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Troubleshooting Payment Issues at Checkout

Diagnose declined cards, gateway errors, duplicate charges, and missing payments on your Web Shop Manager site.

When a customer reports a problem paying at checkout, the cause is almost always one of four things: the card was declined by the gateway, the gateway configuration changed, the customer attempted checkout multiple times, or the payment succeeded but the order did not update. This article walks through each scenario so you can resolve most payment issues without waiting on support.

Before you begin: identify your payment gateway

Your site processes cards through the gateway configured under your payment settings.

  1. In Web Shop Manager, hover over System and click Configuration.
  2. Select the Payment & Processing tab.
  3. Note which gateway is enabled (for example WSM 5.0 Payments, Authorize.net, or PayPal) — you will need this when reading error messages or contacting support.

A customer's card is declined

Declines come from the gateway or the customer's bank — not from WSM. The decline reason appears in the gateway's transaction log and usually falls into one of these groups:

  • AVS mismatch — the billing address entered does not match the address on file with the card issuer. Ask the customer to re-enter the billing address exactly as it appears on their statement.
  • CVV mismatch — the security code was wrong. One retry with the correct code normally resolves it.
  • Insufficient funds / do not honor — the bank refused the charge. The customer needs to contact their bank or use another card.
  • Gateway credential errors — if every card is being declined, your gateway credentials or settings may have changed. See the AUTHORIZE.NET CREDIT CARD ERRORS article for gateway-specific error codes.

Note: If all transactions suddenly fail, check your gateway account first (expired credentials, a disabled account, or an unpaid gateway invoice), then verify the credentials entered under System > Configuration > Payment & Processing.

Payment went through but the order looks unpaid

Occasionally a customer is charged but the order does not show as paid. Use the order's logs to see exactly what happened between your site and the gateway.

  1. Hover over Orders and click All Orders, then open the order in question.
  2. Scroll to the Order Logs section. This records every API call for the order, including the gateway's responses and timestamps.
  3. Compare the transaction ID and timestamps in the log with the transaction inside your gateway dashboard.
  4. If the gateway shows a successful capture but the order status did not update, include both the order ID and the gateway transaction ID when you submit a ticket.

Customer says they were charged twice

Multiple checkout attempts usually create extra authorizations, not actual charges. When a checkout fails on address or CVV validation and the customer retries, each attempt can place a temporary hold on the card. Holds that are never captured fall off automatically — typically within 3–10 business days depending on the bank. If two captured charges truly exist, refund one from your gateway or from the order (see "How do I refund an order?").

Can I add a credit card surcharge or fee at checkout?

Yes — WSM supports adding a percentage-based or flat fee applied when customers select credit card as their payment method. Before enabling one, confirm two things for your business:

  • Credit card surcharging rules vary by U.S. state, and some states restrict or prohibit it.
  • Card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) impose disclosure and cap requirements on surcharges.

Once you have confirmed your fee structure complies, submit a service desk ticket and our team will walk you through enabling it against your payment gateway.

Refunds and corrections

Editing a paid order does not change what the customer was charged. If the captured amount is wrong, cancel and refund the affected order and place a new one with the correct amount. Step-by-step instructions are in "How do I process a refund?" and "How do I refund an order?".

What to include when contacting support

  • Order ID(s) and the approximate time of the transaction (with timezone)
  • Your payment gateway and the exact error text the customer saw
  • A screenshot of the Order Logs section if the order exists
  • Whether the problem affects one customer or every checkout

Submit tickets through the Help Center ticket form and our support team will investigate the gateway logs with you.