Unfortunately, failed payments on subscriptions are inevitable - cards expire, or are cancelled, and sometimes there are insufficient funds.


When a payment fails on a subscription, you should contact your customer and ask them to update their card details.


However, there ARE some things you can do to prevent failed payments. Here are our recommendations:


1. Change your default Stripe settings

By default, Stripe will attempt to take a subscription payment 3 times and if that fails, it will cancel the subscription. You probably don't want Stripe to be cancelling your subscriptions without you knowing, so we recommend you switch this off. The video below walks you through how to do this.


You can find your Stripe setting for automatic payments here.


2. Set up some automatic emails 

Stripe allows you to alert your customer about a failed payment so they can update their card details - this maximises the chance of Stripe's next payment attempt being successful. But you need to set these emails up. 


You can do this from your Stripe settings area. You should enable to emails, and change the link so it points to your customer's Book That In account (https://bookthatin.com/Subscription/Manage), where they can update their card details.


This video walks you through how to do both of the above:



Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Accessing Stripe Settings

  1. Log into your Stripe account.
  2. Click the cog icon (⚙) in the top-right corner to open Settings.
  3. Under Product Settings, click Billing (to manage "Subscriptions, Invoices, and Quotes").

2. Enabling Prevent Failed Payments Settings

To help prevent failed payments, configure Stripe to send reminders before subscription renewals.

  1. Scroll to the section Prevent Failed Payments.
  2. Locate Upcoming Renewal Events:
    • Stripe will create an event 7 days before a subscription renews.
    • If you have weekly subscriptions, consider reducing this to 2-3 days before renewal.

Enabling Customer Emails

  1. Under Customer Emails, toggle ON:
    • ✅ Send emails about upcoming renewals
    • ✅ Send emails about expiring cards
  2. Use a custom link for customers to update their payment details:
    • Use: https://BookThatIn.com/Subscription/Manage
    • Copy and paste this link into the designated field.

? Important: Do not use the default Stripe-hosted page. Instead, always use your custom link to ensure changes are reflected in Book That In.

  1. Click Save to apply these changes.

3. Configuring Manage Failed Payments Settings

If a payment fails, Stripe can automatically retry it and notify the customer.

  1. Scroll to Manage Failed Payments.
  2. Check the Retry Policy:
    • By default, Stripe may have a custom retry policy (e.g., 3, 5, and 7 days after a failed attempt).
    • Recommended: Enable Smart Retry Policy (this uses Stripe's AI to retry payments at the most effective times).
    • You can allow up to 8 retries over a month for better recovery chances.

Enabling Customer Notifications

  1. Toggle ON Customer Emails for Failed Payments:
    • ✅ This sends automated emails asking customers to update their payment details.
  2. Insert the custom payment update link:
    • Use: https://BookThatIn.com/Subscription/Manage
    • Copy and paste this link into the designated field.
  3. Click Save.

4. Setting Subscription & Invoice Status for Failed Payments

If all retry attempts fail, you must decide what happens to the subscription.

  1. Locate the Subscription Status section.
  2. Instead of "Cancel," select Overdue or Unpaid.
    • ? Do NOT choose "Cancel." If Stripe cancels the subscription, customers cannot update their payment details, and payments will not resume.
  3. Set the Invoice Status to Overdue.
  4. Click Save.

5. Handling Disputed Payments

Disputes are rare, but it's best to have a plan in place.

  1. Scroll to the Disputed Payments section.
  2. Set the action to Leave Subscription as Overdue.
    • This allows you to resolve the dispute while keeping the subscription active.

? No changes are needed in "Payments That Require Confirmation."

Final Steps & Summary

✅ Review your changes and ensure all settings are saved.
✅ Monitor failed payments through your Stripe dashboard and Book That In notifications.
✅ Contact customers directly via text or email when payments fail to improve recovery rates.


By following these steps, you’ll significantly reduce failed payments and keep your subscription revenue flowing smoothly.


If you have any questions, feel free to contact [email protected].