What does it mean when you’re unable to complete an order, but the account associated with your card shows a pending charge? Or you receive an error message before completing an order, but after you successfully complete it there are multiple pending charges?
The Short Answer
This is a failed pending charge. It affects your available balance but will not actually post to your account. Instead it will disappear automatically, usually in about 1-3 business days.
The Long Answer
A failed pending charge occurs if there is a discrepancy in the card billing information, CVV code, or expiration date when attempting to submit payment and complete an order. The transaction fails, but because the card number was correct your financial institution places a temporary hold on the funds.
Most people find failed pending charges inconvenient because they can affect an account’s available balance. If you accumulate too many failed charges your account’s available balance may become too low to complete the order, resulting in an “Insufficient Funds” error message.
It’s important to remember that failed pending charges will not actually post to your account. Instead, they will be automatically reversed, usually within 1-3 business days (times vary depending on the financial institution).
FAQ
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What if I see multiple pending charges, but I’m not sure if any of them are the failed kind?
You can call or email Brown Paper Tickets for more information. If you were able to complete an order, please be sure to include your confirmation number. If you were not able to complete an order, please include the name of the event and the city it’s taking place in. We can then double-check to make sure no order was generated. -
Do failed charges disappear faster if I am finally able to complete the order?
Unfortunately, no. Each transaction is separate. -
Why doesn’t the bank know the charge has failed and reverse it immediately?
The financial institution is only able to see a request from a merchant to verify there are enough funds in an account to cover the charge. They do not know whether a transaction is successful or failed until after it has been completely processed. Processing typically takes 1-3 business days but can take longer depending on the financial institution. Generally, debit card transactions process more quickly than credit card transactions. -
What can I do to avoid failed charges?
Before submitting payment double-check that the card expiration date, CVV (security code), and billing information are accurate. The most common culprit of failed charges are incorrect billing ZIP codes. We also recommend making sure that the billing address on file with your financial institution is up-to-date. -
What if I can’t wait 1-3 business days for the charge to be reversed?
You are welcome to have your financial institution call Brown Paper Tickets. Our Event Support team can help identify the failed charge and confirm that funds may be released. -
What if a failed charge does not disappear after 1-3 business days? What if the charge ends up posting to my account?
Thankfully, we’ve never seen this happen, but if you believe this to be the case please contact Brown Paper Tickets so we can help investigate the matter.