If you tried to make a payment to us via PayPal or Shop Pay and received a message that the payment failed or declined, this means that something happened when you were trying to make the payment which prevented it from being accepted.
The most common reason a payment fails/declines is:
- Entering wrong information including billing address, credit/debit card information
Other common reasons your payment won't go through are:
- Reaching the payment processor's monthly purchasing limit
- There is an issue with your bank/credit card account; not enough money, for example
- You are entering a billing address in one country but are physically in another
- There is some other issue with your location, billing address, card or financial accounts
If you are using a debit card, you may see a pending charge which means that the banking system has put a temporary hold on the funds. This is called a pre-authorization, and it means the bank will return that money to you once they confirm the payment was declined.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions regarding failed/declined payment attempts:
Q. When will my pre-authorization drop off?
A. Most pre-authorizations in the US will drop off in 5 business days or longer, depending on your financial institution. Most pre-authorizations outside of the USA will drop off in 5-10 business days. Holds in Australia or New Zealand can take 30 days or longer.
Q. What happens if I keep trying to make a payment and it fails?
A. If you attempt to pay multiple times and your payment attempts fail/decline, you will see multiple holds/pre-authorizations if you are using a debit card. A failed payment or other payment issue can also occur when you abandon a payment (start but do not finish making a payment) or click the BACK button on your browser.
Q. Can I use a pre-paid/gift credit/debit card?
A. Pre-paid or gift credit/cards are usually not accepted by PayPal as there usually is no identifiable billing information. If you can register a billing address, then the card may be accepted. If you cannot, most likely the payment attempt will fail/decline and you will see a pre-authorization.
Q. I entered the wrong billing address when attempting my payment, how can I enter the correct one?
A. When attempting to make a payment, if you enter an incorrect billing address, you should be able to go back and enter the correct address before attempting your payment again, or you will need to update it with PayPal.
Please contact PayPal directly via their Help Center or Shop Pay for more information about any failed/declined payment attempts.