Taking online payments should bring peace of mind, not unnecessary stress. While 3D Secure adds a vital layer of protection for online accommodation bookings, payments can occasionally fail when a cardholder runs into an issue with their bank's verification step.When a payment does not go through, NightsBridge Pay lets you know exactly what happened so you can help your guest complete their booking smoothly.
Here is a simple, clear guide to what causes 3D Secure errors, how to spot them, and what steps to take next.
More info on the topic of 3D-secure payments is available in our article, How do 3D-secure payment work.
What causes 3D Secure errors?
During a 3D Secure payment, the cardholder's bank requests authentication before releasing funds:
- South African cards: Most domestic banks authenticate payments using a one-time PIN (OTP) sent via SMS or email.
- International cards: Overseas banks may request a secure password, mobile banking app approval, or an alternative authentication method.
If an error occurs, it is usually due to one of two common reasons:
- Time out: The guest took too long to retrieve and enter their PIN, password, or approval.
- Transaction failed: The guest entered an incorrect PIN or password.
How you will know there is an issue
If a 3D Secure transaction runs into trouble, you will be notified promptly through two channels:
- A message from your guest: The guest receives an automatic email letting them know their payment was unsuccessful. This email includes a direct option for them to send a message requesting your assistance.
- An email alert from NightsBridge Pay: NightsBridge Pay sends you an email notification explaining that your guest encountered an issue during 3D Secure authorisation. The notification includes the specific reason for the error—such as 'No attempt made by guest to authenticate card'.
What to do if an authorisation fails
Resolving a failed 3D Secure transaction follows a similar approach to handling a declined card.
- Reach out to the guest: Contact your guest directly to confirm whether they experienced a legitimate technical or banking hiccup during checkout.
- Send a fresh payment link: Generate and send a new NightsBridge Pay credit card link so they can easily retry the payment.
- Please look at our article, How to generate a credit card link, if you need more information.
Offer an alternative: If their card continues to experience bank issues, you can offer them the option to pay via electronic funds transfer (EFT) instead.
How to confirm a successful 3D Secure transaction
You can easily verify that a 3D Secure payment has cleared successfully:
- In your NightsBridge dashboard: Click on the Payments & Invoices tile on your home screen. When you locate the transaction, you will see the 3D indicator confirming it as a 3D Secure transaction with a status of Success.
- In your notification email: You can also check your NightsBridge Pay transaction notification email, where the 3D indicator will be clearly displayed.
