Failed Payments

When a subscription payment fails, your account is marked as past due and Stripe automatically attempts to retry the charge. Understanding why payments fail and how to resolve them quickly helps you maintain uninterrupted access to Firebuzz.

What Happens When a Payment Fails

When your subscription payment cannot be processed:

1. Your subscription status changes to Past Due
2. You receive an email notification about the failed payment
3. Stripe automatically schedules retry attempts
4. You may experience limited access to features depending on your plan

Common Reasons for Payment Failures

Payments typically fail due to:

• Expired card - Your card has reached its expiration date
• Insufficient funds - Not enough available credit or balance
• Card declined - Your bank or card issuer rejected the charge
• Incorrect billing address - Address doesn't match your card issuer's records
• Security blocks - Fraud prevention systems blocked the transaction
• Spending limits - You've reached your card's spending limit

Checking Your Subscription Status

To see if your subscription is past due:

1. Go to Settings
2. Click Subscription
3. Check for a Past Due status indicator

If you see this status, take immediate action to update your payment method and avoid service interruption.

Resolving Failed Payments

To fix a failed payment and reactivate your subscription:

Step 1: Update Your Payment Method

1. Go to Settings then Subscription
2. Select the Billing tab
3. Click Manage Billing Information
4. In the Stripe Customer Portal, update your card details or add a new payment method
5. Set the valid card as your default payment method

Step 2: Stripe Retries the Payment

Once you update your payment method:

• Stripe automatically retries the failed charge using the new card
• If successful, your subscription status returns to Active
• You'll receive a confirmation email with your invoice receipt

Automatic Payment Retry Schedule

Stripe uses an automatic retry schedule for failed payments:

• First retry - 3 days after initial failure
• Second retry - 5 days after first retry
• Third retry - 7 days after second retry
• Final attempt - 14 days after third retry

Between retries, your subscription remains in Past Due status. If all retries fail, your subscription may be canceled.

Preventing Future Payment Failures

To avoid payment issues:

1. Update expiring cards - Set a calendar reminder to update cards before they expire
2. Ensure sufficient funds - Make sure your card has enough available credit or balance
3. Verify billing address - Keep your billing address current and matching your card issuer's records
4. Whitelist Firebuzz charges - Contact your bank if charges are being blocked by fraud prevention
5. Check email notifications - Firebuzz sends reminders before cards expire

Contacting Your Bank or Card Issuer

If your card continues to be declined after updating it:

1. Call the customer service number on the back of your card
2. Verify that:
   • The card is active and not frozen
   • Online and recurring charges are enabled
   • There are no spending limits preventing the charge
   • The billing address matches their records
3. Ask them to whitelist charges from Stripe/Firebuzz
4. Confirm there are no fraud alerts blocking the transaction

FAQ

Related Resources

• Updating Your Payment Method
• Adding a Payment Method
• Payment Methods
• Managing Your Subscription