Merchant Account Website Requirements: A Detailed Guide
Most payment service providers require merchants to follow all the guidelines listed in this document. Following the instructions significantly increases your chances of getting approved for a merchant account. These are simple and effective ways to improve the possibility of your account approval. No matter if you are applying to a domestic processor or an offshore payment service provider, most of the guidelines remain the same.
Card brand logo. Display the logo of the card brands that you wish to accept on your website.
Contact Us Page. The Contact Us page should clearly show customer service information. It should indicate the customer support email address or telephone number (we suggest both). Remember, payment service providers will most of the time verify the support number. Your support number should be active, and we advise you to keep it active 24×7. Maintaining the support number active 24 hours a day may help you offer reliable customer service and can also help reduce potential chargebacks.
Use of images and videos. Payment service providers take the Digital Millennium Copyright Act very seriously. As a merchant, you should only use those images for which you have the required licenses. Additionally, you can utilize creative common images that permit commercial use and modifications. Find free images here.
Company Information. The website should list detailed information about the legal business name of the company. In addition to the name, customers should have visibility of the company’s address. This helps customers generate trust in the merchant’s business operation. Sometimes customers also verify the entity’s business license information on relevant government websites, like The Company House.
These simple steps can help you build a long-lasting relationship with your potential customers. List the detailed company information on the checkout page or the page where the customer submits the credit card information. If you are using a hosted payment page, then this information should be available on the page, which will eventually navigate the customer to the payment processor’s website. You should avoid using PO Box addresses. Most of the payment processing companies are uncomfortable working with merchants that use PO Box addresses. Payment processing companies may verify the merchant’s declared physical address.
Clear shipping policy. The shipping policy should be simple and easy to understand. The shipping policy should provide detailed information on the time required to ship the product to the customer’s address. A complete shipping policy can help you reduce the chargeback-to-sales ratio. Link the shipping policy to the home page menu or the footer menu of the website. It is a good idea to send the link to the shipping policy and refund policy to the customer with the order confirmation email.
Privacy Policy. It is common to find a privacy policy on almost every website these days, but for sites that accept credit card transactions or any other form of payment, this page is exceptionally vital. This page should indicate how you collect credit card information and how you ensure the security of the transaction data.
Terms and Conditions. This page should have detailed information about the rights of the visitor and the customer. The merchant’s jurisdiction, where all disputes must be settled, should be displayed on this page. This page should also clearly define the responsibilities of the customer. Payment service providers or payment gateway companies observe these pages in detail. Please do not copy the terms and conditions, privacy policy, or any other related page content from other websites.
A detailed product and service description is crucial, and the merchant should allocate ample time to this element. Ensure that the product description on your website matches the product offering. Do not overcommit to the customer. Overcommitment is one of the main reasons for disputes and chargebacks. Ensure that the product page lists all variations of your product, such as color, dimension, packaging, aroma, etc. You should add relevant, clear images to each product page. Correct photos help customers set the right expectations for the final product. Sometimes, overediting images can also create disputes. If possible, keep the images as natural as possible.
Refund Policy and Cancellation Policy. Credit card companies offer buyer protection to cardholders. Buyers can dispute the transaction if the merchant fails to deliver the promised product or service. You should have a clear refund policy. The refund policy should have simple language. Avoid using legal language that may confuse the customer. Most of the popular e-commerce websites keep their refund and cancellation policy as the most straightforward page on the site.
SSL certificate for all the pages. SSL ensures that your website loads securely on the HTTPS protocol. The payments industry considers this protocol to be the most secure to protect transaction information movement.
Check out page information. The subtotal on the checkout page should indicate the cost of the product, shipping costs, and taxes, as applicable. If you charge additional for customization of the products in the case of customized T-shirts and mugs, then you must show this charge as a separate charge on the checkout page. Display any additional duty or individual taxes on the final checkout information, if applicable to your product. Present this information to the customer before they proceed with the transaction for processing through the payment gateway.
You may follow the above-stated suggestion. If you have any questions regarding merchant account website requirements, feel free to email us at [email protected].
