Paying your network via PayPal is a convenient, popular option. But there are some checks along the way that can pop an error. We have them here for you, along with why they happen, so you can sort it out and keep moving.
Sometimes errors can happen due to incorrect account setup; so, be sure to check that all the below integration prerequisites are met:
Your PayPal account should be a business account and remain in good standing.
Your PayPal account should have a linked, verified bank account.
PayPal Payouts should be enabled and "live" in your business PayPal account.
The email and password used to connect Refersion and PayPal should be the credentials of the main account holder in PayPal.
It's important to make sure that every prerequisite from the list above is met in order to reduce the chance of errors when trying to process a payment to your affiliates. For a seamless integration, always use Admin PayPal credentials instead of sub-user accounts. Regularly check your account status to ensure it is in good standing, and address any restrictions promptly.
Common Payment Errors
Authorization Error
Explanation:
This error occurs when you are not authorized to use PayPal payouts. A user can be unauthorized when:
PayPal Payouts is not enabled in their PayPal account
The credentials used to connect Refersion and PayPal are not the credentials of the main account holder.
Ensure that Admin PayPal credentials are being used, as sub-user accounts can cause authorization errors. If issues persist despite verifying these points, try removing and reconnecting your PayPal account in Refersion.
Insufficient Funds Error
Explanation:
This error occurs when your PayPal balance does not have enough funds to cover both the affiliate's commission payment plus associated PayPal transaction fees.
In order to use Payouts, you must add funds directly to your PayPal balance. Funds will not be pulled from a linked bank account or card to pay affiliates.
If your account has commissions generated in multiple currencies, you may have to hold funds on those additional currencies as well.
Risk Decline Error
Explanation:
PayPal will sometimes completely decline a transaction due to risk concerns. If you tried to pay multiple affiliates and the whole transaction fails, we recommend retrying your payment with fewer affiliates to see which payment is resulting in this error. From there, you can reach out to PayPal for more information about why the transaction is marked as risky.
Pending Compliance Error
Explanation:
PayPal will place certain transactions on hold if the transaction needs to be reviewed for compliance with government regulations. You can try waiting a week to see if the payment status gets updated to paid. If not, you can try the payment again or reach out to PayPal for additional information.
Payment On Hold
Explanation:
Sometimes PayPal may place a payment on hold for 24 hours as a security precaution. This can happen for many reasons, such as you haven't sent money in a while or you're sending money to someone new.
From your side no action is needed. If there are no issues with the payment, then it will complete within 24 hours. If PayPal finds that a payment wasn’t authorized, then they reverse the transaction. You can review additional details from PayPal here
Unknown PayPal Error
Explanation:
This may be an error we haven't documented. Please see the table below for all possible PayPal errors (more info).
Code | Description |
account_restricted | Access to your account has been restricted. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
account_unconfirmed_email | You need to be a verified PayPal account holder to send payouts. You can verify your account by confirming your email and your bank account or credit card. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
approver_denied | Payout request rejected by the approver. Please check with your approver. |
authorization_error | Your account is not authorized to use payouts. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
batch_not_completed | This payout batch is still being processed. Please try again later. |
closed_market | This account is not allowed to receive payouts from other countries. Try re-sending this payout to another account. |
currency_compliance | Due to currency compliance regulations, you are not allowed to make this transaction. |
currency_not_supported_for_receiver | This currency cannot be accepted for this recipient’s account. You can re-send this payout with a different currency. |
gamer_failed_country_of_residence_check | The recipient lives in a country that is not allowed to accept this payout. |
gamer_failed_funding_source_check | The funding source that was selected for this payout is not allowed. Try again by using your PayPal balance instead. |
gaming_invalid_payment_flow | This payment flow is not allowed for gaming merchant accounts. |
insufficient_funds | You have insufficient funds in your PayPal balance. You'll need to add funds to your account to complete the payout. |
internal_error | An error occurred while processing this payout request. Please re-submit this payout as a new batch or file. |
invalid_email | Email Address doesn’t exist. Try again with the correct Email Id. |
negative_balance | You have insufficient funds in your PayPal balance. You'll need to add funds to your account to complete the payout. |
non_holding_currency | Your account does not have a PayPal balance in this currency. Try again with a currency that has funds in your PayPal account, or change your account settings to this currency. |
pending_recipient_non_holding_currency_payment_preference | This payout is pending because the recipient has set their account preferences to review credits in this currency. The recipient has been notified. Check back later for the status of this payout. |
receiver_account_limitation | The recipient's account is currently under limitation. Any payments made to this account will be on hold until the issue is resolved. Funds will be returned to your account if the limitation is not resolved within 30 days of the sent payout. The recipient's account is currently under limitation. Any payments made to this account will be on hold until the issue is resolved. Funds will be returned to your account if the limitation is not resolved within 30 days of the sent payout. |
receiver_account_locked | We were not able to send a payout because the recipient’s account is inactive or restricted. Funds have been returned to your account. |
receiver_country_not_allowed | We can’t send this payout because the recipient lives in a country where payouts are not allowed. |
receiver_refused | The recipient has refused this payout in this currency. Try resending in a different currency. |
receiver_state_restricted | We can’t send this payout because the recipient lives in a state where payouts are not allowed. |
receiver_unconfirmed | The recipient’s email or phone number is unconfirmed. Any payments made to this account will be marked as Unclaimed until the recipient confirms their account information. Funds will be returned to your account if they are not claimed within 30 days. |
receiver_unregistered | The recipient for this payout does not have an account. A link to sign up for an account was sent to the recipient. However, if the recipient does not claim this payout within 30 days, the funds will be returned to your account. |
receiver_youth_account | We were not able to send a payout because the recipient has a youth account. Please check with the recipient for an alternate account to receive the payout. |
receiving_limit_exceeded | The recipient cannot accept this payout, because it exceeds the amount they can receive at this time. Please resubmit your payout request for a different amount. |
refused_access_denied | Your account is not allowed to send money. Check with your primary account holder to get permission to send money. |
regulatory_blocked | This transaction is blocked due to regulatory compliance restrictions. |
regulatory_pending | This transaction is pending, while it is reviewed for compliance with government regulations. |
risk_decline | This transaction was declined due to risk concerns. |
self_pay_not_allowed | You can’t send a payout to yourself. Try sending it to a different account. |
sender_account_locked | You can’t send a payout now, because your account is locked or inactive. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
sender_account_unverified | To send a payout, you need to have a verified PayPal account. You can verify your account by confirming your bank account or credit card. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
sender_state_restricted | Your address is in a state where payouts are not allowed. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
spending_limit_exceeded | You’ve exceeded your spending limit. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
transaction_declined_by_travel_rule | Your payout request does not comply with travel rule regulations. To send this payout, you’ll need to update and verify your account information. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
transaction_limit_exceeded | This payout request has exceeded the limit for this type of transaction. The funds have been returned to your account. |
undefined | An error occurred while processing this payout request. Try again in a few minutes, or try resending as part of a new request or file. |
unverified_recipient_not_supported | This payout request was not completed because the recipient has not verified their account. Your account is only allowed to send payout to verified accounts. |
user_country_not_allowed | Your address is in a country where payouts are not allowed. Contact your PayPal account manager or PayPal customer service team for assistance. |
user_funding_source_ineligible | The funding source for this payout is not allowed. Try again by using your PayPal balance instead. |
zero_amount | Please provide a valid payment amount. |
If you reach out to [email protected] we can check our system to see if we received any of the errors above from PayPal.
Depending on the error, we might be able to help you troubleshoot directly. If the error isn't something we can solve for you, you'll need to reach out to PayPal for assistance. For detailed guidance on troubleshooting, you can refer to Refersion's PayPal Payouts troubleshooting guide and Payouts Integration article.
For issues that cannot be resolved with PayPal, consider using alternative payment methods such as Trolley for unsupported currencies, or Manual Payments for more flexibility. These options can help ensure timely affiliate payouts while troubleshooting issues.
How to Reprocess a Failed Payment
After resolving the issue that caused the payment failure, you can reprocess the payment in Refersion. Follow these steps:
Mark Payment as Unpaid: Use the 'Mark Unpaid' option to return the failed payment to the 'Ready To Pay' tab. Note: This action will not automatically resend the payment.
Locate the Payment:
Navigate to the 'Ready To Pay' tab.
Use the conversion date filter, if necessary, to find the specific transaction.
Issue Payment:
Select the affiliate and click on the 'Pay with PayPal' button to reprocess the payment. Ensure your PayPal account has sufficient funds to cover both the payment and PayPal fees. For more information on fees, visit PayPal fees.
Updating Records for External Payments
If you choose to process payments outside of Refersion, it is essential to maintain up-to-date records by marking payments as "Paid" in the system. Navigate to the "Ready to Pay" page and select "Mark as Paid" after completing the payment. This ensures accuracy and avoids duplication.
Handling Payments After Processing
It's important to note that processed PayPal payments cannot be reversed or recalled through Refersion. This is because Refersion does not store historical versions of payment credentials. If an incorrect payment is processed, any disputes or reversals must be handled directly through PayPal. Refersion cannot initiate or guarantee a reversal once funds have been transferred.
Preventive Recommendations for Seamless Integration
Additional Payment Options
In addition to PayPal, Refersion provides several alternative methods for processing affiliate payments:
Manual Payments: Utilize external payment methods like checks or bank transfers and update records manually in Refersion.
Trolley: An alternative payout system supporting multiple currencies and flexible payment options. Ideal for handling unsupported currencies in PayPal.
Gift Cards: Issue gift card codes as payment, an especially attractive choice for Shopify Plus users who can automate this process by contacting support for assistance.
FAQs on Switching and Reverting Payment Methods
Can I switch between different payment options?
Yes, Refersion allows you to switch or combine PayPal Payouts, manual payments, Trolley, or gift cards to adapt to your needs.
Can I revert to PayPal payouts after using manual payments?
Absolutely. The system is designed to offer flexibility, so users can seamlessly return to PayPal Payouts or change methods without restrictions.
To minimize errors and streamline your PayPal Payouts integration:
Always use the Admin email credentials for PayPal integration.
Regularly check your PayPal account status to ensure it is in good standing.
Confirm that your account is set up to handle payouts by enabling this feature in PayPal. By taking these proactive measures, you can reduce the likelihood of encountering PayPal payment-related issues in Refersion.
Currency Limitations and Handling
PayPal may not support some currencies, like INR. In these cases, consider the following options:
Trolley: Use this platform for payouts in unsupported currencies. Follow integration guides for setup assistance.
Gift Cards: Email gift card codes for payment. Shopify Plus users can automate this option.
Manual Processes: Make manual payments and update transactions in Refersion as described earlier.