When buying is paused on your account

Why you might see a notice that buying is paused, what still works while it is, and how to sort it out.

Plans and billingUpdated

Sometimes we pause buying on an account for a while. When we do, a notice appears at the top of every grown-up page. A pause is not a punishment, nothing is deleted, and your children can keep reading.

The two kinds of pause

A question about a payment. If a bank tells us that a payment on your account is being disputed, for example because somebody asked for it to be reversed, we pause buying anything else until it is settled. Being charged again while a payment is in question would be the wrong next step for everybody. The notice reads:

"There is a question about a payment on this account, so buying anything else is paused while we look into it; if you write to us, a person will answer."

When the question is settled, the pause may lift by itself. If it does not, a person here decides when to lift it.

A pause a person has placed. Occasionally one of us pauses buying on an account while we look into something. The notice reads:

"Buying anything on this account is paused for now while we look into something, and if you write to us, a person will answer."

This kind of pause gives no reason on the page, and it stays until a person lifts it.

What is paused

  • Buying extra books. During a question about a payment the "Extra books" card is not shown; during a pause a person placed, pressing a button brings up the notice instead.
  • Choosing a plan, or changing yours, from the "Plans" card. During a question about a payment the card is not shown; during a pause a person placed, pressing a button brings up the notice.
  • Adding an extra reader. During a question about a payment, the "Extra readers" card says "Nothing new can be bought while we look into a question about a payment." During a pause a person placed, the notice appears when you confirm on the "Add room for another reader?" sheet.

What still works

  • Every book your children have made, and all their reading.
  • Making new books with your monthly books and any extra books you already have.
  • Using a gift or promotion code on Use a code.
  • Removing an extra reader you no longer need.
  • "Manage your plan" on Plan and books, where you can update your card or cancel your plan.

A pause on buying does not stop your plan. If you have one, it carries on and renews as usual.

How to sort it out

  1. Open Help in your dashboard.
  2. Under "Ask us something", choose "A payment, a plan or a refund" for "What is it about".
  3. Fill in "In a few words" and "What happened". If you asked your bank to reverse a payment, say which one and why.
  4. Press "Send it". A person reads it and replies on the same Help page.

If you cannot sign in, write to support@taletykes.com instead.

Refunds explains how to ask about a payment without going through your bank.

Was this article helpful?

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  • Your monthly books

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  • Extra books

    Buying books on top of your plan, what the three packs cost, how the books are used, and what happens to them later.

  • Extra readers

    Adding room for another child to your plan, what it costs, how many books it brings, the limit on each plan, and how to remove one.

Still need a hand?

Write to us at support@taletykes.com and a person will answer. There are no bots and no ticket numbers.

For anything urgent about a child's safety or privacy, write to privacy@taletykes.com. Short answers to common questions are on the questions page.