Can't receive payment for invoice, customer's bank authorizes card charges but PayPal won't accept.

[unclemymy]

Two weeks ago, I invoiced a customer (not a PayPal user) on PayPal.  He tried multiple times, but PayPal wouldn't accept his payment.  He called the bank about his card, and they could see his attempts to pay, and they had authorized it every time, but PayPal wouldn't accept.  He is known to me, and there is nothing about the transaction that would make it unusual.

I talked to Customer Support, and they couldn't tell me why it wouldn't accept his payment ("it's done by computer, so we can't find out why").  The representative suggested that it might be because he was traveling, and trying to use his card from another location than his hometown.  He finally had to wire transfer the money, and I cancelled the PayPal invoice.

Well, he's back in town, and it was time for another invoice, so we tried it again.  Still no dice.  This time, it was with a different credit card, and from his billing address.  After talking with Customer Support again this evening, it is apparent that it's just not going to work, and nobody can tell me why.  They did allow that if he was a PayPal account holder, they might be able to tell me why.  It would be very convenient to bill customers this way, and I wouldn't be upset, except that PayPal advertises "you can bill your customers, and they don't even have to have a PayPal account!"  Of course, technically it's true - you CAN bill customers, and they DON'T have to have a PayPal account.  But if you WANT THEM TO PAY, apparently they DO have to have a PayPal account.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[angelleye]

Is he getting any particular error code or message?  Are you absolutely sure they have never had a PayPal account in the past?

The only time I've seen this sort of thing is when somebody had a PayPal account, and they had their credit card(s) added to this PayPal account, but then their account becomes limited or suspended for one reason or another.  Any cards that are associated with that account would then no longer work on the PayPal system.

So you might want to ask if that happens to be the case, or if they in fact have NEVER had a PayPal account at all..??

[unclemymy]

Thanks for the response.  No, this person has never had a PayPal account.  I did find this evening that I needed to update MY credit information, but PayPal wouldn't let me remove an old card, because I had activity pending (that was the pending second invoice attempt).  When I called customer service, we were able to remove the old card ONLY AFTER cancelling that second invoice.

Could it be that the customer couldn't pay the invoice because I didn't have an active current credit card listed, and no PayPal balance?  If it's possible, then I might impose on my customer to try it one more time, and send him a new invoice.

Thanks again.