Understanding Pending Transactions: Duration, Issues, and Solutions

In Singapore, moving to cashless payments, like credit and debit cards, is great for business owners and customers. It makes transactions faster, more secure, and easier to track for everyone. As a business owner, you may have experienced issues ranging from a declined transaction to a pending transaction when swiping a customer’s card. These issues don't happen often, but whenever they do, they can lead to crises between both parties.

The customer may show you a message from their bank stating the transaction was successful, but your card machine may show a declined or lagged payment. There is no telling which party is correct because receipts prove the confusion on both ends. The customer's bank message alone can shake your confidence, as the transaction remains pending. So, what do you do in such cases?

A pending transaction is typical in a bank account. After processing, these transactions will appear in your transaction history and temporarily affect your balance. Understanding pending transactions helps you keep track of your bank account and avoid overdrafts. Thankfully, most banks offer online and mobile banking to make these activities easy. By monitoring your bank account, you can manage your finances, avoid denied payments, and ensure you have adequate money.

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about pending transactions and what you must do if it happens to you.

What Does Pending Transaction Mean?

A pending charge occurs when a credit card issuer authorises a transaction, but it isn't finalised at the business end. This signifies that the money has been temporarily debited from the customer's available credit limit but hasn't yet been reflected in your bank account. Simply put, a pending charge occurs when the transaction initiates but remains incomplete or unresolved.

Credit Card Transactions and Pending Transactions 

Simply put, pending credit card transactions are charges that have been authorised but haven't been finalised. In technical terms, it indicates that the customer has not yet received a bill. It reduces their available credit balance, but this reduction is only temporary. When your customer pays with their credit card, their card issuer checks their available credit limit and then holds the amount for you. However, you will only get paid when the transaction is settled. You must do this manually, or your payment provider will resolve it in batches.

Here's an example. Let's assume you use a POS (Point-of-Sale) terminal. You use this device to accept customer payments by swiping, tapping, or inserting their credit or debit cards into the card machine at your business. A customer makes a purchase for S$50, and you swipe their card via the POS terminal. The charge appears as a pending transaction on their banking app. You don't officially receive the funds until you close your batch for the day and your payment processor settles it. In such an instance, it is recommended that you contact your payment processor.

Here are some common reasons for credit card pending transactions:

• There's an authorisation hold on the customer's card. As a result, the customer's bank places the card on hold to verify the transaction.

• After the transaction is authorised, you must submit it for settlement as a merchant or business owner. Any delay in this process means the transaction stays pending.

• At times, due to processing delays, a transaction can be pending. You might notice this during public holidays or weekends.

Debit Card Payments and Direct Debit Transactions 

Similar to credit cards, using a debit card can result in pending transactions. They can also occur on direct debit transactions. If a customer uses their debit card, a pending transaction will reduce their available balance, even when it isn't fully processed.

Let's assume you used your debit card to make an online purchase. You enter all your details at checkout, and your card is verified. Your bank sends you a debit message for the aforementioned transaction. The available balance decreases when you open your banking app. On the merchant website, the transaction shows as pending. This sometimes happens if the transaction occurred outside the business's regular business hours or over the weekend.

Understanding Pending Payment Processing 

Here are the four steps involved in the processing of a pending transaction:

Step 1: Authorisation 

The customer's bank verifies the transaction, holding the corresponding funds.

Step 2: Settlement 

As the merchant, you must submit the transaction to your payment processor for settlement.

Step 3: Clearing  

Once the payment processor communicates with the customer's bank, funds will be transferred for clearing.

Step 4: Finalisation  

Settlement occurs in this stage when the transaction is pending. This is when funds are deposited into your account from the customer's account, marking the completion of a transaction.

Available Balance and Card Transactions 

One area that is often confused is the difference between available transactions and the final payment. As mentioned, pending credit card transactions will reduce the customer's available balance. It doesn't reflect the final amount debited until the transaction is settled. Once the transaction is settled, the amount will be deducted, and the transaction's status will change from pending to confirmed.

For instance, let's assume a customer spends S$20 at your business using a credit card. Their balance will show a deduction of S$20. However, the final payment debited from their account might differ if they added a tip. The pending status will change only after their bank processes and clears the transaction. Your payment processor will then reflect the amount in your business account.

Resolving Declined Transactions 

At times, a transaction's status can be pending and later declined. This is frustrating for you and the customer, but it is also common. If a pending transaction is declined, the pending funds will be released into the customer's account again.

Here are some typical explanations for transaction declines:

• The charge exceeds the customer's credit limit.

• Insufficient funds or balance in the account at the time of the transaction.

• The transaction was flagged as suspicious by the customer's bank.

• You failed to submit the transaction for settlement within the required time.

• The card used by the customer was either cancelled or expired.

In all these situations, the transaction will be declined. Here is what you can do in such situations:

• Politely ask the customer for an alternative mode of payment.

• Provide a copy of the declined receipt.

• Ask the customer to verify the transaction status with their bank.

• Review your POS system's batch clearance settings to ensure all transactions that need to be settled are not overlooked.

Preventing Pending Transaction Problems 

As a business owner, avoiding the hassle of pending transactions will make it easier to run your daily operations. Here are a few steps you can take to prevent potential pending transaction problems, which all involve tightening your payment processes.

• Streamline your settlement process with your POS terminal and opt for daily settlements.

• Ensure you are using only reliable payment gateways as a partner for your business.
• Avoid re-processing the same transaction until you are certain it has failed the first time you tried.

• Finally, ensure that everyone at the business is trained and equipped to deal with customers regarding pending charges.

Pending Transaction Timeline 

Pending transactions can occur through credit cards, direct and cheque deposits, wire transfers, and pre-authorisation holds. The timeline for a transaction's pending settlement depends on the type of transaction. Here are some common timelines.

• If the pending transaction was made on a credit card, it should be cleared within three working days if it wasn't cancelled or declined.

• Direct deposits usually go through immediately. However, a pending transaction typically clears by the next business day. Sometimes, it can take up to 2–4 business days.

• In the case of wire transfers, pending charges can be cleared within one business day. However, in the case of an international wire transfer, this can extend to up to two weeks.

• If payment was made through a cheque or a banking app, it can take up to 2 days to be cleared.

• All Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments can take up to five working days to be cleared.

For instance, if a hotel creates a hold on its customer's credit card for a certain amount, the credit card issuer will block the amount. This amount will stay on hold until it is charged or released.

Common Pending Transaction Issues 

As a business owner, you will likely encounter pending transactions at some point or another. Here are some common pending transaction issues.

Duplicate charges 

This is the most common reason for pending charges. It occurs when a customer retries a payment while the initial attempt is still pending.

Refund of a pending transaction  

This occurs when you might have processed a refund to a customer, but the bank has not yet updated their balance.

Authorisation hold that doesn't clear  

Sometimes, a certain sum can be put on hold as an authorisation charge. If the charge is unclear, the transaction's status changes to pending.

Long settlement times  

If your payment processor takes a long time to settle, it can result in cash flow problems for the business. In addition, if you forget to file for settlement within the given timeframe, the payment will not be processed.

Conclusion  

Pending transactions can be frustrating. However, it is part of doing business in today's highly digitised world. Such transactions can delay your access to funds. However, these processes are in place to reduce the chances of fraud and to protect businesses like yours from payment disputes. They also improve the accuracy and transparency of transactions. Learning how they work and preparing to deal with them will also improve your overall operations and the customer experience.

Are you looking for the right payment processor for your business or want to improve your overall customer experience? Look no further because we at Aspire are here to cater to all your business needs in Singapore.

Power Your Business with Effortless Payment Solutions from Aspire

Aspire simplifies payment processing so you can focus on running your business without the usual banking hassles. Whether paying local vendors or international suppliers, you get fast, secure transactions with low fees and competitive FX rates. You can even automate recurring payments, manage bills with built-in approval workflows, and track everything in real time, giving you complete control and visibility. With multi-currency support and bank-grade security, your payments are efficient and safe. Beyond payments, Aspire helps you manage credit, monitor cash flow, streamline expenses, and earn cashback for every spend, i.e., everything you need to power your business growth, all in one place.

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