Paywall trigger, unified checkout, and post-payment return policy

DEC-0034 - Paywall trigger, unified checkout, and post-payment return policy

Context

Tier capability was clarified, but flow behavior was still needed for:

• where paywall triggers,
• how checkout starts,
• where user lands after successful payment.

Decision

Paywall trigger:

• When free users tap locked AI features, system shows locked state with upgrade CTA.

Checkout pattern:

• Use one shared checkout flow.
• Shared flow supports:
  • fast package selection,
  • optional package-detail view before payment.

Post-payment success behavior:

• If checkout starts from landing/exploration context:
  • return user to previous page/context,
  • show success popup welcoming user to paid tier and introducing paid capabilities.
• If checkout starts from exercise context (attempt/result flow):
  • reload current exercise/result page,
  • unlock paid capability on that page immediately.

Decision Value

• One checkout baseline reduces implementation branching and tracking complexity.
• Context-aware return keeps user momentum and minimizes drop-off after payment.
• Immediate unlock on active exercise flow protects the “pay-to-value” moment.

Rationale

This policy is simple for users and scalable for product operations: one checkout engine, consistent paywall entry, and deterministic post-payment return by context.