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How to Edit and Create Decline Salvage Rules

The Decline Salvage tab in your store's settings controls how Phoenix retries failed subscription payments. You can set up custom salvage rules that target specific processors or decline reasons, configure retry timing and pricing, and define what happens when all attempts run out. Any subscription not covered by a custom rule falls back to the default salvage rule.

Follow these steps to open the Decline Salvage tab in your store's settings.

  1. Click Stores in the left sidebar.

  2. Click the store you want to configure.

  3. Click the Decline Salvage tab.

    Info

    If your store is linked to a billing profile, the salvage rules are inherited and cannot be edited directly on the store. To edit them, click the Billing Profile tab next to the Store tab, then click Confirm in the dialog. On the page that follows, click Open Billing Profile.

Create a Custom Salvage Rule​

Create a custom salvage rule to control retry behavior for specific processors or decline reasons.

  1. Click Add Custom Salvage Rule in the Custom Salvage Rules section.

  2. Enter a name for the rule in the Strategy Name field.

  3. Select All Processors or Specific Processors under Processor Target.

    • If you selected Specific Processors, check each processor you want this rule to apply to.

  4. Select All Decline Reasons or Specific Decline Reasons under Decline Reason Target.

    • If you selected Specific Decline Reasons, check each decline reason code you want this rule to apply to.

  5. Toggle Lock Future Subscription to Approved Value on or off.

    • When enabled, future renewals charge the salvaged amount instead of the original price.

  6. Select Cancel subscription (default) or Pause subscription under When salvage attempts are exhausted.

Once these settings are in place, continue to the next section to configure the salvage attempt strategy and save the rule.

Configure the Salvage Attempt Strategy​

Use the steps below to configure the retry sequence in the Set the salvage attempt strategy below table.

  1. Select a delay from the Delay dropdown.

    • Options are organized by minutes, days (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, or 30 days), and day of week.

  2. Select a price from the Price dropdown.

    • Options: Original Price, 10% Off, 15% Off, 25% Off, 50% Off, 75% Off, 90% Off, or Static Price.

  3. Select a processor from the Processor dropdown.

    • Options: Follow Routing, Same Processor, or a specific processor configured in your store.

  4. Click Add Salvage Attempt to add more retry attempts.

  5. Click the delete icon in the Action column to remove an attempt.

    • At least one attempt must remain.

  6. Click Confirm.

With the attempt strategy configured, the rule is saved and active.

Edit, Delete, or Disable a Custom Salvage Rule​

Edit, delete, or disable a custom salvage rule from the Actions column on the far right of the table.

  1. Scroll right in the Custom Salvage Rules table to reveal the Actions column.

  2. Click the pencil icon next to the rule you want to update and make your changes.

  3. Click the trash icon to delete the rule.

  4. Click the toggle in the Status column to enable or disable the rule without deleting it.

Edit the Default Salvage Rule​

Update the Default Salvage Rule, the fallback for any subscription not covered by a custom rule.

  • Click the pencil icon in the Actions column of the Default Salvage Rule section.

  • Adjust the Lock Future Subscription to Approved Value toggle as needed.

  • Adjust the When salvage attempts are exhausted setting as needed.

  • Update the salvage attempt rows as needed.

Click Confirm.

For more on managing subscriptions and recovery workflows in Phoenix, see the guides below: