Samba retries a declined installment three more times over about six days, and emails the traveler a link to fix their payment method. If every attempt fails, the booking becomes Overdue and you are emailed. The booking is not canceled and the seats are not released.
What Samba does automatically
Attempt | When | If it fails |
1 | The due date, at 09:00 in your workspace's timezone | The traveler gets a "payment didn't go through" email with a link to update their payment method |
2 | 24 hours later | — |
3 | 48 hours after attempt 2 | — |
4 | 72 hours after attempt 3 | The installment and the plan become Failed and the booking becomes Overdue. The traveler gets a "card declined" email with the same link, and team members subscribed to Installment failed are emailed |
A charge that needs the traveler to confirm it with their bank (3-D Secure) also counts as a failed attempt, because the traveler is not there to confirm.
How it gets fixed
The traveler updates their card
The traveler updates their card
From their booking portal, the traveler selects Update payment method. Every failed installment is rescheduled with four fresh attempts, and any that are already due are charged straight away. The plan goes back to Active and the booking to Partially paid.
The traveler pays the installment themselves
The traveler pays the installment themselves
In the portal, the traveler can pay an installment that has failed, or one due within the next 30 days, with their saved card or a new payment method. A ticked box makes the new method the one used for the remaining installments.
If they untick that box when paying a failed installment, Samba stops charging that plan automatically. The traveler then gets a reminder email on each due date until they save a working payment method.
You retry the charge
You retry the charge
Once the traveler tells you the card is working again, open the booking and select Actions → Retry failed charge. The installment is rescheduled with four fresh attempts and charged right away.
You charge the card for a different amount, or take the money offline
You charge the card for a different amount, or take the money offline
Use Manual charge to charge the saved card now, or Mark paid offline if the traveler paid you by cash, bank transfer or check. See Charge a saved card or record an offline payment.
The traveler is not going to pay
The traveler is not going to pay
Samba never cancels an overdue booking for you. Cancel it yourself when you decide to: see Canceling and refunding a booking. Canceling the booking cancels its unpaid installments, so nothing more is charged.
Who gets the "Installment failed" email
Every team member who has Installment failed switched on for the workspace in their own User settings → Notifications. It is sent once, after the fourth attempt fails.