Have you checked your orders on Amazon (or received an email) claiming a payment revision is needed on Amazon?
This message is surprisingly common, and only takes a few moments to fix.
But what does ‘payment revision needed’ actually mean, and what can be done about it? Why does Amazon say that a payment revision is needed at all?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know, including what to do in specific situations that may apply to you.
What Does Payment Revision Needed Mean On Amazon?
If Amazon claims that a payment revision is needed, it means that the payment method you used for your order failed. This could be because your bank declined the charge, you’ve passed your credit limit, or Amazon was otherwise unable to collect payment for the order.
So, you will need to go to Amazon and update your payment method on file before the order can proceed.
Often times, this can occur at no fault of your own, especially if you paid using a debit card. Due to the way Amazon runs pre-auth checks for transactions, it can occasionally cause banks to decline the actual charge by mistake.
This is because Amazon does not actually charge your card until the order ships, in most cases.
So, in order for your order to continue, you should return to Amazon to update your payment method, choosing a new card or updating the information on your existing one if it’s incorrect.
Warning: Visit Amazon’s website directly to do this – do not click on links within emails, as scammers set up fake emails to try and steal credit card information. More on this later!
How To Update Your Payment Method On Amazon
To change your payment method on Amazon, return to Amazon’s website and visit your orders.
Locate the order that you need to update payment information for and pull up the details. From there, you’ll find a button you can use to update the card used for that order.
This possible even if you aren’t asked to revise your payment method, but simply want to use a different card.
Warning – Avoid Scam Emails!
Unfortunately, there’s a common phishing scam going around that is being used to steal credit card information.
The scammers create an email that looks exactly like one that comes from Amazon – they may even use tricks to make it appear like it’s coming from an official Amazon email address! However, when you click on the link within the email, you are redirected to a fake version of Amazon’s website.
This can be extremely convincing, looking just like the real Amazon – only it isn’t.
These phishing sites steal your credit card information when you put it in, making it extremely dangerous to do so.
To avoid these scams, always visit Amazon’s website directly when you get the ‘payment revision needed’ message. Then, go to your orders section and see if it’s actually true or not.
If a payment revision is actually needed, you’ll be able to update it here on Amazon’s site.
Often times, these emails are completely fake, and you don’t need to update your payment method at all.
So, always manually visit Amazon’s website (or use the official app) when putting in credit card or login information. Additionally, always make sure that you’re on the official website, such as Amazon.com, Amazon.ca or Amazon.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s look over some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the payment revision needed message. These may pertain to specific situations, or rare events that can be confusing. So, feel free to skip over any questions that do not apply to you.
What If The Product Already Shipped?
Amazon does not ship out products until they are able to successfully charge the card you provided.
If you are receiving an email claiming that payment revision is needed but Amazon has already shipped the order, chances are the email is a phishing scam.
If you are seeing this message on Amazon’s official website however and you have verified that the order has actually been shipped out, it would be best to contact Amazon’s customer service for further guidance. This is particularly true if you have already verified that you’ve been charged for the order.
What Will Happen If I Don’t Update The Payment Method?
If your payment is declined on Amazon and you don’t update the payment method, your order will eventually be cancelled.
Typically, Amazon will send out ‘payment revision needed’ reminders and attempt to charge you for up to 21 days before the order will be automatically cancelled.
Note that the item will not ship out until the payment method is updated and is successfully charged. Additionally, you will likely receive the items at a later date if there are delays due to failed payments.
If you decide you no longer want an item, the best thing you can do is to cancel your Amazon order.
Tip: You can learn how to view your cancelled Amazon orders by clicking here!
What If The Card Was Already Successfully Charged, But I’m Still Receiving The ‘Payment Revision Needed’ Message?
In rare circumstances, you may receive the ‘payment revision needed’ message on Amazon, even if your card already appears to have been charged.
Most of the time, this issue occurs with debit cards. Amazon will place a pre-authorization on the card to ensure the funds are available, but not actually attempt to charge your debit card until the product actually prepares to ship.
So, it may appear that your card is charged, even if it actually hasn’t been yet.
Sometimes, your bank may take note of the prior authorization but decline the charges when they actually come through. This is most common on orders with multiple items that ship from different sellers, as these may be charged at different times.
Alternatively, it’s possible that you had enough funds for one charge, but when Amazon tried to charge for the rest of the items, payment failed.
If your card has actually been charged and the funds have been pulled from your account (but you’re still receiving the message), contact Amazon customer support so they can investigate.
I Paid With An Amazon Gift Card. What Happened?
If the total size of the order exceeded your available gift card balance, then the remainder of the balance will be charged to your card.
This is why Amazon may require a backup payment method when placing an order, even if you use your gift card balance as the payment method.
Therefore, you may need to update the payment method used for the remainder of your order, even if you paid for some of it using an Amazon gift card.
Conclusion
If Amazon claims that a payment revision is needed, this simply means they were unable to charge the card selected for your order.
Therefore, all you have to do is return to Amazon’s website (or open the mobile app) and update your payment method.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any other questions about shopping on Amazon, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister
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