activation
• Renewal and payment processing
• Plan changes and upgrades
• Cancellations and reactivations

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

• Missing Webhooks: Verify webhook configuration in Chargebee
• Attribution Errors: Check referral parameter passing in checkout
• Duplicate Events: Check webhook configuration for duplicate notifications
• Data Syncing Issues: Verify API permissions and field mappings

Best Practices

• Test the integration thoroughly in Chargebee's test environment before going live
• Use consistent metadata field names across your implementation
• Implement proper error handling for webhook processing
• Regularly audit referral attributions and rewards
• Monitor webhook delivery and processing in both systems
• Consider subscription lifecycle when designing reward structures

Use Case: SaaS Growth Strategy

Learn how CloudTools increased their subscriber base by 38% and reduced customer acquisition costs by 42% by implementing a tiered referral program through the RefRef-Chargebee integration, offering both referrers and new subscribers incentives based on subscription plan value.