Accepting credit cards online can be the most important decisions you can make to make money from the sale of products and services at your web site and/or offline business. The last thing you want to do is get chargeback requests from your customers. Sometimes this can be avoided as long as you take some precautionary measures.

We are human and we do make mistakes from time to time. However as merchants we can take steps to protect our 3rd party merchant accounts by using the following tips.

Five Tips For Merchants

1. Honor refund requests in good time. We know it can be frustrating when less than 24 hours has transpired before the customer requests a refund. Remain neutral and apologetic and remember that the quicker you process the refund the sooner the problem will be over.

2. Always request the address from customers to deter incidences of reversed charges due to possible claims of fraud or unauthorized payments. By doing so you may deter some customers from using this tactic to avoid paying for goods. You can then produce this as evidence that an order was placed with the address file to your 3rd party processor.

3. Make it clear on your terms and somewhere on your sales page or order form what the billing name will appear as on customer statements. This will make it easy for your customers to associate your billing name to your web with your business.

4. Provide clear instruction of your guarantee and refund policy. If for some or products such as private label product sales or similar you do not offer refunds then state this clearly on your sales page and order form. Also check with your 3rd party processor to verify whether a 'No Refunds' statement is permitted under your user agreement prior to launching your product. Otherwise you may find that your customers will feel they have no recourse other than to request a chargeback in these extreme cases.

5. Keep a record of chargebacks as you may find a pattern from certain customers who may request numerous chargeback requests from several merchants. Your 3rd party processor will be alerted to persistent problem buyers and they can work with the card issuing company to report unusual number of chargebacks.

Five Tips For Buyers

1. Don't confuse the Reference ID" number on your credit card statement with your 3rd party merchant account "Transaction ID." This is a common mistake made when cross referencing payments on your credit card statement.

2. Keep up to date with your credit card statements. Print out receipts so that you have a record of all goods purchased. Keep them filed in a safe place for your convenience. This will help you to cross reference payment details when checking against your statement.

3. Contact the merchant first and foremost in any enquiry and only when a matter cannot be resolved should you contact your credit card to make further enquiries on your behalf. Avoid unnecessary chargebacks.

4. Remember that if you are not happy with your order to ask for a replacement or refund. You should be afforded good customer support and your request should be dealt with accordingly

5. If you cannot get a refund then contact your credit card company with evidence that you have made attempts to get a refund.

Unnecessary chargeback fees for merchants due to mistakes or going through the wrong channels are unacceptable.

Remember that chargebacks cost the merchant money and grief. Be considerate and double check all statements and transaction ID's before pointing the finger of blame.

In some cases if you are unhappy with a purchase then you should request a refund. If the merchant is unresponsive or refuses a full or partial refund then you have the right to make a complaint to your credit card issuer for recourse. Ensure that you have a copy of all receipts and written communication as evidence that you have made attempts to resolve the issue with the merchant.

Enjoy your shopping experience online and stay safe with the added protection that comes with buying and selling using your credit card. Online shopping should be a quick and convenient way to buy and sell goods.

We all need to be responsible for our actions and should work together to keep communication between buyer and seller open even when you are not entirely satisfied with your order.