On May 4, 2026, Shopify will be revoking payment methods on cancelled subscriptions. We know this affects your customers' reactivation experience, and we want to be transparent about the change, what it means, and the steps we're already taking to address it.
About the Shopify Change
What is changing?
Starting on Monday, May 4, Shopify will revoke a customer's payment method from a cancelled subscription. Previously, the payment method remained on file and was available if the customer chose to reactivate.
When will this change go into effect?
This is a recently announced platform-level change that will be rolled out by Shopify on Monday, May 4. This change will apply to all Shopify subscription apps, including Stay AI.
Why is Shopify making this change?
This is a Shopify platform initiative, likely related to data compliance and customer consent standards. The Stay AI team doesn't currently have additional details from Shopify on the rationale, but we are actively working within their new parameters.
Impact on Your Customers
How does this affect the customer reactivation experience?
When a customer attempts to reactivate a cancelled subscription, their previous payment method will no longer be pre-filled. The customer will need to enter a payment method to complete reactivation.
Will this cause reactivations to fail?
Without a fix in place, customers attempting to reactivate via the Customer Portal may encounter an error or incomplete flow if no payment method is collected upfront. This is exactly what we are addressing.
Does this affect active subscriptions?
No. This change only impacts subscriptions that have been cancelled. Active subscriptions with a payment method on file are not affected.
What Stay AI Is Doing
What is Stay AI doing to fix this?
We are building a solution directly into the reactivation flow. Specifically, customers will be automatically prompted to Add Credit Card within the reactivation step in the Customer Portal, so customers can seamlessly enter a new payment method before completing reactivation.This keeps the experience smooth and prevents drop-off or failed reactivations.
When will this fix be available?
We are actively in development and will share a timeline update as soon as it is confirmed. Our commitment is to make this update prior to Shopify's change on May 4, 2026. Merchant communication will go out before the fix is live so you can set expectations with your team.
Do I need to do anything right now?
No action is needed on your end at this time!
Will the fix require any changes to my Customer Portal setup?
The update will be handled on our end and will not require merchants to make configuration changes. The Add Credit Card modal will be incorporated natively into the reactivation flow.
Please note: Stay AI supports an option to keep dunned subscriptions active, which will reduce the number of potential reactivations and therefore prevent payment methods on dunned subscriptions from being revoked. To configure this setting, navigate to your Subscriber Billing Settings and disable the "Cancel Dunned Subscriptions" toggle.
Support & Next Steps
What should I tell my customers in the meantime?
Reactivation will not be impacted until May 4, 2026. After that date, if a customer contacts you about a reactivation issue, you can let them know they will need to re-enter their payment method when reactivating.
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Please reach out to your Stay AI success contact or our support team. We're committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.