Settings
Updated · SMART Subscriptions (E-TRADE PARTNER)
Under Settings in SMART Subscriptions, configure what happens when a renewal fails. For payment method failures: retries 0–10 (default 3), days between retries 1–14 (default 7), final action Cancel, Pause, or Skip (default Pause). For inventory failures: retries 0–10 (default 5), days 1–14 (default 1), final action Skip, Cancel, or Pause (default Skip).
SMART Subscriptions does this with plans, a product-page widget, and a native customer portal.
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Retry settings define the recovery loop. Payment errors a retry can't fix, such as a disabled payment provider or suspected fraud, skip the retries and go straight to the final action. Activate matching Emails so customers get notified, and keep Management active so they can switch to another saved payment method.
Payment method failure
| Setting | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Number of retry attempts | 0–10 | 3 |
| Days between retries | 1–14 | 7 |
| Action when all retries fail | Cancel, Pause, or Skip | Pause |
Not enough inventory
| Setting | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Number of retry attempts | 0–10 | 5 |
| Days between retries | 1–14 | 1 |
| Action when all retries fail | Skip, Cancel, or Pause | Skip |
Configure retries checklist
- Open Settings.
- Set payment failure retries, days between attempts, and final Cancel / Pause / Skip action.
- Set inventory failure retries, days between attempts, and final Skip / Cancel / Pause action.
- Open Emails and activate billing failure, retry, final retry, and inventory templates you need.
- Confirm the Subscription management page is active under Management, so customers can switch to another saved payment method.
- After real or test failures, review the Paused and Cancelled tabs under Subscriptions. Contracts stay Active while retries run.
Retries without emails are silent
Retry rules alone do not message the customer. Activate the failure and retry templates under Emails, and keep the Subscription management page active under Management.
Related docs and guides
Set clear retry rules for failed renewals
Install SMART Subscriptions to configure payment and inventory failure retries, wait days, and final Cancel, Pause, or Skip actions.
Install free on ShopifyFrequently asked questions
›What are the default payment failure settings?
3 retries, 7 days between attempts, and Pause as the final action.
›What are the default inventory failure settings?
5 retries, 1 day between attempts, and Skip as the final action.
›Can the final action be Cancel, Pause, or Skip?
Yes. Payment failure final actions are Cancel, Pause, or Skip (default Pause). Inventory final actions are Skip, Cancel, or Pause (default Skip).
›Do retries send email automatically?
No. Activate the relevant templates under Emails. Templates stay inactive until you activate them.
›Does every failed payment get retried?
No. Errors a retry can't fix, such as a disabled payment provider, a payment method the gateway can't use, or suspected fraud, go straight to the final action.