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Payment Processing Errors

Troubleshooting guide for payment failures, declined transactions, and processing issues affecting your bookings.

Hayden Zammit Meaney avatar
Written by Hayden Zammit Meaney
Updated today

Payment Processing Errors

When a customer's payment doesn't go through, it can be frustrating for everyone. Let's work through the common causes and solutions so you can get those bookings confirmed.

Understanding Payment Errors

Payment failures can occur for various reasons, and the error message usually gives us a clue about what went wrong. Here are the most common issues and how to resolve them.

Card Declined Errors

"Card Declined" – Generic

This is a catch-all message that could mean several things:

Customer should check:

  • Sufficient funds in the account

  • Card hasn't expired

  • Card is activated for online purchases

  • Daily spending limit hasn't been reached

  • International transactions are enabled (if applicable)

What to suggest:

  • Ask the customer to contact their bank

  • Try a different payment card

  • Attempt the transaction again after a short wait

"Insufficient Funds"

The card doesn't have enough available credit or balance:

  • Suggest the customer use a different card

  • They may need to transfer funds or make a payment to their card

  • Offer alternative payment methods if available

"Card Expired"

The card's expiration date has passed:

  • Ask the customer to update their card details

  • Suggest using a different, valid card

"Invalid Card Number"

The card number entered doesn't match standard formats:

  • Double-check the card number for typos

  • Ensure all 16 digits are entered correctly

  • Check for extra spaces or missing numbers

"Invalid CVV/CVC"

The security code is incorrect:

  • The CVV is the 3-digit code on the back of Visa/Mastercard

  • American Express uses a 4-digit code on the front

  • Ask the customer to re-enter carefully

Transaction Errors

"Transaction Timeout"

The payment took too long to process:

  • Check your internet connection

  • Wait a few minutes and try again

  • Do not attempt multiple rapid transactions – this can trigger fraud protection

Important: Before retrying, check if the original payment went through. Look in your bookings and the payment gateway dashboard.

"Duplicate Transaction"

The system detected what looks like a repeated charge:

  • This protection prevents accidental double-charging

  • Wait 5-10 minutes before retrying

  • Verify the original transaction didn't succeed

"Processing Error"

A general error occurred during processing:

  • Wait a few minutes and try again

  • Check if the payment gateway is experiencing issues

  • Try a different payment method

  • Contact support if the error persists

Fraud Prevention Blocks

"Transaction Flagged for Review"

The payment system's fraud protection was triggered:

Common triggers:

  • Large transaction amounts

  • Unusual purchasing patterns

  • Mismatched billing information

  • International cards

What to do:

  • Verify the customer's details match their card

  • Ask the customer to contact their bank to approve the transaction

  • Consider alternative payment methods

"3D Secure Failed"

The additional security verification didn't complete:

  • The customer may have entered the wrong verification code

  • Their bank's authentication system may be having issues

  • Ask them to try again or contact their bank

Payment Gateway Issues

"Gateway Unavailable"

The payment processor is experiencing problems:

  • Wait 15-30 minutes and try again

  • Check our status page for any reported outages

  • If urgent, contact support for alternative options

"API Error"

A technical issue occurred with the payment integration:

  • This is usually temporary – try again shortly

  • Clear your browser cache

  • Try a different browser

  • Contact support if it continues

Checking Payment Status

If you're unsure whether a payment succeeded:

In Tourism Accelerator

  • Go to Bookings in your dashboard

  • Look for the booking in question

  • Check the payment status indicator

In Your Payment Gateway

  • Log into your Stripe/payment provider dashboard

  • Search for the transaction by amount, date, or customer email

  • Review the transaction status and any error details

Refund Issues

Refund Not Appearing

Refunds typically take 5-10 business days to appear:

  • Processing time depends on the customer's bank

  • International refunds may take longer

  • Provide the customer with the refund reference number

"Refund Failed"

The refund couldn't be processed:

  • The original charge may be too old (usually 90-180 days)

  • The customer's card may have been cancelled

  • Contact support for alternative refund methods

Preventing Payment Issues

For Your Business

  • Keep your payment gateway credentials up to date

  • Monitor your payment gateway for any account issues

  • Test your payment flow periodically

  • Enable helpful error messages for customers

For Your Customers

  • Clearly display accepted payment methods

  • Provide payment instructions where helpful

  • Offer multiple payment options when possible

When to Contact Support

Reach out to us if you experience:

  • Repeated payment failures with no clear cause

  • Payments showing as successful but not appearing in your account

  • Discrepancies between bookings and payment records

  • Error messages you don't understand

Contact us:

Include the following information:

  • Transaction date and time

  • Amount attempted

  • Error message received

  • Customer email (if applicable)

We'll investigate and help resolve the issue promptly.

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