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Troubleshoot card-reader and payment issues for providers

Last reviewed 2026-07-11

What this helps you do

Work through the most common reasons an in-session payment doesn't go smoothly.

Before you start

Identify the specific symptom — a reader that won't connect, a charge that failed, or a missing receipt each have different causes.

Steps

Step 1: The card reader won't connect

Charge it fully before troubleshooting further — a low battery is the most common cause of a connection failure.

Step 2: The charge failed

A failed charge is almost always the client's card being declined by their bank, not a reader problem. Ask the client to try a different card.

Step 3: No receipt sent

Confirm the charge actually completed rather than just showing as pending — a receipt only sends once payment is confirmed.

Step 4: The reader pairs but won't take a specific card type

Confirm the client is using tap, chip, or swipe as supported by your reader — not every reader supports every method.

Step 5: Still stuck

Contact Bloomber support with the specific symptom and the booking involved.

What success looks like

  • Your card reader connects reliably.
  • Charges complete and receipts send automatically without manual follow-up.

Common problems

  • This keeps happening with the same reader — The reader itself may need replacing — contact Bloomber support with the pattern you're seeing.
  • I'm not sure if this is a Stripe issue or a Bloomber issue — Start with Connect Stripe to receive payouts if the issue is specifically about your account connection rather than an in-person charge.

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