Education
A guide for platforms on how to educate their merchants about payment best practices, rules, and regulations.
As a platform, one of the most critical roles you play is educating your merchants about the intricacies of accepting digital payments. Proper education not only ensures a smoother experience for your merchants but also helps prevent disputes, reduce fraud, and maintain compliance with both Tapaya's policies and card scheme regulations.
Key Areas for Merchant Education
We recommend that you build a dedicated section in your help center or onboarding flow that covers the following topics. You can use our documentation as a source and tailor it to your specific platform and merchant base.
Understanding Fees
Merchants need to have a clear understanding of the fees they are paying.
- Clearly explain your pricing model (e.g., blended, percentage-based, or fixed).
- Briefly explain that your fees include the costs of processing, which are paid to partners like Tapaya, APMs providers and the card schemes.
- Provide a clear breakdown of fees in your merchant dashboard or reports.
Handling Disputes and Chargebacks
Chargebacks can be costly and time-consuming. Educating merchants on how to prevent and handle them is crucial.
- Explain the lifecycle of a dispute, from notification to the final decision.
- Provide clear instructions on how to submit compelling evidence through your platform or in response to Tapaya's notifications.
- Reference our Chargebacks guide for more details.
Security and Compliance
Security is a shared responsibility. Merchants must understand their role in keeping payments secure.
- Explain that by using your solution with Tapaya Accept SDK, they are using a PCI-compliant solution. However, they still have a responsibility to handle customer data securely.
- Explain that these methods include liability shifts for certain types of fraud, which protects the merchant.
- Advise merchants to regularly inspect their devices for any signs of tampering.
Prohibited and Restricted Businesses
To protect your platform and the entire payment ecosystem, it's vital to enforce rules about what can be sold.
- Inform merchants that card networks have strict rules about certain types of businesses and transactions.
- Provide a clear list of prohibited and restricted business categories. This
includes, but is not limited to:
- Illegal products and services
- Gambling
- Adult content
- High-risk financial services
- Explain that failure to comply can result in account suspension or termination.
Best Practices for Platforms
- Integrate Education into Onboarding: Don't wait for problems to arise. Make this information a part of your merchant onboarding process.
- Create a Resource Center: Build a comprehensive help center or FAQ section that merchants can easily access.
- Proactive Communication: Keep your merchants informed about any changes to payment rules, regulations, or your platform's policies.
- Use Clear Language: Avoid jargon where possible. Explain complex topics in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.