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Resolving PayPal Checkout: Item Amount Mismatch and Fee Display Issues

30 threads Sep 17, 2025 Plugin → Woocommerce paypal payments

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Understanding and Fixing Common PayPal Payment Discrepancies

Many WooCommerce store owners using the 'WooCommerce PayPal Payments' plugin encounter issues where the amount shown during checkout doesn't match what appears in PayPal. Two frequent problems are the "Item amount mismatch" error and incorrect fee calculations. This guide explains why these issues occur and provides practical solutions.

Why Item Amount Mismatch Happens

The "Item amount mismatch. Items ditched" error typically occurs when there's a rounding discrepancy between WooCommerce and PayPal's calculation systems. This can happen when:

  • Using plugins that dynamically calculate prices (e.g., formula-based pricing plugins)
  • Applying complex tax calculations or custom discounts
  • Using currency converters that create minor rounding differences

When PayPal detects that the sum of individual item prices doesn't match the order total, it drops the line items and processes only the total amount to prevent payment failure.

How to Configure Subtotal Mismatch Behavior

The 'WooCommerce PayPal Payments' plugin includes a setting to handle these mismatches:

  1. Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Payments → PayPal
  2. Click the "Connection" tab
  3. Find "Subtotal mismatch behavior"
  4. Change from "Do not send line items to PayPal" to "Add another line item"

This setting tells the plugin to automatically add a correction line item instead of removing all item details, which often resolves the mismatch issue.

Understanding PayPal Fee Display

Another common concern is how PayPal fees are displayed in WooCommerce orders. The plugin shows PayPal fees in the admin order overview after payment processing, but it cannot add these fees to the customer's total beforehand because:

  • PayPal's exact fee structure isn't known until after transaction processing
  • PayPal's policies prohibit adding discriminatory fees specifically for PayPal payments

If fees aren't showing in your order details, this might indicate a webhook processing issue where payment metadata wasn't fully received.

Troubleshooting Steps

If you're experiencing these issues, follow these troubleshooting steps:

  1. Conflict Test: Temporarily switch to a default theme (like Storefront) and disable all plugins except WooCommerce and PayPal Payments. If the issue resolves, reactivate them one by one to identify the conflict.
  2. Check Custom Code: If you're using custom fees through the woocommerce_cart_calculate_fees hook, ensure they're implemented correctly. Negative fees especially can cause compatibility issues.
  3. Currency and Rounding: Verify your currency settings and consider using the "Add another line item" option for subtotal mismatches.
  4. Webhook Status: If PayPal fees aren't displaying, check that webhooks are properly configured and processing.

When to Seek Additional Help

If these solutions don't resolve your issue, you might be dealing with a more specific conflict. The 'WooCommerce PayPal Payments' team maintains a GitHub wiki with filters and actions that can help customize the plugin's behavior for specific needs.

Remember that some payment processing behaviors are determined by PayPal's systems rather than the plugin itself. For questions about specific transaction fees or alternative payment methods like Venmo, you may need to consult PayPal's merchant support directly.

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