GlossaryWhat Is Chargeback Representment? How to Fight Disputes
What is chargeback representment? Learn the dispute lifecycle, deadlines, what to put in a rebuttal packet and when a chargeback isn't worth fighting.
Adrian ReyesSenior Payments & Fintech Editor
Adrian Reyes
Adrian Reyes is Senior Payments & Fintech Editor for Beyond the Swipe, covering credit card processing, merchant accounts, payment technology and processing fees.
- Credit card processing
- Merchant accounts
- Payment technology
- Processing fees
Articles by Adrian Reyes
Glossary
GlossaryWhat Is a Card-Not-Present Transaction? Risks and Rates
Learn what a card not present transaction is, why phone, online and keyed payments cost more, who pays for fraud, and how to lower both.
Adrian Reyes
GlossaryWhat Are Chargeback Reason Codes? How to Read Them
Learn how chargeback reason codes work, how Visa and Mastercard group them, and which evidence wins fraud, authorization, processing and consumer disputes.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · Seattle, WAWashington's New Sales Tax on Services: A Seattle Billing Guide
Washington sales tax on services now covers IT, web development and digital ads. Learn how Seattle firms should tax invoices, payment links and card billing.
Adrian Reyes
GlossaryVoid vs Refund: What's the Difference and Which Costs Less
Void vs refund explained: learn why voiding before the batch closes can save processing fees, when a refund is required, and how to train staff.
Adrian Reyes
NewsVisa Decline Code Changes Oct. 23–25: Fix Your Retry Logic Now
Visa response code 57 retry rules tighten Oct. 25. Learn which declines to stop retrying, what new code 83 means and how to avoid reattempt fees.
Adrian Reyes
NewsThunes and Coinbase Team up: Faster Cross-Border Payouts Ahead?
The Thunes Coinbase partnership links stablecoins to local bank and wallet payouts. Learn what's live, what's planned and what to ask your payout provider.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · Seattle, WASeattle Sales Tax for Online and Delivery Orders: Destination Rules
Learn how Washington destination-based sales tax applies to Seattle delivery and online orders, and how to set correct rates in Shopify, WooCommerce and POS.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsPayment Gateway vs. Payment Processor: Who Does What
Payment gateway vs payment processor explained: what each one does, how they work together, and when bundling or separating them can save you money.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsHow to Receive International Payments Without Losing 5% to Fees
Learn how to receive international payments while cutting wire, intermediary, FX and cross-border card fees, with cost comparisons by invoice size.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesHow to Compare Merchant Processing Quotes Side by Side
Learn how to compare credit card processing rates with a simple worksheet that turns every merchant services quote into one true monthly cost.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsHow to Choose a Payment Processor: 10 Questions to Ask First
Learn how to choose a payment processor with 10 questions on pricing, contracts, funding speed, integrations, and support to ask before you sign anything.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesHigh-Risk Merchant Account Fees: What's Normal vs. Gouging
Learn which high-risk merchant account fees are normal, how rolling reserves work, and the red flags that signal overpricing before you sign a contract.
Adrian Reyes
NewsFed Debit Fee Cap: Regulation II Proposal and Court Ruling Explained
Learn where the Regulation II debit interchange cap stands after the Fed's proposal and the Corner Post ruling, and what each outcome means per $100.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsFailed Subscription Payments: Smart Retries and Dunning That Work
Failed payment recovery for subscriptions: a retry schedule, dunning sequence and decline-code logic that win back renewals and limit network fee risk.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsDigital Wallets for Business: Which Ones to Accept and Why
Compare digital wallets for business by reach, cost, dispute rules and checkout impact so you accept the wallets your customers actually use.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsCross-Border Fee vs. Foreign Transaction Fee: Who Pays What
Cross-border fee vs. foreign transaction fee: learn who pays each, how network assessments hit your statement, and how to spot processor markups.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · Chicago, ILChicago Amusement Tax: Tickets, Streaming and What to Charge
Learn how the Chicago amusement tax applies to event tickets, resales and streaming subscriptions, and how to set up checkout to collect the right amount.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsACH vs. Credit Card: Which Should You Push Customers Toward?
ACH vs credit card: compare fees, speed to funds, disputes and failure rates by ticket size, plus how to steer customers to ACH without losing sales.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsACH Authorization Requirements: Forms, Wording, and Proof
Learn what a strong ACH authorization form includes, how to capture online and phone consent, and how to keep proof that holds up to unauthorized claims.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesWhy Did My Credit Card Processing Fees Go Up?
Credit card processing fees increased? Learn whether card mix, network changes, or a processor markup caused the jump and how to respond.
Adrian Reyes
GlossaryWhat Is PCI DSS Compliance? A Plain-English Merchant Guide
What is PCI compliance? Learn your merchant level, which PCI SAQ fits your setup, and how to stop paying monthly non-compliance fees.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsWhat Is a Payment Gateway? How Online Payments Get Approved
Learn what a payment gateway does, how it moves an online card payment from checkout to approval, and which features and fees to compare before choosing.
Adrian Reyes
GlossaryWhat Is a Payment Facilitator (PayFac)? Pros and Cons
What is a payment facilitator? Learn how PayFac sub-merchant accounts work, how they compare to a merchant account, and when it's time to switch.
Adrian Reyes
NewsVisa's VAMP Explained: New Fraud and Dispute Thresholds
Learn how the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) ratio works, which thresholds apply in 2026, and how to calculate and lower your own ratio.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesVisa and Mastercard Surcharge Rules: Caps, Signs, Registration
Learn the Visa surcharge rules and Mastercard requirements that apply in every state: notice, caps, signage and receipts, and what to confirm first.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsSending Money to the Philippines: Remittance Options Compared
Learn how to send money to the Philippines by bank deposit, GCash, cash pickup or delivery, and how to calculate the true cost of each transfer.
Adrian Reyes
NewsSame Day ACH Volume Jumps 37%: Should You Accept It?
Same Day ACH for businesses is surging. See what Nacha's Q3 2026 data means for your invoice fees, payment speed, return risk and setup.
Adrian Reyes
NewsPCI DSS 4.0.1 Payment Page Script Rules: What Changed in 2025
PCI DSS 6.4.3 and 11.6.1 became mandatory March 31, 2025. Learn what your online store must do, how SAQ A changed, and which tasks your platform covers.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsPay by Bank: How Open Banking Payments Work for Merchants
Learn how pay by bank works for U.S. merchants, from ACH and instant rails to cost savings versus cards, return risk, fraud controls and provider questions.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsLocal Payment Methods: iDEAL, Pix, and More by Country
Learn which local payment methods shoppers expect by country, from iDEAL to Pix and Boleto, and how U.S. merchants can add them through a gateway.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesIs a Cash Discount Program Worth It? Pros, Cons, Real Costs
Weighing a cash discount program? Compare fee savings with customer pushback, legal limits and contract terms to decide if it fits your business.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsInterchange-Plus vs. Flat-Rate vs. Tiered: Pricing Models Compared
Compare credit card processing pricing models side by side. See how interchange-plus, flat-rate, tiered and subscription pricing affect your monthly costs.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsInterchange Downgrades: Why Some Sales Cost More and How to Fix Them
Learn what causes an interchange downgrade, how to spot non-qualified transactions on your statement, and the settings that help you avoid paying more.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsHow to Take Credit Card Payments Over the Phone Safely
Learn how to take credit card payments over the phone safely: the right tools, data that lowers rates, PCI-safe handling, and fraud checks for staff.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsHow to Improve Authorization Rates: 12 Fixes for False Declines
Learn how to improve authorization rates with 12 fixes for data, tokens, retries, fraud rules and routing that recover sales lost to false declines.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesHow to Calculate Credit Card Processing Fees on Any Sale
Learn how to calculate credit card processing fees for flat-rate, interchange-plus and tiered pricing, plus your true cost per sale to set better prices.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · FLFlorida Credit Card Surcharge Law: Is It Legal Now?
Learn where Florida credit card surcharge law stands after Dana's Railroad Supply, which card rules still apply, and how to set up a compliant program.
Adrian Reyes
NewsDiscover's New Card Verification Rule for Online Sellers Explained
The Discover card account verification service becomes required for card-not-present sellers Oct. 23. Learn how it works and how to check your gateway.
Adrian Reyes
NewsCheckout.com Moves Into Stores: What It Means for Card-Present Sales
Checkout.com in-person payments are coming to stores. Learn what the Mollie deal means and what to check before using one processor online and in-store.
Adrian Reyes
GlossaryWhat Is EMV? Chip Cards and the Liability Shift Explained
What is EMV? Learn how chip cards stop counterfeit fraud, how the EMV liability shift makes swiping costly, and how to check your terminal.
Adrian Reyes
NewsVisa Direct Adds Stablecoin Funding: What It Means for Seller Payouts
Headlines on Visa Direct stablecoin payouts point to one live feature: USDC prefunding. See what it changes for platforms and what to ask your processor.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesNon-Qualified Rates: How Tiered Pricing Downgrades Cost You
Learn how a non-qualified credit card rate gets triggered under tiered pricing, how to calculate what downgrades cost you, and how to stop overpaying.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsNetwork Tokenization: Higher Approvals and Fewer Failed Renewals
Learn how network tokenization differs from gateway tokens, keeps stored cards current, and can lift approvals for subscriptions and online stores.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · CAIs Credit Card Surcharging Legal in California? 2025–2026 Rules
Is credit card surcharging legal in California? Learn what Civil Code 1748.1, Italian Colors and SB 478 mean for card fees and safer ways to offset costs.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsInternational Chargebacks: How to Win Disputes From Abroad
Learn how international chargebacks differ, from currency conversion losses to foreign issuers and shipping proof, and build evidence that wins disputes.
Adrian Reyes
NewsIntermarché Breach Hits 300K Shoppers: A Notification Checklist
What the Intermarché data breach teaches U.S. merchants: a 72-hour checklist to contain an incident, meet notice duties and protect customers.
Adrian Reyes
News · ILIllinois Swipe Fee Law Appeal: What Merchants Should Do Now
The Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act appeal keeps tax-and-tip swipe fee relief on hold. Learn who is exempt and how to plan your pricing now.
Adrian Reyes
NewsHalloween Swipe Fees Estimated at $320M: Pricing Moves for Merchants
Halloween swipe fees will top $318 million, a merchant group estimates. Learn how to figure your own holiday card costs and lower them before Black Friday.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsCredit Card Decline Codes: What Each One Means and What to Do
Learn what common credit card decline codes mean, which declines you can retry, and what to tell customers in store, online and on recurring billing.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsBuy Now, Pay Later for Merchants: Costs, Providers, and Fit
Buy now pay later for merchants explained: how BNPL merchant fees compare to cards, how Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay and PayPal differ, and when it pays off.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesWhy Online and Keyed Transactions Cost More to Process
Card not present fees, explained with Visa's own rate table: what an online or keyed sale really costs, when debit doesn't change, and how to close the gap.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsWhat Are Merchant Services? A Plain-English Guide for Business Owners
Learn what merchant services include, from the account and processor to gateways, hardware and funding, plus which fees you pay and what you can negotiate.
Adrian Reyes
GlossaryWhat Are Interchange Fees? How Card Swipe Costs Are Set
What are interchange fees? Learn who sets them, why card type and entry method change your cost, and practical ways to qualify for lower rates.
Adrian Reyes
NewsVisa's New Installment Interchange Rates: October 2026 Explained
Visa installment credential interchange rates arrive with Visa's October 2026 update. See the new categories, who sees them and how to catch hidden markups.
Adrian Reyes
NewsVisa's New Embedded Payment Charge: October 2026 Fee Changes
The Visa acquirer embedded payment charge starts October 23, 2026. Learn who it affects, other fall network changes and what to check on your statement.
Adrian Reyes
NewsVisa and Mesh Crypto Spending: What Changes at Your Checkout
Visa Mesh crypto payments let shoppers pay from crypto wallets at Visa merchants. Learn what changes at your checkout and what's still unknown.
Adrian Reyes
NewsSwipe Fee Settlement Heads to Final Approval: What's at Stake
The Visa Mastercard settlement final approval hearing is Nov. 16. Learn what objectors argue, what's at stake for your card fees and what records to pull now.
Adrian Reyes
NewsOne Fake Contact, One Breach: Social Engineering Lessons for Merchants
What the ASOS social engineering data breach teaches retail merchants, plus a checklist to protect staff logins, SaaS apps and payment portals.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsMulti-Currency Pricing: Show Local Prices Without Losing Margin
Learn how multi-currency pricing works, how to show local prices online, and how to protect margin from FX markups, rate swings and refunds.
Adrian Reyes
NewsMore Rewards Breach: Is Your Loyalty Program the Weak Spot?
A loyalty program data breach can expose customers even when card data is safe. Learn what PCI DSS misses and how to lock down your rewards data.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesEarly Termination Fee on Your Merchant Account? How to Avoid Paying It
Facing an early termination fee on your merchant account? Learn how liquidated damages and auto-renewal work and how to get the fee waived or covered.
Adrian Reyes
NewsMastercard's Global Money Platform: Stablecoins Reach Your Processor
The Mastercard Global Money Platform brings stablecoin settlement and payouts closer to your processor. Learn what changed and what to ask before opting in.
Adrian Reyes
News · ILIllinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act: Delays, Lawsuit and Next Steps
Where the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act stands after the 2027 delay vote and court rulings, and how to prepare your POS for tax and tip data.
Adrian Reyes
NewsFTC Junk Fee Rule: Total Price Rules for Tickets and Hotels
The FTC junk fee rule for tickets and hotels requires all-in pricing. Learn what the total price must include and how card surcharges fit at checkout.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsCredit Card Authorization Holds: How Long They Last, How to Release Them
Learn how a credit card authorization hold works, how long it lasts, and how incremental auths and reversals prevent customer double-charge complaints.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsContactless Payments for Small Business: NFC Setup and Costs
Contactless payments for small business explained: how NFC tap works, which terminals to buy, what it costs and how to manage fraud and CVM limits.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsCard-Present vs. Card-Not-Present: Fees, Fraud, and Rules
Card present vs card not present: learn how networks classify each sale, why CNP costs more, who carries fraud liability, and how to cut your fees.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · CACalifornia SB 478 and Restaurant Service Charges Explained
Learn what California SB 478 restaurant service charge rules require on menus, QR codes, online ordering and receipts, and how the SB 1524 exception works.
Adrian Reyes
NewsAhold Delhaize Cyberattack: Keep Selling When Systems Go Dark
The Ahold Delhaize cyberattack took grocery sites offline. Learn how independent stores can keep taking payments and protect card data when systems fail.
Adrian Reyes
Local Guides · NYNew York Credit Card Surcharge Law: How to Post Prices and Stay Compliant
Learn what the New York credit card surcharge law requires, how to post the total card price, and how dual pricing and cash discounts fit.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesInterchange-Plus vs. Flat-Rate vs. Tiered Pricing: Which Is Right for You?
Compare interchange-plus vs. flat-rate pricing, plus tiered rates: how each model works, what it costs as you grow and how to find your effective rate.
Adrian Reyes
Processing BasicsHow Credit Card Processing Works: A Step-by-Step Guide for Merchants
See how credit card processing works from tap to deposit: who approves the sale, how settlement reaches your bank and where interchange fees come from.
Adrian Reyes
Rates & FeesCash Discount vs. Surcharge vs. Dual Pricing: Key Differences Explained
Cash discount vs surcharge vs dual pricing: learn how each program works at checkout, which disclosure rules apply and how to pick the right fit.
Adrian Reyes