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Mainland China

Your payment failed: what to check next

Check whether money moved before trying again.

Quick answer

First check the app’s transaction record and ask the merchant whether payment arrived. A bank’s pending entry is not proof that the shop was paid. If the result is unclear, keep the transaction number and contact the payment service before repeating a large payment.

Editorial illustration: A contactless payment terminal on a shop counter with a discreet generic declined-symbol red cross on its small screen, card resting nearby, no phone, close low angle, no people.

Work out whether you paid

  1. Open transaction history / 账单 and look for this purchase. Save the time, amount, order number and status.
  2. Ask staff to check their receipt. If their answer and your app disagree, ask payment support to check the transaction.
  3. If you switch to cash or another card, ask staff to record which payment settled the bill. Keep both receipts.

Check the likely problem

  1. No connection: test another page or app. Restore data or Wi-Fi before retrying.
  2. Transfer prompt: ask whether this is a merchant payment or a personal transfer. Alipay’s overseas-card purchase service does not fund person-to-person transfers.
  3. Identity or limit prompt: follow the official app instructions. A declined card: ask the issuing bank about the exact payment; use the number on the card.
  4. If you cannot solve it at the counter, offer RMB cash or a supported physical card.

If you were charged twice

Ask the merchant or booking service to identify both transactions and refund the duplicate. If the merchant cannot resolve it, contact the payment app and then the card issuer with the receipts. Do not publish full card details in a help forum.

Useful Chinese

Show this to staff, or play it if your device has a Chinese voice.

您收到付款了吗?Nín shōudào fùkuǎn le ma?

Did you receive the payment?

账单zhàngdān

Transaction history

Sources & verification

Last checked by Happier China: Oct 11, 2026

Source dates below belong to the original publishers. The check date above is our review date. App steps and local services have not all been field-tested.

For information only. Rules and services may change. Confirm consequential matters through official channels. Disclaimer

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