Automated Stripe Failed Payment Recovery & Follow-Up Emails

This n8n workflow automates the recovery of failed Stripe payments by listening for payment_intent.payment_failed events. It extracts key customer details like name, email, amount, and payment ID, removes duplicates, and logs everything into a Google Sheets 'failed payments queue' with fields for tracking email sent counts.

A daily schedule trigger (10 AM cron) reads the sheet, uses a Switch node to check email_sent_count: sends the first gentle reminder if <1, a second urgent one if <2, then stops. After each email, it updates the sheet by incrementing the count. This creates a hands-off system for revenue recovery.

Benefits include minimizing manual follow-up, boosting recovery rates (often 10-30% for failed payments), and centralizing data in Sheets for analysis. Ideal for e-commerce, SaaS, or subscription businesses in travel/hospitality to recapture revenue from card declines, expired cards, or insufficient funds without complex coding.

Use cases: Online stores tracking inventory sales, booking platforms for travel services, or any Stripe-dependent operation needing polite, sequenced reminders to reduce churn and improve cash flow.