Difference Between Credit Card Reservation and Captured Payment
Learn the difference between credit card payment reservations (uncaptured payments) and successful captured payments, how they affect your card, and what EDIS Global receives.
Understanding Payment Reservations vs. Captured Payments
During payment, a timeout can occur - often related to a poor internet or VPN connection. When this happens during the credit card checkout process, only the initial phase of the payment is completed. This initial phase is known as a reservation - the amount is temporarily blocked on the credit card, but not actually charged.
The second phase, called capturing, would finalize the payment. But in this case, the connection or session was no longer valid, or the customer reloaded the page and restarted the checkout. As a result, only the reservation remained without being completed.
🔒 What is a Reservation?
A reservation (also called an uncaptured payment) happens when a payment is initiated but not completed. It temporarily reduces the available balance on your credit card, but:
- EDIS Global does not receive any money
- The amount is only blocked
- The funds are guaranteed for us but not yet transferred
- If we don’t capture it manually, the reservation automatically disappears within 7 days
- After expiration, the line vanishes from your credit card statement
- A reservation cannot be refunded, because the money was never taken from your card.
✅ What is a Captured Payment?
A captured payment is a successful charge where:
- EDIS Global has received the money
- Your available credit on your card is reduced
- The charge appears on your credit card statement
- If refunded, a second line will appear (credit/refund)
Captured payments can be refunded, and once refunded, we no longer have the money.
💳 Comparison Table
| Reservation | Captured Payment | |
|---|---|---|
| Reduces card balance | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Funds received by EDIS | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Can be refunded? | ❌ No (no money taken) | ✅ Yes (money returned) |
| Appears on statement? | ✅ Temporarily (disappears in 7 days) | ✅ Charge + refund (if any) |
📝 Real-World Example
Let’s say a customer tries to pay EUR 5 but reloads the page after authorizing the payment. What happens?
- A reservation is created for EUR 5 → Balance reduced, but no payment completed.
- The customer retries, and a new EUR 5 captured payment is made → EDIS gets the funds.
- Now, if the customer requests a refund for the successful payment, a credit line appears in their statement.
- The original reservation (failed payment attempt) disappears after 7 days automatically.