What should you do if a Tap to Pay payment fails?

Tap to Pay contactless payments can sometimes fail — and that doesn't always mean a technical issue. There are several common reasons this can happen. Below you'll find the most frequent causes, what to check, and what to offer the payer right away.

• When can Tap to Pay fail?

• What to check if the payment doesn't go through?

• What to do if the payment exceeds $50?

• What alternative can you offer?

When can Tap to Pay fail?

Several situations can prevent a payment from going through successfully:

• The customer's smartphone or wearable has an NFC-blocking case

• The payer isn't holding their card or device close enough to the back or front of the smartphone (this can vary by model)

• The smartphone being used to collect payment is incorrectly positioned or its NFC sensor is obstructed

• The customer is using a card that doesn't support contactless payments

• The smartphone collecting payment has no internet connection, or the connection is too weak

• The customer pulls their payment method away too quickly before the transaction is confirmed

What to check if the payment doesn't go through?

If the payment attempt fails:

1. Ask the customer to remove the case from their phone or watch if it's bulky or shielded

2. Check the internet connection on the iPhone you're using to collect payment — switch to 4G/LTE if the Wi-Fi is unstable

3. Show the customer where to hold their card, depending on the smartphone being used

4. Try a different card or payment method if one is available

5. Go back in the app and restart the payment

What to do if the payment exceeds $50?

For payments over $50, the iPhone automatically prompts the customer to enter their PIN.

If the PIN entry fails:

• Make sure the customer is entering their PIN correctly

• Suggest they check their banking app to confirm that contactless payments with PIN are enabled

• Offer to try again or use a different payment method

What alternative can you offer the customer? (Coming soon)

If Tap to Pay still doesn't work after several attempts, offer a Payment Link:

• It lets the customer pay directly from their phone

• It's secure, trackable, and connected to your Springly account

• You can send it instantly via text (copy, paste, and send from your preferred messaging app) or email