If a customer tries to check out and their payment doesn’t go through, here’s what that means and what you should do next.
Important: Big Cartel does not approve or decline payments. All payment decisions are made by the customer’s bank or card issuer in combination with Stripe or PayPal.
What Customers See at Checkout
When a payment fails, customers will see an error message directly on the checkout page. The message prevents them from completing their order.
It may look like:
“An unexpected error occurred completing your checkout. Re-enter your payment method and try again.”
Other possible messages include:
- “Your card was declined.”
- “Payment could not be processed.”
- “This transaction cannot be completed.”
- “Something went wrong. Please try again.”
If a payment fails:
- The checkout does not complete
- No order is created
- No confirmation email is sent
- The customer remains on the checkout page
Important: No order is created When a payment fails at checkout. Because of this, customers often reach out through your Contact form asking what went wrong.
What Should Sellers Do When Customer Payments Fail?
If Only One Customer Is Affected
This is almost always a customer-side issue.
You can ask them to:
- Double-check their billing details (ZIP code, CVV, expiration date)
- Try a different payment method
- Contact their bank or card provider
- If they used PayPal, log into PayPal and check for alerts or limitations
- Try checking out from a different device or browser
In most cases, there is nothing to fix inside your Big Cartel admin.
If Multiple Customers Report Failed Payments
This may indicate a payment processor issue.
Step 1: Run a Test Checkout
Create a small test product (for example, $1) or purchase an existing product.
If your test order works:
- The issue is likely individual customers.
If your test order fails:
- Continue to Step 2.
Step 2: Check Your Payment Processor
If You Use Stripe:
- Log into your Stripe dashboard
- Check the Payments or Transactions tab
- Look for failed, blocked, or incomplete payments
- Review any account alerts or verification issues
- Check for payout holds or restrictions
Stripe provides detailed decline codes that explain why payments failed.
If You Use PayPal:
- Log into your PayPal account
- Check for account limitations
- Look for verification requests
- Confirm your account is fully set up and active
If you see warnings or restrictions, contact PayPal directly for clarification.
Selling Subscriptions?
Subscriptions are processed through Stripe, so recurring payments are managed in your Stripe account.
When a subscription payment is successful, a new order is created in your Big Cartel admin for that billing cycle.
If a subscription payment fails
If Stripe can’t charge the customer’s card:
- The payment fails in Stripe
- The invoice is usually marked Past Due
- No order is created in your Big Cartel admin until the payment is successful
Where to check subscription changes
Changes to subscriptions don’t appear in your Big Cartel admin.
If a supporter:
- Cancels
- Pauses
- Skips a payment
- Or has a failed renewal
you’ll need to check Stripe to see those updates.
To view this:
- Log in to your Stripe dashboard
- Go to Invoices
This is where you’ll see subscription payment statuses like Paid or Past Due.
More details are available in the Subscription FAQ.
Why Payments Fail
Most payment failures are customer-side issues.
Incorrect Billing Details
- ZIP/postal code mismatch
- CVV entered incorrectly
- Card number typo
Insufficient Funds
The customer’s bank declined the charge.
Bank Security Blocks
Banks may block:
- Online purchases
- International transactions
- New or unfamiliar merchants
Prepaid or Gift Cards
Some prepaid cards:
- Do not support online purchases
- Do not allow recurring billing
- Are declined by the processor
Expired Card
Quick Summary
If a payment fails:
- No order is created
- Nothing appears in your Big Cartel admin
- Customers see an error at checkout
- Details are available only in Stripe or PayPal
In most cases, the customer’s bank is declining the payment — not Big Cartel.