Common Issues
payments
Refunds Not Working on My Website
You need to give a customer their money back, but the refund feature on your website isn't working. Maybe the refund button does nothing, you get an error message, or the refund appears to go through on your end but the customer never receives the money.
Refund problems are urgent because unhappy customers who can't get refunds often file chargebacks with their bank. Chargebacks not only cost you the refund amount but also come with additional fees ($15-25 per chargeback) and can get your payment account shut down if you have too many.
Even if your website's refund feature is broken, you can usually issue refunds directly through your payment provider's dashboard as a temporary fix while the main issue gets resolved.
Error Messages You Might See
Refund failed
Charge has already been refunded
Refund amount exceeds charge amount
Insufficient funds for refund
This payment cannot be refunded
Common Causes
- Refund feature never built — The AI tool generated a payment flow but didn't include refund functionality
- Wrong API permissions — Your API key doesn't have permission to issue refunds, only to create charges
- Refund amount exceeds original charge — The code is trying to refund more than what was charged, which payment providers reject
- Payment already refunded — The payment was already refunded (possibly directly through Stripe/PayPal) and can't be refunded twice
- Payment too old — Some payment methods have time limits on refunds (typically 90-180 days)
How to Fix It
- Refund directly through your payment provider — As a quick fix, log into Stripe or PayPal, find the charge, and refund it manually through their dashboard
- Check your API key permissions — Make sure your Stripe API key has the refund permission enabled
- Verify the refund amount — Make sure the code is sending the correct amount and currency for the refund
- Check the payment provider's refund logs — Look in Stripe or PayPal for any failed refund attempts and their specific error messages
- Build a proper refund flow — If your app doesn't have refund functionality, have a developer add it or use your payment provider's dashboard for refunds
Real developers can help you.
zipking
I am a technologist and product builder dedicated to creating high-impact solutions at the intersection of AI and specialized markets. Currently, I am focused on PropScan (EstateGuard), an AI-driven SaaS platform tailored for the Japanese real estate industry, and exploring the potential of Archify.
As an INFJ-T, I approach development with a "systems-thinking" mindset—balancing technical precision with a deep understanding of user needs. I particularly enjoy the challenge of architecting Vertical AI SaaS and optimizing Small Language Models (SLMs) to solve specific, real-world business problems. Whether I'm in a CTO-level leadership role or hands-on with the code, I thrive on building tools that turn complex data into actionable value.
Sage Fulcher
Hey I'm Sage! Im a Boston area software engineer who grew up in South Florida. Ive worked at a ton of cool places like a telehealth kidney care startup that took part in a billion dollar merger (Cricket health/Interwell health), a boutique design agency where I got to work on a ton of exciting startups including a photography education app, a collegiate Esports league and more (Philosophie), a data analytics as a service startup in Cambridge (MA) as well as at Phillips and MIT Lincoln Lab where I designed and developed novel network security visualizations and analytics. I've been writing code and furiously devoted to using computers to make people’s lives easier for about 17 years. My degree is in making computers make pretty lights and sounds. Outside of work I love hip hop, the Celtics, professional wrestling, magic the gathering, photography, drumming, and guitars (both making and playing them)
hanson1014
Full-stack developer experienced in fixing and deploying AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt.new, Cursor, and Replit. I specialize in debugging Supabase integration issues (auth flows, RLS policies, database connections), fixing broken deployments, resolving routing/blank screen problems, and cleaning up messy React/Vite codebases. I also build production apps with the Claude API and have shipped a Mac desktop dev tool (Nexterm from scratch. Based in Hong Kong, fast turnaround.
Rudra Bhikadiya
I build and fix web apps across Next.js, Node.js, and DBs.
Comfortable jumping into messy code, broken APIs, and mysterious bugs.
If your project works in theory but not in reality, I help close that gap.
Pratik
SWE with 15+ years of experience building and maintaining web apps and extensive BE infrastructure
Daniel Vázquez
Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience on Startups, Government, big tech industry & consulting.
Milan Surelia
Milan Surelia is a Mobile App Developer with 5+ years of experience crafting scalable, cross-platform apps at 7Span and Meticha. At 7Span, he engineers feature-rich Flutter apps with smooth performance and modern UI. As the Co-Founder of Meticha, he builds open-source tools and developer-focused products that solve real-world problems.
Expertise:
💡 Developing cross-platform apps using Flutter, Dart, and Jetpack Compose for Android, iOS, and Web.
🖋️ Sharing insights through technical writing, blogging, and open-source contributions.
🤝 Collaborating closely with designers, PMs, and developers to build seamless mobile experiences.
Notable Achievements:
🎯 Revamped the Vepaar app into Vepaar Store & CRM with a 2x performance boost and smoother UX.
🚀 Launched Compose101 — a Jetpack Compose starter kit to speed up Android development.
🌟 Open source contributions on Github & StackOverflow for Flutter & Dart
🎖️ Worked on improving app performance and user experience with smart solutions.
Milan is always happy to connect, work on new ideas, and explore the latest in technology.
Dor Yaloz
SW engineer with 6+ years of experience,
I worked with React/Node/Python
did projects with React+Capacitor.js for ios
Supabase expert
Luca Liberati
I work on monoliths and microservices, backends and frontends, manage K8s clusters and love to design apps architecture
BurnHavoc
Been around fixing other peoples code for 20 years.
Describe what's wrong in plain English. No technical knowledge needed.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Can I refund a customer without fixing the website?
Yes. Log into your payment provider (Stripe, PayPal, Square) directly, find the transaction, and issue the refund from their dashboard. This works regardless of whether your website's refund feature is broken.
How long does a refund take to reach the customer?
Credit card refunds typically take 5-10 business days to appear on the customer's statement. PayPal refunds are usually faster (3-5 days). Let the customer know the expected timeline when you process the refund.