Foundation · 2 min
What you need to know
What’s the difference between payment status and order status?
Payment status describes the money, such as pending, authorised, captured or refunded. Order status describes the store’s work, such as awaiting payment, packing or shipped. Keep both visible: a paid order might still need stock review or fulfilment.
What should happen if payment succeeds but order creation fails?
Place the case in a payment/order exception queue and reconcile the provider reference with the intended cart, amount and currency. Recover the order once, or arrange the appropriate reversal or refund if it cannot be fulfilled. Do not ask the customer to pay again without resolving the first payment.
What should happen if an order is created but payment fails?
Keep the order unpaid or failed according to the actual payment result and prevent unintended dispatch. Let the customer resume payment through a safe supported flow. Apply the store’s inventory reservation policy rather than keeping unpaid stock locked indefinitely.
Why was the customer charged but no order exists?
First determine whether the bank entry is a temporary authorisation or a completed charge. Then find the provider reference and compare it with order creation logs. A failed browser page or missed notification can leave a real payment without a visible order.
Why does an order show unpaid when the gateway shows payment succeeded?
The store may have missed or mishandled the payment update, linked it to the wrong order or confused authorisation with capture. Compare the provider’s precise status and reference. Correct the record through an auditable recovery process rather than simply editing a label.
How should delayed payment confirmations be handled?
Keep the order in a clearly explained pending state and wait for verified confirmation or a supported status check. Use method-specific timing and escalation. Do not declare failure just because a payment method completes later than a card payment.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
What happens when the customer closes the browser after paying?
A store should still learn the outcome through server-side confirmation and reconciliation. Closing a browser must not be the sole cause of a lost paid order. The customer needs a later way to view or receive the confirmed status.
Should order creation depend on the customer returning from the gateway?
No. The store may create an order or order draft before payment, then update it from verified provider information. A browser redirect can show status to the shopper, but reliable recovery must also work when that return never happens.