Troubleshooting
Payment Troubleshooting - Fix Checkout Issues
For card declines, ask the customer to try a different card or contact their bank. For checkout stuck, wait 30 seconds and refresh. For refund issues, check the original payment status and wait 5-10 business days for bank processing.
Payment issues can be frustrating. This guide helps you diagnose and resolve common payment problems.
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Card Declined
Why Cards Get Declined
Card declines are decisions made by the customer's bank—not by RecSystems or Stripe. Common reasons:
| Decline Reason | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Insufficient funds | Not enough money in account |
| Card expired | Card past expiration date |
| Incorrect CVC | Security code entered wrong |
| Card restricted | Bank blocked the transaction |
| Fraud protection | Bank flagged as suspicious |
How to Resolve
1. Ask customer to verify details - Card number entered correctly? - Expiration date correct? - CVC (3-4 digit code) correct? - Billing address matches card?
2. Try a different card - Customer may have another card - Different card type (Visa → Mastercard)
3. Contact the bank - Customer calls the number on their card - Bank can authorize the transaction - Then try payment again
4. Use manual payment - Accept cash or check - Record as manual payment in system - Booking still gets created
Decline Codes Reference
| Code | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
card_declined | Generic decline | Contact bank |
insufficient_funds | Low balance | Use different card |
expired_card | Card expired | Use different card |
incorrect_cvc | Wrong security code | Re-enter CVC |
do_not_honor | Bank refused | Contact bank |
lost_card | Card reported lost | Use different card |
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Checkout Stuck or Loading
When Checkout Won't Complete
Step 1: Wait - Payments can take 10-30 seconds - Don't refresh immediately - Watch for processing indicator
Step 2: Check Status - If booking shows "Reserved" — payment worked! - If still "Pending" — may need to retry
Step 3: Refresh and Retry - Refresh the page - Check if cart still has items - Try payment again if needed
"Cart is currently being processed"
This means another process is working on this cart: - Wait 30 seconds - Lock releases automatically - Refresh and try again - May already be paid (check booking status)
"Cart is empty"
The cart expired or was already completed: - Cart holds expire after 15 minutes - Check if booking was already created - Customer may need to start over
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Payment Shows Wrong Amount
Verify Cart Contents
Check what's included in the total:
| Component | Where to Check |
|---|---|
| Base rental | Unit price × duration |
| Add-ons | Items added to cart |
| Fees | Location fees, service fees |
| Taxes | Based on location tax rate |
| Discounts | Gift cards, promo codes |
| Deposit | Partial payment (if applicable) |
Common Causes
More than expected: - Add-ons were included - Fees or taxes applied - Weekend/holiday pricing in effect
Less than expected: - Gift card applied - Promo code used - Deposit payment (not full amount)
Deposits vs. Full Payment
If your account uses deposits: - Initial charge = deposit only - Full amount shows as "Balance Due" - Balance collected at check-in or later
Custom Prices, Splits, or Waived Balances
If a booking shows a different total than you expected — or a "balance due" that doesn't match what you collected — the booking may have an operator-set Booking Strategy applied.
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| "Original Rental Price" crossed out + "Customer Pays $X" | A custom price or discount was applied (Set Price, $ Off, % Off, Comp) |
| "Balance Waived — no further balance due at counter" | Operator selected Waive Balance |
| "Moved to invoice" or "Moved to house account" | Operator selected Invoice or House Account settlement |
| Balance due smaller than cart total minus paid | Custom Take now + Due later split |
Open the cart detail page and expand the Booking Strategy card → Override History to see who set the strategy, when, and why (including the reason code and internal notes). If the strategy is wrong, click Edit Saved Strategy to update it.
See the Booking Strategy guide for the full behavior reference.
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Refund Issues
Refund Not Appearing
Timeline: - Refund processed = instant in RecSystems - Funds to bank = 5-10 business days - Customer's bank controls final timing
Check in RecSystems: 1. Open the cart/booking 2. Look for refund in payment history 3. Note the refund date
What to Tell Customer: > "The refund was processed on [DATE]. It typically takes 5-10 business days to appear on your statement. If you don't see it after 10 business days, please contact your bank with this refund reference: [REFUND_ID]"
Refund Failed
Common causes: - Original payment already fully refunded - Original payment was disputed - Stripe account issue
Resolution: 1. Check original payment in Stripe dashboard 2. Verify refundable amount 3. Issue manual refund if needed 4. Contact support for complex cases
Partial Refunds
You can refund part of a payment: 1. Open the cart 2. Enter refund amount (less than original) 3. Remainder stays with you 4. Customer sees partial credit
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Payment Method Issues
Can't Add Card
Check: - Card number has 16 digits (or 15 for Amex) - Expiration is future date - CVC is 3 digits (4 for Amex) - Billing zip matches card
Card on File Not Working
Check: - Card hasn't expired - Card wasn't cancelled - Customer authorized the charge
Resolution: - Ask customer for new card - Process as new payment
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Stripe Connection Issues
"Payment processing unavailable"
Check your Stripe connection: 1. Go to Account → Accept Payments 2. Verify Stripe is connected 3. Check for any warnings or errors
If disconnected: 1. Click Connect to Stripe 2. Complete Stripe onboarding 3. Payments will work after connection
Test Mode vs. Live Mode
In test mode: - Payments don't actually charge - Use test card numbers - No real money moves
Make sure you're in live mode for real payments.
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Manual Payments
When to Use Manual
- Cash payment
- Check payment
- External card terminal (POS)
- Customer paid separately
Recording Manual Payment
- Start checkout or open cart
- Select Manual Payment
- Choose type (cash, check, other)
- Enter reference number
- Add notes if needed
- Complete the booking
Manual Payment Best Practices
- Always enter a reference (check #, receipt #)
- Add notes for context
- Count cash before customer leaves
- Keep records for reconciliation
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3D Secure / Authentication
What Is 3D Secure?
Extra verification required by some banks: - Customer redirected to bank - Enter code sent to phone - Verify identity - Return to complete payment
If Authentication Fails
- Customer may have cancelled
- Code may have expired
- Bank may have rejected
Resolution: - Try payment again - Customer completes authentication - Try different card if issues persist
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Getting More Help
Information to Collect
When contacting support about payments:
- Cart or booking ID
- Customer name/email
- Amount involved
- Error message (exact text or screenshot)
- When it happened
- Steps you've tried
Where to Check
| What | Where |
|---|---|
| Cart status | Open cart in dashboard |
| Payment history | Cart payment section |
| Stripe payments | Stripe dashboard |
| Refund status | Cart payment history |
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Related Articles
Need more? Search the live help desk or email wecare@recsystems.com.