What records might a merchant hold?¶
A merchant can connect payment to order, account, goods and fulfilment - details usually absent from issuer records.
Sales records explain the purchase¶
Sources may include account and login, order, invoice, receipt, checkout, billing, delivery, refund, communications and staff notes. Online activity can add endpoint, browser, IP-related and fraud data; in-person activity can add terminal, till operator, loyalty, collection and CCTV.
Merchant, processor and issuer references may differ because facilitators and marketplaces sit between them.
Join acceptance to supply¶
Preserve descriptor, merchant and order IDs, transaction reference, amount, time and method. Ask how order, payment and delivery link and obtain collection identity or digital download and redemption records.
Billing and delivery names can be copied or false. Report payment acceptance, order creation, supply and receipt as separate events.
The point to remember
Use merchant records to connect payment with the order and fulfilment, then establish who placed and received it from account and physical evidence.
