Dealing with credit card chargebacks can be a frustrating experience. You think you do everything right: you verify that the card belongs to the customer, you fully communicate your return policy, you represent the merchandise in a truthful manner, you enforce a credit card security policy, and you have fraud detection mechanisms in place. Then you see the chargeback fees on your merchant statement and wonder if it's all worth it.
For all merchants, small and large, chargeback fees are a hefty expense. Major and mid-sized merchants write-off chargeback fees as a normal part of conducting business. They are depending on high transaction volume to offset credit card chargeback fees.
Most small merchants don't have the luxury of writing off chargeback fees. They depend on every sale and every dollar to achieve their objectives. Small merchants can't afford to overlook chargeback fees that are upwards of $35 per transaction.
In some cases, chargeback fees are higher than the price of the merchandise. These chargeback fees charged by credit card issuing banks are unjustified and horrendous. With no relief or support in sight, it is understandable why merchants are frustrated with the fight against chargebacks.
As a result, merchants are taking drastic action to reduce chargeback fees. Some are eliminating international sales which may stunt their growth by decreasing the size of their market. Others are raising prices above the market value to remain financially viable. Some misguided merchants are even blaming their customers and trying to pass chargeback fees down to them. Attacking your customers is never a good idea!
Calm down, don't loose your head, and don't let frustration dictate your business decisions. There are a numerous ways to reduce chargeback fees including shopping around for a new merchant account provider with a solid history of chargeback protection and lower chargeback fees. It is imperative that you remain diligent in fighting chargebacks and look for proven and creative solutions to reduce credit card chargeback fees.
