How to Minimize Chargebacks: What can you do to reduce credit card chargebacks?

What is a Merchant Account?

Being an entrepreneur is both a challenging and rewarding experience. Unforeseen circumstances, such as chargebacks, can feel intimidating and put a damper on dayto-day dealings. Fortunately, we have solutions to help you overcome the hurdles that chargebacks can throw your way. Read on to learn more about chargebacks and how Merchantech can support your business.

All parties involved in payment processing services, including banks, card networks, and others, constantly work to reduce fraud and loss. Chargeback procedures are merely one type of mitigation.

Merchants need to be made aware of what a chargeback is, why they occur, what to do when they do, and how to avoid them when possible. We will share everything you need to know about credit card chargebacks based on what we've discovered through years of experience as payment processors in the industry.

How Can Merchants Prevent Credit Card

Chargebacks?

When there is a problem with a purchase that has been made using your credit card, and you are unable to resolve the issue with the merchant, you can initiate a chargeback with your bank as a tool to try to get your money back.

If the merchant or service provider who charged you doesn't give you a refund, you file a dispute with your credit card company. Your card company investigates your claim after receiving a chargeback dispute and gives the retailer who handled the transaction a chance to respond. If necessary, your issuing bank may also involve the credit card network (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover).

The disputed charge will be refunded to the cardholder if the issuing bank's investigation rules in favor of the cardholder or if it rules in favor of the merchant, the charge will not be refunded.

How Can Credit Card Chargeback Affect Your Business?

Chargebacks associated with credit card processing can be a major burden for business owners. Chargebacks are, at best, the result of misunderstandings or confusion (such as when a consumer doesn't recognize your company name). If you can demonstrate that you provided the goods or service in question, you may be able to appeal these decisions, but this process can be time-consuming and may not be worthwhile.

Chargebacks, at worst result from consumer fraud (i.e., the consumer intentionally lies to avoid paying). They might make it more difficult for a company to keep a merchant account open and continue to accept credit card payments. A company's reputation may suffer if its chargeback rate is high (above 1%), and merchant account providers may levy heavy fines or even close the merchant account.

Why Is It Important to Reduce Chargebacks?

Chargebacks were developed as a means of defending consumers against fraudulent transactions. But before we can comprehend how crucial it is for a business to lower chargebacks, we need to consider the factors that lead to them in the first place. Sometimes, the person requests a chargeback because of a transaction they do not recognize. Sometimes even if the transaction was legitimate, customers filed chargebacks for other potential reasons such as the ones listed below.  Not recognizing transaction on their bank statement  The transaction appears to have occurred twice (duplicate)  Despite cancelling their subscription, they were still charged Item not matching description, or not receiving item  Name of business in transaction was unknown to the customer  It is crucial to comprehend the causes of chargebacks and what can happen if your chargeback frequency is high to decrease them and boost your overall conversion rate.

Eight Ways to Reduce Credit Card Chargebacks for Your Business

1) Emphasize Customer Service

With competition in e-commerce rising, customer service is the defining factor that distinguishes successful sellers. The days of having an e-commerce website that lists frequently asked questions are over. Customers anticipate speaking with a live person who can promptly and accurately respond to their questions. Businesses should provide live, round-the-clock help.

The fewer purchase errors made by consumers, who could file chargebacks, the more service and support there is. Increasing customer care capabilities may cost money in the short-term, but the long-term benefits i.e fewer chargebacks and more satisfied customers make it worthwhile.

Eight Ways to Reduce Credit Card

Chargebacks for Your Business

2) Ensure That Your Billing Descriptor is Easily Identifiable

The merchant descriptor, or statement descriptor, is the name customers will see on their billing statement. Customers are more likely to file a fraudulent chargeback if they cannot identify the name of a business.

For example an organization called Greenwich,but has a merchant descriptor as Peter England will likely incur a chargeback. Including your doing-business-as name, website, and phone number in a suitable billing descriptor can help avoid these unnecessary chargebacks.

Eight Ways to Reduce Credit Card

Chargebacks for Your Business

Establishing a transparent return policy is an important tool in communicating your terms of service with customers. Return policies should be prominently displayed at checkouts and listed on your website.

Be detailed, include the return window, restocking fees, and exclusions in your return policy.

Eight Ways to Reduce Credit Card

6) Comply with Credit Card Processing Regulations and Requirements

Eight Ways to Reduce Credit Card

Chargebacks for Your Business

7) Keep Detailed Information About Your Transaction

Consumer chargeback fraud is more prevalent than ever. It has become increasingly easy to make a purchase, (particularly online), and then report it to the issuing bank as a fraudulent transaction. As a result businesses lose billions of dollars each year in lost goods, transaction reversals, and chargeback costs.

Merchants typically lose these types of disputes , because many companies do not keep straightforward records. A thorough and legible sales receipt can serve as a reliable piece of evidence in case of a chargeback dispute.