circuly.
Our Specification of Services.
circuly supports you to launch and scale your rental and subscription business for physical products.
Find out more about circuly and the specification of services.
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circuly supports you to launch and scale your rental and subscription business for physical products.
Find out more about circuly and the specification of services.
On this page, you learn about the scope of circuly and the support we offer.
Jump right in and explore!
circuly offers a securely hosted white-label checkout that replaces the checkout flow of the existing store system (Content Management System, "CMS"). This includes the shopping cart and the subsequent checkout page, as well as the success page of the order confirmation. With the circuly Checkout, the end customer has a user experience at the checkout for rentals, like he knows it from shopping. The circuly Checkout is provided on a selected subdomain of the customer. You can find more information on the customisation options and scope here.
Please note, that the "powered by circuly" including a link to our homepage is part of the white-label checkout.
The circuly Checkout offers the following functionalities:
Customisability of the design of the shopping cart as well as the checkout page and the success page (further details about the degree of customisations see here)
Combination of purchase and rental items in one shopping cart
Different languages and currencies
Timeslot booking of delivery (capacity based, e.g. x products per hour can be delivered)
Integration of payment service providers
Integration of the customer's general terms and conditions as well as privacy policy
Storage of order data (products, customers) in the respective store system ("CMS") and payment service provider ("PSP")
Integration of Google Tag Manager (GTM) for marketing purposes
Selection of different Shipping Methods possible
Customisability of input fields (name, address, etc.)
(optional) Differentiation between shipping address and billing address
Redeem circuly voucher codes
Limitation of accepted shipping addresses (based on postal code and/or country)
circuly offers a web application for the administration of the rental or subscription model. The circuly Operations Backend is directly connected to the respective CMS and the respective PSP via the API. You ca find an overview of the process blueprint here.
The circuly Operations Backend offers the following functionalities:
Insights: an overview of commercial and operational KPIs of the business.
Order Management: view and edit all orders received in the store system from here (apply filters, change status, add tags (save tag history), set up subscriptions, add serial number of rented (or sold) product, view transactions and add notes) as well as cancel orders (incl. refund). Replacement orders also appear automatically in the overview after initiating a swap and are marked accordingly. Bundle logic also available.
Subscription Management: start subscriptions, view active and inactive subscriptions associated with a customer and an order, as well as view and download associated invoices. Manage the subscriptions, e.g. swap a defect product.
Recurring Payments and Payment Reminder: view all transactions including status of transactions and respective invoices. The circuly Operations backend ensures that all transactions are automatically debited according to the schedule and informs the user if a payment could not be properly collected from the end customer. You have an overview of overdue payments with a customisable email protocol for payment reminders. The amount of the recurring payment can be flexibly adjusted after subscription start.
One-time Payments and Refunds can be made directly from the circuly Operations Backend.
Invoices: circuly automatically created and sends out invoices for one-time and recurring payments, as well as refunds and cancellation invoices. You can also manually create cancellations invoices. All invoices are exportable e.g. for accounting purposes via CSV Export option/web hooks, DATEV exports available
Buyout option: let your customer buy out the product after or during the subscription period
Taxation: customisable tax percentages for one-time payments and recurring payments
Voucher codes: Voucher codes can be issued on one-time payments as well as on the complete subscription (all related payments) and can also be deactivated again, certain products can be included and excluded, absolute as well as percentage amounts are possible
Product Tracking: Tracking of all products that have been rented, stored, repaired or bought out. It is possible to analyse the product history per serial number and to evaluate commercial KPIs (sales, costs, ROI, etc.) per product serial number.
Asset overview: Overview of all products with their status (rented, in stock, in repair, bought out).
Transactional Email automation: the circuly Operations backend automatically sends transactional emails to the end customer (e.g. order confirmation, subscription activation, payment confirmation incl. invoice as PDF attachment, instructions for returning the products). The content, subject, sender and design and language of the email can be customised by the user in circuly. All communication can be received in bcc and monitored in the admin log.
Customer Profiles: Overview of customer profiles, which provides information about rented products, transactions and subscriptions.
Returns: List of all orders returned by the end customer. The orders can be marked as returned when they arrive (e.g. in the warehouse) (subscription is automatically terminated - unless it is a product swap) and are then available as an overview on the repair list. Products can also be marked as "bought out" during this process. Subscriptions/Products can be marked as "returned" in bulk. Return Reason (cancellation/replacement) can be specified.
Repairs: List of all products that have been returned from the end customer for inspection or repair. The circuly Operations Backend provides an (adjustable) guide to digitally document the repair results (costs) and add them to the history of the respective product.
Admin - Users: the admin can create and manage different users and profiles that have access to the circuly Operations Backend (user and admin roles available).
Admin - Settings: the admin can store the necessary API keys to connect the CMS and PSP. More settings are available to adopt circuly processes to the target operating model.
Admin - Service Desk: ticketing system to ask for support and additional technical services.
Admin - Knowledge Loop: the knowledge base contains explanatory articles and videos for the circuly software.
Admin - Webhooks: the admin can set up webhooks in circuly for automation.
Admin - Exports: provided export options for orders, subscriptions, transactions, recurring payments, customers, returns and repairs.
Additional Service: Credit checks via CRIF are available with an additional contract extension - credit check results are visible in the order overview and can also be used for real-time automated decline of orders in the circuly checkout.
circuly offers a white-label customer login where the user/subscriber of products can login and manage their subscriptions. You can find more information on the customisation options and scope here.
The customer login offers the following functionalities:
Customisability of the design (colours, logo)
Display of all (current or past) subscription products of the customer
Display of all orders of the customer
Display of and option to download invoices, as well as an overview of all past and upcoming payments
Option to get in contact with the retailer
Option to report an issue with the products
Option to cancel the subscription (2-step process) at the end of the subscription period, also cancel within the statutory cancellation period of 2 weeks (or individually editable timeframe of days depending on country legal regulation)
Customer can update the payment method
Customer can update personal information
Customer can make use of the Refer a Friend option
Our service portal "circuly knowledge loop" is the first point of contact for all questions and information about the circuly software. It is constantly being expanded with new and valuable content. You will find, among others, the following information:
How-to article on functionalities of the software
Training materials and best practice examples
Information on new releases
Technical support requests can be made via the circuly service desk. Access to the circuly service desk is available in the circuly Operations Backend. All requests are transferred to our ticket system. You will receive an email from us with the processing number or ticket number associated with the new ticket. The ticket number serves as a reference to the ticket and must be used in subsequent communication. Furthermore, you will be informed about updates and status changes to your request via email. You can also view this information at any time in your service desk account. The more detailed a request reaches the support team, the faster the case can be classified and processed.
Technical support requests
First reaction within 24h (within office hours)
Updates on uploaded tickets
Read more about our support policy and service level agreement here.
Support Policy
1. Basic Support Plan for circuly
The basic support plan for circuly is available to you for all booked modules and functionalities. Beyond this basic support plan, extended support plans for circuly can be booked (e.g. within the scope of the circuly full-service package or the circuly scale package). For this purpose, please contact your sales representative.
2. Communication Channels for Support
You can make use of our support services in different ways. We have set up several communication channels for this purpose. If you want to make optimal use of our support services, these channels should be used in the order described below.
2.1. Service Portal “circuly knowledge loop”
Our service portal "circuly knowledge loop" is the first point of contact for all current information about the circuly software. The service portal "circuly knowledge loop" is constantly being expanded and be accessed via https://knowledgeloop.circuly.io/. In the "circuly knowledge loop" you will find, among others, the following information:Current documentationTraining materials and best practice examplesInformation on further developments
2.2. circuly Service Desk
Technical support requests can be made via the circuly service desk. Access to the circuly service desk is available in the circuly Operations Backend. All requests are transferred to our ticket system, i.e. for each new support request a separate support ticket is created in the ticket system. You will receive an email from us with the processing number or ticket number associated with the new ticket. The ticket number serves as a reference to the ticket and must be used in subsequent communication. Furthermore, you will be informed about updates and status changes to your request via email. You can also view this information at any time in your service desk account. A request is only considered qualified when you have correctly filled in all required fields in the ticket system and have received a confirmation email with the corresponding ticket number, as described in the section Qualified Support Request. The more detailed a request reaches the support team, the faster the case can be classified and processed.
3. Qualified Support Request
A qualified support request is an absolute prerequisite for the quick processing and fast solution of a problem or the elimination of a malfunction. A qualified support request contains a detailed description of the problem. The following questions must be answered:Is it a malfunction (incident) or another request category, e.g. request for information or change request? The request must contain appropriate information and reasons.How does the malfunction manifest itself? What is no longer working? The exact error messages are required.Does the problem occur in circuly or can other systems also be responsible (e.g. CMS, PSP). Where does the problem occur? Which apps, services, products and systems are affected?How is the problem traceable and reproducible?How long has the problem existed?Additional information such as screenshots etc.Indication of the priority (business-critical or non-business-critical).
If a ticket has been closed, it cannot be reopened. In the event that a malfunction occurs again, a new malfunction ticket must be created, even if it appears to be the same or a similar malfunction as in a ticket that has already been closed. In the new ticket, reference should be made to the predecessor ticket with the help of the processing number.
4. Priority Level
Each request is assigned to one of the following priority levels or severity levels when the ticket is created:
Priority 1 - business-critical: There is an urgent, business-preventing problem that is preventing the majority of users from working. There is no way to work around the problem. An immediate solution is required.
Priority 2 - non-business-critical: Individual functions are not available or are only available by working around the problem. Normal work is only slightly affected. A solution is required, but not urgent. Or there is a simple request for a product or issue with low urgency.
The classification into the priority levels is done by you, if necessary in consultation with us.
5. Service and Response Time
5.1. Standard Service Times
Our standard service hours are fixed at: Monday to Friday during business hours from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Berlin/Germany). Saturdays and Sundays as well as national holidays in Germany (North-Rhine Westphalia) are excluded. Within the service hours, enquiries are processed by our support staff. Maintenance work on the service portal and the ticket system can be carried out outside the standard service hours without prior notice.
5.2. Standard Response Times
The response time begins with the creation of a qualified ticket in our ticket system within the service hours. If the ticket is created outside the service hours, the response time starts with the beginning of the next service hour. The reaction time only runs during the service times. The response time ends with the first qualified reaction on our part. A qualified reaction can be a query about the fault, an explanation of the further procedure or a proposal for a solution. We will respond to all qualified fault reports received during the above-mentioned service times within 24 hours during the service times. The time limit only starts to run if your cooperation is fulfilled, i.e. if the support ticket has a minimum information content - see section Qualified Support Request.
If your support request requires a faster response, you can upgrade to an extended support plan. To upgrade your support plan, please contact your sales representative.
Service Level Agreement
We provide special services to maintain the availability of circuly.
1. Maintenance and Servicing
We will perform maintenance and upkeep services to prevent impairments in the operation of circuly. Periods of unavailability of circuly due to announced maintenance work are not included in the calculation of the service level. Maintenance periods are up to 5 hours per month. If possible, maintenance work shall be carried out outside normal business hours. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
2. Updates
We continuously strive to provide you with the latest features of circuly. Therefore, we regularly install new versions of the existing software and add new services to circuly. Should the function of circuly change within the scope of these updates, this does not constitute a service failure, provided that the functional scope of the service description continues to be complied with.
Exclusion of benefits
Our Basic Support Plan does not include the items listed below. You may use these services if the costs can be billed separately or are explicitly included in your chosen scope of services:
- Support with the installation or configuration of software
- Instruction and training of the customer's employees
- Development of customer-specific adaptations
- Support and maintenance of software that has been individually developed for you
- Consultation regarding the use and application of circuly software modules
- Claiming support and maintenance services in case of errors and malfunctions for which we are not responsible
- Support in resetting passwords and entering user names
- Support in case of unblocking of the user account due to wrong login attempts
circuly supports the integration of the following payment service providers:
Stripe
Braintree
Adyen
Mollie
circuly also supports the offline payments (pay by invoice).
circuly supports the integration of the following content managment systems:
Shopify
WooCommerce
Shopware 5
Shopware 6 (on Premise)
Saleor
The error-free use of circuly requires the following minimum requirements:
Use of an e-commerce store system (Content Management System, "CMS"), for which circuly provides an interface (recommended but not mandatory)
Use of a Payment Service Provider ("PSP"), for which circuly provides an interface
Use of a browser of the latest version (e.g. Chrome, Safari, Firefox)
and an internet connection.
You have additional information that is relevant to your business and use other tools? Use our API to get the relevant data from A to B.
Get access to our API documentation.
You use other state of the art software solutions to run your business? Create custom Zaps to synchronise your data using circuly web hooks.
Contact us for more information.We ensure regular backup of data processed and results generated within circuly and perform regular backups.
The deletion of data is carried out by circuly after being initiated by the respective user. Furthermore, the administrator has the option to delete all account and user data centrally.
In both cases, the data will be permanently and unrecoverable deleted immediately after the data deletion has been initiated.
circuly processes the following data points fully encrypted (AES-256):
General Data Points:
API keys of the respective Payment Service Provider
API keys of the respective CMS (shop system)
Customer Data Points:
First name
Last name
Email
Phone number
Street address
City
Country
and data from "custom fields"
The following data points are also processed:
Product SKU
Product ID/Serial Number
Product Name
Product Quantity
Product Price
Voucher Code
Thumbnail Image
Discount Amount
Tax information
Subscription Frequency (Monthly, Yearly, Weekly)
Subscription Start-date
Subscription End-date
Subscription ID (internal ID)
Subscription Duration (if applicable)
Tags for Subscription or Purchase Products
User/admin data:
Employee data (e-mail, name, role, password)
Company information (in transactional e-mail communication) e.g. address, etc.
The processing and storage of the data takes place on systems of the following hosting service providers in the respective hosting locations:
Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, 38 avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, used for hosting, (hosted on servers within the EU).
Heroku, a Service from Salesforce.com Sarl, Route de la Longeraie 9, Morges, CH-1110, Switzerland, used for hosting, (hosted on servers within the EU)
Mailgun Technologies Inc., E Pecan St 110, San Antonio, 78205, Mexico, used for mailing functionality (hosted on servers within EU)
Google LLC, Amphitheatre Pkwy., 1600, Mountain View, California, 94035, USA, using Google Places for address validation in checkout, (hosted in USA)
CRIF GmbH, Ndl. Karlsruhe, Kaiserstraße 217, 76133 Karlsruhe,Germany
Provision of SaaS services, credit check (where applicable, with separate agreement only)
(hosted on servers within the EU)
Our own server-side encryption is used. In this process, the data is encrypted before it is written to the data carriers in the data centre and decrypted again when it is read. We use the AES-256 encryption standard. Since AES-256 is a symmetric encryption method, the individual keys for encryption and decryption are identical. The value 256 stands for the key length, in this case 256 bits. With this length, AES-256 is considered a particularly secure standard.
You cannot set deposits in the checkout process. In circuly you can only use setup fees that need to be refunded manually
circuly does not provide barcode scanning
With circuly, not all payment options of your payment service provider are possible (e.g. Klarna does not support recurring payments and thus, it is not possible with circuly)
circuly does not create the individual rental flow for you - we are happy to assist and consult based on the booked service package
