Having Trouble with PayPal?
PayPal is one of two payment providers ShopBroker supports for sellers. If your PayPal connection isn't working, here's how to troubleshoot.
Common Issues
"Cannot Receive Payments"
Symptoms:
Your PayPal card on Payments > Settings shows "Cannot receive payments"
You see an error banner mentioning a restriction on your PayPal account
Buyers can't complete checkout with PayPal
What's happening: PayPal has placed a restriction on your account. This is between you and PayPal directly. ShopBroker can't lift PayPal restrictions.
Solutions:
Visit paypal.com and log into your account
Look for an Action Required notice or messages from PayPal
Contact PayPal Customer Support at paypal.com/smarthelp/contact-us
Once PayPal lifts the restriction, your status updates the next time you reload Payments > Settings
"Email Not Confirmed"
Symptoms:
Your PayPal card shows "Email not confirmed"
You see a yellow warning banner
What's happening: PayPal requires your email address to be confirmed before you can receive payments.
Solutions:
Visit paypal.com/businessprofile/settings
Find the email confirmation banner and click to confirm
Check your inbox for the PayPal confirmation email
Click the link in that email to verify
Reload Payments > Settings on ShopBroker; the status should update
"Pending Verification"
Symptoms:
PayPal card shows "Verifying" status for hours or days
You haven't received any updates
Solutions:
Check your PayPal email for verification requests
Log into paypal.com directly and look for an Action Required notice
Complete any pending steps PayPal requests
If nothing's pending on PayPal's side, contact PayPal Customer Support to ask why your account is still under review
"Onboarding Won't Complete"
Symptoms:
You're stuck in a loop trying to connect PayPal
The browser keeps redirecting you back to ShopBroker without completing
"Connection failed" errors
Solutions:
Use a desktop browser (mobile browser flows can drop the redirect)
Clear browser cache and cookies
Try a different browser
Make sure popups aren't blocked for paypal.com
Disable any browser extensions that might interfere with redirects
"Payments Not Showing in My PayPal Balance"
Symptoms:
A buyer paid you, but you don't see the payment in PayPal yet
The order is showing as paid on ShopBroker
What's happening: This is normal. Payment is held securely through checkout until delivery or pickup is confirmed. The funds release to your PayPal balance after the courier confirms delivery or the buyer confirms an in-person pickup.
Solutions:
Check the order status on ShopBroker. If it says "Awaiting Delivery", payment hasn't released yet.
Once the order completes, the payment lands in your PayPal balance within a few minutes.
If the order is marked Complete and you still don't see it, contact ShopBroker support.
"Connected Account Doesn't Match"
Symptoms:
You connected the wrong PayPal account
You want to switch to a different PayPal account
Solutions:
Go to Payments > Settings on ShopBroker
On the PayPal card, click the disconnect option (you may need to scroll to find Disconnect PayPal)
Confirm the disconnect
Click Connect PayPal again and use the correct account
Verification Requirements
What PayPal Needs
For Canadian sellers:
Email address: Confirmed via paypal.com
Identity: PayPal handles this through their own verification checks
Business or personal account type: Set during PayPal onboarding
Payments-receivable status: PayPal flips this to Yes once you're cleared
Common Verification Errors
Error | Likely Cause | Fix |
Email not confirmed | You skipped the email step at PayPal sign-up | Confirm at paypal.com/businessprofile/settings |
Cannot receive payments | PayPal placed a restriction | Contact PayPal Customer Support directly |
Account under review | PayPal's risk team is checking your account | Wait for PayPal to update; check your PayPal email |
Business verification incomplete | You picked Business but didn't finish | Complete business details at paypal.com |
Dashboard Access
Accessing Your PayPal Account
Click Open PayPal Dashboard from your Payments Settings, OR
Visit paypal.com directly and log in
Use the email associated with your ShopBroker connection
If You Can't Log In
Go to paypal.com and use the password reset flow
Make sure you're using the email you connected to ShopBroker
Contact PayPal Customer Support if you're locked out
Getting Help
From PayPal
PayPal has its own support channels:
paypal.com/smarthelp/contact-us for direct help
paypal.com Help Center for articles
PayPal phone support (find the number in your account settings)
PayPal handles account-level issues like restrictions, verification holds, and login problems.
From ShopBroker
We can help with:
Connection issues between ShopBroker and PayPal
Understanding what status your PayPal card is showing
Switching between PayPal and Stripe as your active provider
Escalating issues that span both platforms
Prevention
Complete Setup Properly
Use a real PayPal email you actively check
Confirm your email immediately at paypal.com
Complete any business verification PayPal requests
Test the connection by viewing your PayPal status on Payments > Settings
Keep Information Updated
If your PayPal email changes, you'll need to reconnect
If PayPal locks your account, work with PayPal first, then return to ShopBroker
Check Payments > Settings weekly to spot status changes early
FAQ
Why does PayPal need my information?
Canadian financial regulations require identity verification for payment processors. PayPal handles this verification on their side; ShopBroker doesn't see your PayPal verification documents.
Is my information safe?
Yes. PayPal is a major regulated payment provider with bank-level security. Your data is encrypted and protected per their privacy policy.
Can I use a personal PayPal account?
Yes, though Business accounts are recommended for sellers. Personal accounts work, but Business accounts give you better tools for tracking sales.
What if my PayPal account is permanently restricted?
If PayPal won't lift a restriction, you can connect Stripe instead and use that as your active provider. See Setting Up Stripe Connect.
Can I have both PayPal and Stripe connected?
Yes. Many sellers do. Set whichever you prefer as the active provider from Payments > Settings.
Need Help?
PayPal issues can be frustrating, especially when they're between you and PayPal directly. Contact our support team with screenshots of any errors you're seeing, and we'll help you figure out the right next step. Reach out at [email protected].