Major card brands, such as Visa and Mastercard, outlined a set of compliance best practices for e-commerce merchants to follow. These practices primarily involve disclosure notices to customers, serving as a proactive approach to address potential questions or concerns.
E-Commerce Best Practices for Merchants
For any merchant considering taking payments online, it is essential to implement these requirements. Payjunction is committed to reviewing merchants' websites to ensure compliance with these standards. To prevent any processing interruptions, it is necessary that all these items are in place before initiating your first e-commerce transaction. These requirements are as follows:
1. Business Contact Information
Ensure customers have your up- to- date contact information including:
- Email address
- Phone Number
- Mailing Address
2. Pricing / Cost of Services
The pricing should be easy to understand and clearly documented on your website to avoid confusion with customers down the road that can lead to issues including refunds and chargebacks.
3. Refund / Cancellation Policy
Whether or not you offer refunds and/or cancellations, you must always display the policy on your website. Your refund/cancellation policy should address:
- Do you offer refunds or cancellations?
- If you do, what conditions must be met to qualify?
- Are there any additional fees or costs associated with refunds or cancellations?
4. Privacy Policy
This policy can be short but must address the following:
- What information do you collect from your customers?
- How do you utilize the information you collect from your customers?
5. Delivery/Shipping Time Frame
When providing physical / tangible products, please include a clear description of the delivery/shipping time frame to your customers.