Many merchants are afraid of chargebacks — and rightfully so. However, there are many myths associated with chargebacks, which is why merchants need to weed through the myths to find the facts. Use our information in this email newsletter to debunk the popular myths and help online merchants manage chargebacks. Knowing truth from fiction helps prevent high rates of credit card fraud in the future.
Do not Fall for the Lost Cause
If you have been told that recovering a chargeback from most card processors is a lost cause, this is a myth. While many card brands have their own set of guidelines and policies pertaining to managing transaction disputes, e-commerce merchants do not need to let this discourage them from fighting a chargeback. Despite myths that most card processors always favor the consumer, merchants should always dispute the claim and provide as much proof as possible.
Stopping Chargeback Fraud Is not Possible
While eliminating chargeback fraud is not possible, reducing the risk of this type of credit card fraud is possible. Merchants need to use in-house tools to prevent their risk of becoming a victim of credit card fraud, or friendly fraud.
Having chargeback prevention in place, such as Complete Pay, Verifi CDRN, and Ethcoa could help e-commerce merchants:
- Utilize effective fraud detection tools starting with the pre-gateway experience
- Review transactions that raise a red flag
- Deter friendly fraud thieves
- Fight chargebacks
Winning a Dispute is Great for Chargeback Ratio
While merchants want to do everything possible to fight chargebacks, winning has a bittersweet result. Ecommerce merchants are still charged a fee by the online processing company. If the merchant is unable to control their chargeback ratio, they could face higher fees, and possibly have their merchant gateway account closed after being labeled a high risk merchant. Therefore, winning the dispute is only half of the battle. The true fight is using the data collected to prevent future chargebacks. Preventing the chargeback from occurring is the only way to prevent your ratio from swaying in the wrong direction.
Signed Receipts Are the Only Way to Win
While having a signed receipt would be helpful, it is not possible with online sales. Therefore, merchants need to be sure that they have other compelling evidence when they fight a chargeback. Examples of sufficient evidence to use are:
- Emails or other proof of communication
- Delivery confirmation
- Past transaction receipts
- Supporting documentation (such as terms of service and refund policies)
Do not fall victim to the myths. Educate your employees on credit card fraud prevention, and let us help your online business implement good security measures!
