How can I cancel pending transaction on my debit card?

What does it mean when debit card transaction is pending?

• Okay, so here's my little story... I used a debit card to order a birthday gift from Barnes and Noble's website two days ago for around $50. However, I ended up canceling that order about 10 minutes after I had made it, having found something better unexpectedly. Problem was, I couldn't place an order for this new item because my card was apparently now short $50 from the previous canceled order and thus, I didn't have enough. Now, Barnes and Noble's website claims that they do not charge until the order is shipped, so I had assumed my account balance on my debit card would have remained untouched, but it hasn't. It is missing that $50 and the transaction from Barnes and Noble is listed as "pending". So what does pending mean exactly in this case? Does it mean that the $50 will be added back to the account balance later when the transaction is no longer "pending"? If so, shouldn't it have been put back by now? How much longer would I have to wait? Or could it possible that I have been charged by mistake? I can't buy that birthday present until that fifty dollars is put back, so I'm hoping to get this cleared up as soon as possible. Thanks for your help ahead of time!

• Answer:

  Once you do a purchase even online, your account can have pending transactions until 3-10 business days. They do this for a purchase just in case you spend more money then you have. If not cleared up in 10 days, I'd suggest contacting your bank and Barnes and Noble.