What should I do when a member's card is declined?
When a member's card is declined, give the automatic retries a few days before you reach out: many declines are a short dip in funds or a bank flag that clears on its own. If the card expired, was replaced, or still fails, send one short message with a link to update it. Set one grace period for everyone before an unpaid bill stops check-in.
Why do cards get declined?
Most declines are routine. The card expired, the bank replaced it after a lost wallet, the bank flagged the charge, or there was not enough in the account that morning.
Very few mean the member wants to leave. Treat the first decline as admin, not as a cancellation.
Should I retry the card or contact the member first?
Give the retries a few days first. Most billing systems, Stripe included, retry a failed subscription payment on their own, timed for when it is likely to go through. If it still has not cleared after two or three tries, send the message.
What should the message to the member say?
If the retries do not clear it, send one message. Keep it plain:
- Say what happened: the card on their membership was declined.
- Give one link to update the card. Nothing else to click.
- If check-in pauses after a grace period, say when. Leave out fees. Most people fix it the same day.
Should an unpaid bill stop a member from checking in?
Decide once and apply it to everyone. A short grace period, a few days to a week, keeps regulars training while the card gets sorted, and nobody is surprised at the door.
After the grace period, stopping check-in is fair, as long as the member already got the message with the link.
How mettle handles a declined card
- Stripe retries the card on the schedule set in your Stripe account, and the bill shows as unpaid on your dashboard.
- From the member's page, send them a card update email; they save a new card from their phone.
- You choose whether an unpaid bill stops check-in at the tablet, and how many days of grace come first.
Sources: Stripe: Smart Retries
Quick questions
Should I charge a late fee for a declined card?
Not on the first decline. Most are an expired or replaced card, and a fee for that costs more goodwill than it earns.
How long should the grace period be?
Long enough for a couple of retries and one reply: a few days to a week. Pick one number and use it for every member.
Does the money go to me or to the software company?
With mettle, straight into your own Stripe account. mettle never holds it.
Run your studio with mettle
We open spots for a few new studios, schools and clubs at a time.
Request AccessInvite only.