A failed transaction is never charged, so it never becomes an order. Owner only creates an order after a payment goes through. That means:
No money moved, so there's nothing to refund.
You're not out any sales or revenue from a failed transaction, because that sale never happened.
If an order shows on your Owner Dashboard, tablet, or app, it was fully paid for. Orders only reach your system after payment succeeds.
ℹ️ If a report shows a large "potential loss" figure from failed transactions, treat it as a rough projection, not confirmed lost revenue. Most guests who see a failed payment just retry and finish their order.
Why do transactions fail?
When a guest's payment fails, it's almost always because their bank declined the charge or they entered incorrect card details. The most common reasons are:
Reason | Description |
Not enough funds | The account doesn't have enough available balance, or the guest hit a daily spending limit. |
Incorrect card details | The guest entered the wrong card number, expiration date, or security code (CVC/CVV). |
Card blocked or declined by the bank | The bank declined the charge, sometimes without giving a reason. This is common for security reasons. |
Expired or invalid card | The card is no longer active, or the bank can't find a valid, open account tied to it. |
Bank restricting the purchase type | Some banks block certain online purchases and ask the guest to call and authorize them. Common for international or high-value orders. |
Too many recent attempts | The card issuer may temporarily block a card that's been used too many times in a short period. |
Fraud protection flags | Our fraud detection sometimes flags a transaction as high-risk. You don't need to manage this. If you think legitimate orders are being blocked, contact support. |
You can see the specific decline reason for a failed transaction by selecting it in your account, or by contacting support if you need help finding it.
How can I fix a failed payment right now?
If a guest's payment fails, here's what usually works on a retry. Ask your guest to:
Double-check their billing details: ZIP code, security code (CVC), and expiration date.
Try a different browser, turn off any VPN, or clear their browser cache. This fixes most authentication loops.
Call their bank to authorize the charge. This is common for international or high-value purchases.
Try a different payment method.
What happens after a failed transaction?
Most guests who hit a failed payment retry with corrected card details or a different card and complete their order. The guest is notified automatically and can retry right away, so you don't need to do anything.
When should I contact support?
You notice an unusually high number of failures in a short time.
Failures happen on transactions that look like they have correct card info.
You suspect a configuration issue with your payment settings.