Improve error messages (#4863)

* Update error messages to distinguish between request and responses

* Add changelog entry

* Update tests

Author: malithsen

changelog.txt

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 * Dev - Removes all references to the UPE-enabled feature flag
 * Dev - Removes deprecated promotional banners (related to legacy checkout)
 * Fix - Error when using Puerto Rico addresses with express checkouts
+* Tweak - Improve error messages when Stripe API requests fail to better distinguish between request and retrieval errors
 
 = 10.2.0 - 2025-12-08 =
 * Dev - Refactor display logic for payment method issue pills

includes/class-wc-stripe-api.php

@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ public static function request( $request, $api = 'charges', $method = 'POST', $w
 			];
 			self::log_error_response( $response, $api, $method, $error_data );
 
-			throw new WC_Stripe_Exception( print_r( $response, true ), __( 'There was a problem connecting to the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ) );
+			throw new WC_Stripe_Exception( print_r( $response, true ), __( 'There was a problem sending a request to the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ) );
 		}
 
 		$response_body = json_decode( $response['body'] );
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ public static function retrieve( $api ) {
 			];
 			self::log_error_response( $response, $api, 'GET', $error_data );
 
-			return new WP_Error( 'stripe_error', __( 'There was a problem connecting to the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ) );
+			return new WP_Error( 'stripe_error', __( 'There was a problem retrieving data from the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ) );
 		}
 
 		$response_body = json_decode( $response['body'] );

readme.txt

@@ -143,5 +143,6 @@ If you get stuck, you can ask for help in the [Plugin Forum](https://wordpress.o
 * Fix - Error when using Puerto Rico addresses with express checkouts
 * Dev - Removes all references to the UPE-enabled feature flag
 * Dev - Removes deprecated promotional banners (related to legacy checkout)
+* Tweak - Improve error messages when Stripe API requests fail to better distinguish between request and retrieval errors
 
 [See changelog for full details across versions](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/woocommerce/woocommerce-gateway-stripe/trunk/changelog.txt).

tests/phpunit/WC_Stripe_API_Test.php

@@ -291,11 +291,11 @@ public function test_log_error_response( $response, string $api, string $method,
 		if ( 'GET' === $method ) {
 			$this->assertInstanceof( \WP_Error::class, $result );
 			$this->assertEquals( 'stripe_error', $result->get_error_code() );
-			$this->assertEquals( __( 'There was a problem connecting to the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ), $result->get_error_message() );
+			$this->assertEquals( __( 'There was a problem retrieving data from the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ), $result->get_error_message() );
 		} else {
 			$this->assertInstanceof( \WC_Stripe_Exception::class, $caught_exception );
 			$this->assertEquals( print_r( $response, true ), $caught_exception->getMessage() );
-			$this->assertEquals( __( 'There was a problem connecting to the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ), $caught_exception->getLocalizedMessage() );
+			$this->assertEquals( __( 'There was a problem sending a request to the Stripe API endpoint.', 'woocommerce-gateway-stripe' ), $caught_exception->getLocalizedMessage() );
 		}
 	}