Credit Card Processing Charging Declines

[Pablo1719]

I am having a problem with Authorize.net charging declines. A customer will order and the credit card will be authorized for the amount specified. But when the transaction comes back for AVS or fraud verification it is declined. The declined transaction still shows up as a charge on the account of the holder. I talked to Authorize.net and they said that this is industry practice. The charge does disappear usually in 1-7 days but it leaves some customers very irritated.

So is there a way to set it up so that the verification process takes place before the card is charged? Is there a different gateway that will do this?

[DrByte]

As they told you, it's standard industry practice. The card isn't "charged". The funds are merely "held" until the authorization expires without being captured.

You might try setting the module into "authorize only" mode instead of "capture" mode.
And then manually capture each payment when you're ready to ship the order. But that's a lotta extra work for you.
And void each authorization that you refuse.

You can do the voiding from within your Authorize.net merchant console.

If this is for the occasional rejection here and there, it's probably not worth making big changes to your normal practice. And, if the customer is triggering a fraud filter, why are you bothered about them being irritated? You probably don't want them buying from you anyway.

As a start, you could start by just going into your Authnet merchant console and voiding the authorizations that were rejected in hopes of releasing the lock on the customer's funds. But whether that'll work or not is usually up to the customer's bank/card company, and not something related to your choice of gateway.

[Pablo1719]

Ok its what I thought but I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything I could within reason. If I set it up as Authorize only that would only help if I also set up the fraud triggers not to automatically decline. This would then involve manually reviewing the transactions and voiding them. I just have some customers that even though you explain the transaction process they are still upset and think it is something you did.

[CoolCarPartsOnline]

You can never make everyone happy.

I am assuming you are using Authorize.net Fraud Detection Suite?

After getting hit with so much Fraud last year. I have been enforcing strict validation triggers on one of my websites using Auth FDS. It does decline legit orders but it is a lost I am welling to take. I would rather lose profit on one order than having a charge back for it. Usually my issue is due to physical IP trigger. Some Military guys have complained since they place the order from oversears and Authorize.net decline their orders...

IMHO AVS verifications should always be set to decline. If you are the card holder you should know the AVS code.

I can understand someone putting the wrong billing address but not the AVS Code.

As an online business you are limited to what you can verify. You don't have the card information, you don't have the bank information. So chargebacks will happen and your merchant will tell you, it's the cost of doing business.

If you do like Dr suggested, Authorize the card and if you need to verify you can do that within 7 days of the authorization (Longer than 7 days and you might face chargebacks from the Banks as the Approval code is only valid for 7 days).

You can capture, void and refund orders from within your Zen Cart admin.

[DrByte]

By "AVS Code", I think you really meant 'CVV Code', since "AVS" refers to "Address Verification Service", and not to a "code" known only by the cardholder.

[CoolCarPartsOnline]

Sorry I did mean CVV. Too many things going on at my end.