Stripe payment failed / declined
Charges fail due to API keys, verification requirements, risk rules, or gateway-side declines.
Learn more →Payment failures
When payments fail, loop, or confirm in the gateway but WooCommerce doesn't create the order.
Not a guarantee. Best-effort incident response.
Payment failures are often caused by gateway configuration changes, 3D Secure (3DS) verification loops, blocked or delayed webhooks, API key issues, or plugin conflicts after updates. These problems can stop customers from paying, or create the worst case: a successful payment with no WooCommerce order.
Common symptoms include “payment failed” errors, customers stuck in verification, orders not created after a captured charge, missing confirmation emails, or failed callbacks that leave checkout in an unknown state.
Common payment failure problems
3D Secure loop / stuck on verification
Customers get stuck in 3DS confirmation, return URLs fail, or payment never completes.
Learn more →Webhook blocked or not delivering
Gateway sends events but your site blocks them (WAF, caching, auth, wrong endpoint, timeouts).
Learn more →Payment captured but no WooCommerce order
Gateway confirms success but checkout callback fails and the order record is missing.
Learn more →PayPal completed but order not confirmed
Return/notify URLs fail, IPN/webhooks don't process, or session is lost on redirect.
Learn more →Gateway misconfiguration after update
Settings reset, wrong keys, wrong webhook secret, or changed gateway requirements.
Learn more →WAF / security rules blocking payment callbacks
Cloudflare/WAF rules, mod_security, or bot protection blocks gateway callback requests.
Learn more →Payment succeeds but confirmation emails missing
Order status doesn't reach the expected state, or email sending is blocked/misconfigured.
Learn more →Rescue approach
Root-cause first
Check gateway logs, webhook delivery, server errors, and checkout events to find the true point of failure.
Minimum safe change
Apply the smallest reliable fix to restore payment confirmation without introducing new checkout risk.
End-to-end testing
Test the flow: checkout → payment → gateway confirmation → order creation → emails.
Clear explanation
You get a short summary: what failed, what changed, and what to monitor going forward.
What this does not include
- New payment gateway integrations from scratch
- Ongoing maintenance or SLA agreements (unless separately agreed)
- Checkout redesigns or additional feature work
- Site-wide performance optimisation (focus is on payment confirmation and order creation)
Payments failing right now?
Describe what happens at payment and I’ll tell you the fastest safe route to restore successful orders.
ContactResponse within 2 hours during business hours (UK time). Initial diagnosis provided before any work begins.