Recovery guidance
What to do when Stripe returns do_not_honor
What it means for the customer
The card issuer blocked the payment, but Stripe does not receive a more specific reason. The customer may need to approve the charge or contact the bank.
First recovery move
Tell the customer the bank did not approve the charge and give them two paths: try another payment method or contact the card issuer.
Retry timing
A later retry may work only after issuer/customer action. Follow up with context before retrying repeatedly.
Email angle
Be specific without overclaiming: the bank declined the charge, and the fastest fix is often another card or issuer approval.
What to avoid
Avoid pretending you know the bank's exact reason. Stripe labels this as unknown, so the copy should not invent a cause.