Payment Failed Email Template
Recover failed payments with clear, helpful notifications. Reduce involuntary churn by making it easy to update payment methods.
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Use with AI Assistants
Copy and paste this prompt into your AI assistant
Implement an payment failed email using the Ark API.
Fetch the template and code examples from: https://arkhq.io/templates/payment-failed.md
Replace the template variables with the actual values for:
- {{name}}: The recipient's name
- {{email}}: The recipient's email
- Other variables as documented in the template
Then send via Ark API.The AI will fetch the template from the URL and use it to send your email through Ark.
Why payment failure emails reduce churn
- 20-40% of subscription churn is involuntary (failed payments)
- Clear failure emails recover 50%+ of failed payments
- Quick action prevents service interruption frustration
- Friendly tone maintains customer relationship during awkward moment
Code Examples
Use the HTML template above with these code examples
import Ark from "@arkhq/sdk";
const ark = new Ark({ apiKey: process.env.ARK_API_KEY });
interface PaymentFailure {
amount: number;
productName: string;
failureReason: string;
updatePaymentLink: string;
}
async function sendPaymentFailedEmail(
email: string,
name: string,
failure: PaymentFailure
) {
await ark.emails.send({
from: "[email protected]",
to: email,
subject: `Action required: Payment failed for ${failure.productName}`,
html: `
<h1>Payment Failed</h1>
<p>Hi ${name},</p>
<p>We weren't able to process your payment of <strong>$${failure.amount.toFixed(2)}</strong> for ${failure.productName}.</p>
<div style="background:#fef2f2;border-radius:8px;padding:20px;margin:20px 0;border-left:4px solid #ef4444;">
<p style="margin:0;color:#991b1b;"><strong>What happened:</strong> ${failure.failureReason}</p>
</div>
<p>To keep your access, please update your payment method:</p>
<a href="${failure.updatePaymentLink}" style="background:#000;color:#fff;padding:12px 30px;text-decoration:none;border-radius:6px;display:inline-block;">Update Payment Method</a>
`,
});
}Best Practices
- Send immediately after payment failure
- Be clear about what failed and why (if known)
- Provide one-click link to update payment method
- Don't blame the customer — cards fail for many reasons
- Follow up with reminders if not resolved
- Consider offering alternative payment methods
Frequently Asked Questions
What failure reasons should I show to customers?
Use friendly language: 'Card declined' instead of error codes, 'Card expired' if the expiration date passed, 'Insufficient funds' if appropriate. For unknown errors, use 'We couldn't process your payment' and suggest trying again or using a different card.
How many payment retry emails should I send?
A typical sequence: immediate notification, 3-day reminder, 7-day warning (service will be paused), final notice before cancellation. Space them out and escalate urgency gradually.
Should I pause service immediately on payment failure?
Give a grace period (3-7 days typically) before pausing service. This respects customers who may have temporary issues and reduces frustration. Clearly communicate the grace period timeline.
How do I handle repeated payment failures?
After 3-4 failed attempts, suggest contacting their bank, offer alternative payment methods (PayPal, different card), and consider reaching out personally for high-value customers.
Related Templates
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