Trouble Paying with PayPal?

If your PayPal payment isn't going through at checkout, here are the most common causes and fixes.

Common Issues

"PayPal Popup Blocked"

Symptoms:

You tap "Pay with PayPal" and nothing happens
A small notification says "Popup blocked"

Solutions:

Allow popups for shopbroker.ca in your browser settings

Check the address bar for a popup-blocked icon and click it to allow

Try a different browser

Use the ShopBroker mobile app instead, which handles the PayPal flow inline

"Redirected Back Without Paying"

Symptoms:

You complete the PayPal flow but land back at checkout instead of the confirmation page
You're not sure if you paid

Solutions:

Check your email for an order confirmation from ShopBroker

Check your PayPal account for a pending or completed transaction

Log into ShopBroker and look at your purchase history

If you see a charge but no order, see I Was Charged But Order Didn't Complete

"Payment Declined by PayPal"

Symptoms:

PayPal shows an error during checkout
The funding source you picked was declined

Solutions:

Try a different funding source in PayPal (different card, bank, or PayPal balance)

Check that your PayPal account isn't locked or restricted

Make sure your card hasn't expired

Contact PayPal directly if you keep seeing the same decline message

"PayPal Asks Me to Verify Identity"

What's happening: PayPal sometimes asks for additional verification on a transaction, especially for first-time buyers or large purchases.

Solutions:

Complete the PayPal verification step PayPal is asking for

Once verified, return to checkout and try again

If PayPal blocks you from completing the verification, contact PayPal Customer Support

"Cannot Use My PayPal Balance"

Symptoms:

You have a PayPal balance but PayPal won't let you use it

Solutions:

Make sure your PayPal account is fully verified

Check that your country settings on PayPal allow Canadian Dollar (CAD) transactions

Try using a card linked to your PayPal account instead

"Mobile App PayPal Won't Open"

Symptoms:

On the ShopBroker mobile app, tapping PayPal does nothing
The PayPal app or browser doesn't open

Solutions:

Make sure you have an internet connection

Update the ShopBroker app to the latest version

If you have the PayPal app installed, make sure you're logged in

Force-close the ShopBroker app and try again

Quick Fixes to Try

Refresh the checkout page and start over

Try a different browser if you're on web

Switch to the mobile app if you're on a slow web connection

Use a different PayPal funding source (different card or balance)

Use a guest checkout option if PayPal is blocking your account login

Was I Charged?

If your PayPal payment failed, you shouldn't see a real charge. However, you might see:

Pending authorization on your card: This typically drops off within a few days, depending on your bank
Pending balance hold in PayPal: PayPal may briefly hold the amount before releasing it

These aren't real charges and will disappear. If you do see a charge that didn't result in an order, see I Was Charged But Order Didn't Complete.

What If I Want to Pay a Different Way?

If PayPal isn't working for you, you can:

Use a different PayPal funding source (different card, bank, or balance)

Use PayPal's guest checkout with a credit or debit card

If the seller is using Stripe instead, you'll see a credit and debit card form at checkout (no PayPal). See Accepted Payment Methods for what to expect.

Still Not Working?

If PayPal checkout keeps failing:

Contact our support team with the error message you're seeing

We can check your order on our side and help you complete the purchase

Sometimes there are temporary system issues we can resolve quickly

Tips for Next Time

Keep your PayPal account active. Log in occasionally to keep it from being flagged.
Verify your email and identity in PayPal. This prevents most checkout blocks.
Have a backup funding source linked to your PayPal account.