Billing Descriptors 101 – Reduce Chargebacks Today

Last Updated on October 13, 2023 by Corepay

As the e-commerce landscape expands, the significance of billing descriptors in the payment arena cannot be overstated. A well-crafted billing descriptor can be the linchpin in averting or precipitating a chargeback against your enterprise.

In this piece, we’ll explain why billing descriptors are pivotal in diminishing chargebacks.

What Constitutes a Billing Descriptor?

Billing descriptors, function as the identifier on your credit card statement, imparting critical details about a transaction and aiding clients in recognizing their purchases. These succinct descriptions are pivotal in curtailing chargebacks and elevating client satisfaction. Refining billing descriptors can alleviate misunderstandings and disputes stemming from unrecognized transactions.

*A billing descriptor is the text on a client’s credit or debit card statement that notifies them of the transaction’s origin.

To effectively reduce chargebacks through billing descriptors, it’s imperative to tailor them for each transaction. Encompass specific particulars regarding the products or services procured, making it easier for clients to comprehend and recall the transaction. Keep dynamic descriptors current to address client concerns swiftly. 

You can forestall chargebacks by presenting precise, detailed information on client statements and ensuring clients recognize and accept the charges.

Furthermore, contemplate including customer service contact data in your billing descriptor. This empowers clients to seek support before resorting to a chargeback, potentially resolving any issues or concerns.

Diverse Categories of Billing Descriptors

Various classifications of billing descriptors fluctuate in their level of detail and customization. Familiarizing yourself with these types can aid in selecting the most fitting descriptor for your enterprise.

Static

 The initial variety is a static billing descriptor, which remains consistent for every transaction. This is ideal for businesses offering a solitary product or service. It furnishes fundamental information like the company name but lacks specific transaction details.

Soft

Soft billing descriptors manifest temporarily on online statements as placeholders for pending transactions. Once the transactions are finalized, they are substituted with hard descriptors that display the final prices on buyers’ statements.

Hard

The enduring billing descriptor takes the place of the provisional descriptor on the cardholder’s statement after a transaction has been settled. This process typically takes a few days to reflect on the statement and the final charged amount.

Dynamic

Dynamic billing descriptors furnish more detailed information about each transaction. They can be customized to incorporate specific product details, codes, or categories. This level of customization amplifies client recognition and diminishes chargebacks by providing precise and succinct information on their statements.

How Billing Descriptors Function in Chargeback Prevention

Billing descriptors play a pivotal role in averting chargebacks. By presenting concise transaction information on a client’s credit card statement, billing descriptors aid clients in recognizing and acknowledging the charge. This mitigates confusion and disputes stemming from unrecognized transactions, ultimately diminishing the likelihood of chargebacks.

To effectively prevent chargebacks through billing descriptors, it is imperative to ensure the descriptor incorporates pertinent details such as the merchant’s name, website, or customer support contact. Precision is vital in avoiding misleading or inaccurate descriptors that could lead to client confusion. By customizing your billing descriptor to mirror your brand or product accurately; you can enhance client recognition and reduce the risk of chargebacks.

Crafting and Optimizing Billing Descriptors

Here are four fundamental steps you can take to optimize your billing descriptors:

1. Employ clear and straightforward language: Improper language or abbreviations may confuse clients. Keep the description uncomplicated and easy to comprehend.
2. Incorporate pertinent details: Furnish specific product or service information in the descriptor. This aids clients in promptly identifying their purchases and diminishes the likelihood of chargebacks due to unrecognized transactions.
3. Keep descriptors up-to-date in real-time: Ensure that your billing descriptors faithfully reflect each transaction by updating them promptly. This allows clients to recognize the transaction when reviewing their statements easily.
4. Provide customer support contact details: Include a customer service phone number or email address in the descriptor. 

How Billing Descriptors Appear to Clients

When clients encounter your billing descriptors, they should promptly grasp the nature of the transaction and its affiliation with your enterprise. Billing descriptors initially manifest on card statements as soft descriptors, transitioning into hard descriptors.

Billing Descriptor vs. Payment References

While a billing descriptor is a concise description that appears on your credit card statement to denote the merchant and nature of the purchase, payment references are unique identifiers for specific transactions. Payment references are primarily utilized for discussions with banks rather than for recognizing purchases. Familiarizing yourself with billing descriptors and payment references enables you to promptly discern legitimate charges and circumvent confusion or disputes over unrecognized transactions.

How Corepay Can Elevate Your Billing Descriptors

At Corepay, we often see merchants who need more accurate billing descriptors. We can quickly spot these and, most importantly, solve the issue with our partner product, CB-ALERT.

By harnessing the capabilities of Corepay, you can formulate billing descriptors that not only faithfully represent your enterprise but also mitigate confusion and disputes.