Download issues with Google Android Market

I receive many emails about applications download problems.

There is 3 possible causes :
1 – payment is blocked by Google in autorizing step
2 – market servers are slow
3 – market applications (on phone) is stuck

1 – payment is blocked by Google in autorizing step

First, for paid apps, you have to be sure your credit card is valid and accepted by Google. If not, the transaction will be blocked by Google and you won’t be able to download and it will be blocked at ‘authorizing’ step.
I strongly advise you to check the order status in your Google checkout account.

You can check credit cards accepted by Google Checkout for international payments here.
For example, it seems a lot of eCards are not accepted (precharged credit cards for internet purchases). For exmaple, Google doesn’t accept Amex.

If you can your credit card informations, the best is to cancel the previous download and purchase (no problem, you haven’t been charged because it was locked), and restart it.

Last thing, Google transactions are done in Ireland or Great Britain (in your local currency), so, be sure you enabled your bank account to transfer founds to those countries.

2 – market servers are slow

For download, Google Market servers are sometimes slow… you need to give it time for download (sometime 2/3h).

It seems you are not the only one 😦
Google support forum
Androinica

Few advises from this site :

Btw, here are the troubleshooting steps that we typically share:
1) Make sure you have enough available space (i.e. no low space icon)
2) Power off your phone, power it back on
3) If you still have pending downloads, cancel all outstanding/pending downloads. Don’t worry, once you’ve paid for app you can install it as many times.
4) If pending downloads will not cancel, uninstall the application. Once again, don’t’ worry, you can install each application as many times as you’d like once you’ve purchased it.
5) Re-download your app(s)

—

“Sometimes signing in to Gtalk or cycling wifi connection (whether I’m on wifi or not) will fix, but not always.”

—

“Before I had succesfully downloaded just one app, now the rest were stalled at “start downloading”. Starting Google Talk made them all download, though. So thanks”

3 – market applications (on phone) is stuck

Since few days/weeks, this is a very common problem of the Market.

Sometime download doesn’t start or the install fail : Google forum 1 or here Google forum 2

A solution from users that may help :

– go to your settings,
– then select “manage applications” ,
– scroll down to,
>>> “Checkin Service” then select “clear data”
>>> “Download Manager” then select “clear data”
>>> “Google Apps” then “clear data”
>>> “Google Talk Service” then select “clear data”
>>> “Market” then select “clear cache” and “remove updates”
– switch off your phone and switch it back on
– login Market and download again.

Another solution from Android Central forum here

Final word

Unfortunately, you are not the only to report that kind of disagrement… and I can’t do anything.

To contact Google teams, you can try this form :
http://market.android.com/support/

If it still doesn’t works, refund is possible under Android Market rules.

Finally, I publish all my applications on AndroidPit alternative Market (which accept PayPal usage).
You’ll find more informations here.