If you have a payment declined while shopping on Amazon, here are a few steps to follow to troubleshoot the problem:
- Check you’ve entered all payment details correctly. If you’re entering your card details rather than using one saved on your account, it’s easy to get a digit wrong when you’re entering card numbers and so on.
- Check the expiry date on your credit or debit card. If that date has passed, your card is no longer valid and will be declined. Contact your bank if you’ve not yet been sent a new one.
- Check the billing address and phone number on your Amazon account match those associated with your card. Your bank will refuse to authorise payment if you don’t use the same address and phone number you have registered with them.
- Check your credit limit. Depending on how you have your accounts set up, your credit card issuer or bank may apply an automatic block if you go over your credit or overdraft limit. This is a good thing, as it stops them charging you penalty fees for going over. Some accounts may also have a daily spending limit applied.
- Try again using a different card.
Don't risk missing something important
Get the only credit report that checks data from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion and Crediva.
Try it FREE for 30 days, then £14.99 per month - cancel anytime online
If none of the above solves the issue, or if you want to discuss extending your credit limit or account allowance so you can make the purchase, contact your bank. They’ll be able to explain exactly why a payment has been refused. If the purchase is particularly high value, it may be that your bank has flagged it as suspicious because it falls out of your usual spending range, and you need to authorise it with them.
One final point to remember - don’t worry about losing your money even if it seems that your order has been processed, only for notification that payment has been declined to come later. Amazon only takes payment when an order is shipped, not when an order is put through.
Find out more about resolving declined payments with Amazon here.