If you’ve ever tried to place an order on our website and your bank showed the charge as “approved” or “pending”, but then you didn’t get an order confirmation, this post is for you.

It’s a frustrating situation, and I’ve had it happen more times than I can count, especially with international transactions. So I want to explain the process in a clear, simplified way, so you know exactly what’s happening and what to expect.

The Three Players Behind Every Online Transaction

• My website – where you place the order
• The card-processing company – the go-between that handles all payment security
• Your bank – the institution issuing your card

Here’s how it typically works:

1. You place your order and enter your credit card information on my website.
2. The website sends that info to the card-processing company.
3. The processor contacts your bank to ask, “Do you approve this charge?”
4. Your bank checks your account and replies, “Yes, this is approved. Here’s the customer’s information.”
5. But then the processor runs its own security checks and if something doesn’t match, like a billing address detail, it steps in and says, “Wait, we’re not comfortable with this,” and denies the transaction.

So why Does Your Bank Still Show a “pending” charge?

Because your bank approved the request on their end but the transaction never made it through the full process. It’s stuck between the green light from your bank and the red light from the processor.

So in the end:

• My website: Never gets the go-ahead to process your order, so it stays in your cart.
• Card processor: Denies the transaction due to an address mismatch or security flag.
• Your bank: Shows a pending charge temporarily, just in case it goes through (it won’t).

That “pending” charge will automatically disappear in a few days, and you won’t be billed.

Common Reasons a Transaction Might Be Denied

• Entering an address in the international style as “Main St 123” instead of “123 Main St”
• Using a dash instead of a slash, like “25-1504” instead of “25/1504”
• Substituting special characters, like the “ø” in Tromsø with a regular “o”
• Any tiny mismatch between your bank’s record and what you entered on the website

These differences may seem tiny, but the fraud detection systems are very strict, and that’s ultimately for our protection, even if it’s a pain in the moment.

How to Know If Your Order Went Through

1. Log in to your account on my website
2. Click the shopping cart icon
3. If the items are still in your cart, your order didn’t go through
4. If they’re gone and you got an email saying “Thank you for your order” or “Order Confirmation”, you’re all set

Tip for Smoother Checkout

Using a verified PayPal account can often completely bypass the issues that sometimes arise with credit card processing.

Why? Because PayPal has already done the heavy lifting when it comes to verifying your identity and account details. When you set up your PayPal account, they go through a much more in-depth verification process than most banks or processors, often including:

• Depositing and withdrawing small test amounts from your bank account
• Confirming your full name, billing address, and linked cards or accounts
• Verifying your email and phone number for added security

Once your PayPal account is fully verified, they become the middleman essentially replacing the card-processing company that usually acts as the gatekeeper. Since PayPal already knows and trusts you, they green-light the transaction, and the order goes through with much less chance of being flagged for a mismatch.

So if you’ve had a payment declined through the normal method, using PayPal can be a much smoother and more reliable route.

I hope this helps explain what’s going on behind the scenes. If you’re ever unsure, just reach out. I’m always happy to look into things and make sure everything is working the way it should.

Jonny Wilson