<!-- Updated: 2026-06-24 | Changes: New troubleshooting article -->

An auction winner can't pay

When an auction winner is having trouble paying, you can almost always get them to a working checkout link from the Auction area.

Overview

Each auction winner receives a notification text with a Stripe Connect checkout link, which opens on any phone or browser. Trouble paying usually comes down to the notification not reaching them (consent off or a wrong number) rather than the payment itself failing. You can resend the link, hand the winner your own device, or record the payment offline if needed.

How to fix it

1. Open Dashboard → Events → [Event] → Auction and find the item along with its winner.
2. Check that the winner-notification text was sent. It needs SMS consent and a correct phone number to go out.
3. Resend the payment link to the winner from the auction item.
4. Because the Stripe checkout link opens on any phone or browser, you can hand your own phone to the winner so they can pay on the spot.
5. If the winner's phone number is wrong, correct it on their record and re-settle the item so the link goes to the right place.
6. If payment still cannot go through, record the payment offline and mark the item settled.

Things to know

• The checkout link is device-agnostic, so a winner without their phone can still pay on yours.
• No notification text means consent is off or the number is wrong, not that checkout is broken.
• Recording an offline payment and marking the item settled keeps your auction totals accurate.
• Auction processing is 5%, charged on the base amount through Stripe Connect.

Still stuck?

Open the chat assistant — the red Ask AI button in your dashboard — and it can look up the player, check delivery logs, and resend links for you. On event day, use the emergency contact button to reach Jeanine directly.

Related articles

• Auction anti-snipe and settlement
• Text-to-bid
• Connect Stripe
• SMS consent