Warning
Note
Payment failures fall into two categories: client-side (card declined) and configuration (wrong Stripe mode, disconnected integration). The resolution is completely different for each.
Every failed payment is either revenue you can recover or a configuration problem you can fix. The first step is diagnosing which kind of failure you are dealing with.
Diagnose in Order
Find the failed order
Go to Commerce → Orders and filter by Failed.
Read the failure reason
Open the order. Common reasons: Card declined, Insufficient funds, Stripe not connected, Test mode active.
Check Stripe for the error code
Log into your Stripe dashboard and find the failed charge. Stripe provides a specific decline code: card_declined, expired_card, insufficient_funds.
Resolve based on type
Card decline: Contact the client to retry with a different card. Test mode active: Go to Settings → Payments and confirm Stripe is in live mode. Connection error: Re-authorise Stripe under Settings → Integrations → Stripe.
Resend payment link or retry
Once resolved, send the client a direct payment link to retry or re-attempt through Stripe if it was a temporary bank hold.
- Waiting for the client to notice their payment failed. Proactively notify the client the same day a payment fails, especially for subscription renewals.
- Going live without Stripe in live mode. Test mode Stripe rejects all real cards. Confirm live mode is active before taking real payments.
- Assuming all failures are card declines. If multiple payments fail simultaneously, check your Stripe configuration first. A disconnected integration affects everyone.
Still stuck?
- Search the MONDAi Help Center
- Email support@mondai.io with a Loom video
- Ask inside the ArchiTech Channel
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