Tag Archives: holiday shopping

large

Preventing In-Store Credit Card Fraud this Holiday

With holiday sales projected to increase by 3.7 percent this year, merchants are looking forward to ending 2015 with a bang. But, with the slow adoption of EMV®,  it’s quite possible that the criminals, thieves and frauds could put a damper on your holiday cheer (and profits). The good news is that you can help prevent fraud by taking these key steps:

Look for Abnormal Behavior

Preventing Holiday Fraud | AbtekOf course, there are the obvious tells that someone is doing something they shouldn’t be—they’re in a rush, they won’t make eye contact with you, they seem jittery, etc. But also know that every industry has its own type of clientele with unique buying habits. For example, in the jewelry industry, it’s quite common for customers to negotiate prices. If a customer comes in and has no problem forking over the actual ticket price for a high-priced item, it could be a red flag for fraud. Identify some key behaviors of your typical customers, and use these as a benchmark for identifying fraud moving forward.

Keep Good Records

Keep Receipts | AbtekLet’s say a customer comes in and claims that you charged them for an item they didn’t buy. This scenario could play out in a few ways:

  1. The customer made the purchase, but is running a scam
  2. The cashier made a mistake and rang up an incorrect or duplicate item
  3. The purchase was made with the customer’s stolen credit card (or a fake card with the stolen number)

While it’s important to handle this situation delicately, in case the mistake is on your end, it’s critical to verify the customer’s claims before making a refund. The proof is in the paperwork. This is where organized receipt archives come in handy. Pull up any receipts that are tied to the customer’s credit card. Verify that charge did take place, then take a look at the signature field and compare it with the signature on the customer’s ID. Signed documentation (i.e. receipts) can help you win a dispute against a customer who is trying to take advantage of the chargeback system. If you’re looking at a potential mistake on your end, but the customer signed off on the transaction, it’s up to your discretion whether or not you make the refund. If it turns out that the purchase was made with a stolen card, the liability will fall on the card-issuing bank (as long as all EMV requirements have been met).

Train Your Staff

Fraud Prevention Training | AbtekWe can’t stress enough how important it is that you train your staff on proper processes for handling credit card transactions. Now’s the time—before the holiday sales rush hits full speed—to hold a workshop for your employees on maximizing security and preventing fraud. Not sure where to start? The Abtek Team is here to help. Give us a call today at (800) 544-9145 to discover how we can help you prevent in-store credit card fraud this holiday season.

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS
Prepare for Holiday Shopping | Abtek

Preparing for the Holiday Shopping Season

The holiday shopping season is quickly approaching, and you know what they say—“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” As data indicates, this year should be the most profitable yet, with 82% of merchants expecting their holiday sales to increase from the previous year. Make sure that you’re prepared for the boost in customer traffic (and sales) with these four tips.

1. Adopt EMV Now

EMV for the Holidays | AbtekIf you haven’t upgraded your POS equipment to for the new EMV chip cards, it’s time to do so. Accepting EMV technology at your store is critical for ensuring the security of your customers’ payment data. Plus, if a fraudulent charge occurs at your establishment, and the victim had a chip-enabled card, you bear the responsibility of paying for the loss. To minimize potential liability, you’ll want to get this installed quickly, before the holiday rush is in full swing. You will need time to properly train your staff on how to use the new system.

2. Ramp Up Hiring Efforts to Ensure an Enjoyable Shopping Experience

Hire for Holiday Shopping Season | AbtekLines will be longer than usual, aisles will be more crowded, and as always, customers will be in a hurry. Take measures now to ensure that your customers’ shopping experience will be enjoyable, no matter how busy your store gets. Ramp up your hiring efforts so that you can operate smoothly at full capacity. Consider bringing on specialized employees to assist with decorating the store, gift-wrapping, de-icing any slippery conditions outside and other seasonal needs.

3. Make Sure You’re Working with a Payment Processer You Trust

Between the increased customer traffic, extra-large seasonal inventory, and recent changes in payment processing (EMV), things might get a little messy this holiday. When you’re hit with a chargeback, whether “friendly” or not, you’re going to want to be sure that you have a payment processor in place that will fight for you and be available to answer your questions 24/7.

4. Don’t Forget About Gift Cards!

Offer Gift Cards this Holiday | AbtekGift cards continue to be the most asked-for gift item, making the wish list for 62% of shoppers, according to reports from NRF. The average person buying gift cards will spend $172.74. Are you taking advantage of this huge sales opportunity? If you’re still offering paper gift cards, it’s time for an upgrade. Talk to your payment processor about putting a stored value card program in place at your store.

Black Friday will be here before you know it, and if you haven’t begun to prepare, you may already be falling behind the competition. For more tips and tricks on how to prepare for the holiday shopping season, follow Abtek on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn! Or, to learn more about your payment processing options, give us a call at (800) 544-9145.

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS