Shopify Payments FAQ

Find answers to commonly asked questions about Shopify Payments.

Payouts

How do I get paid?

Shopify Payments transfers funds to the bank account you have entered on the Payment providers page in your Shopify admin. The account you use to accept payouts needs to be a Shopify Balance account, a full checking account, or a current account in the UK and Ireland. For more information on the accounts that you can use, refer to the bank account requirements for Shopify Payments section in your country.

Can I get my money faster?

The time it takes for Shopify Payments to transfer funds to your bank account depends on your pay period. We can't decrease an individual account's pay period, but we're actively working to reduce pay periods for all accounts. You can review all the transfers to your account that Shopify Payments attempts on the payout schedule in Shopify admin.

If you use a Shopify Balance account, then you can receive your Shopify Payments earnings in as little as one business day. Business days do not include weekends or US holidays. If you also have Shop Pay Installments active, and your customer uses it during their checkout, then the payout can take up to three business days.

What counts as a business day?

Business days are Monday to Friday, except federal holidays for merchants in the United States, and statutory holidays for merchants in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The day a customer places an order on your store is determined from the time that the order was placed in the UTC time zone.

Why does my payout show “Paid”, but no funds have been deposited?

We transfer funds every day, but most banks only process the transfer on business days. This means that if funds were sent to you on a holiday or a weekend, then you'll probably receive the money in your bank the next day your bank is open. For transfers sent on business days, you should receive the funds by the next day.

My payout failed, what do I do?

When a transfer fails, payouts to your bank account are put on hold until the issue is resolved. To resolve an issue causing your transfers to fail, follow the instructions on the Failed payout banner on your Payouts page. For example, you might be prompted to update your banking details, or to click Retry payout.

If you update your bank account to a valid checking account, then the failed transfers are automatically retried within the next 72 hours. If your current account is valid and you're unsure why the transfer failed, then you should contact your bank to investigate the issue. For more on failed payouts, refer to Getting paid with Shopify Payments.

Why are all my payouts 30 days apart?

In certain cases your orders are subject to a 30-day payout period due to the products you sell. This payout period is required by our payment partner for some businesses. You are directly notified if your account requires a 30-day payout period instead of a normal payout period.

Your Shopify Payments account

My Shopify Payments account is on hold, what do I do?

When a Shopify Payments account is on hold, the Shopify account holder is sent an email with additional information. To resolve the issue, review this email and reply directly to it. Learn more about account holds.

Does Shopify protect me from chargebacks?

No, chargebacks are your responsibility. Shopify can assist you by providing supporting documentation to dispute the chargeback, but it is the cardholder's bank that makes the decision regarding a chargeback outcome. Shopify can't change or appeal the bank's decision.

Are there any processing limits or fund reserves?

There's no limit to the amount you can accept each month or per transaction through Shopify Payments, and your funds are transferred to your bank account on the same schedule, regardless of volume.

In rare cases, we might request an additional reserve. If this is something that we feel might be necessary for your business, our underwriting team contacts you directly to discuss this.

Can I use a bank account with multiple signors?

Yes. The increased security that banks offer with multiple signors is used to protect changes to the account itself, not regular transactions in and out of it. If your account is set up to receive Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers, then Shopify is able to transfer funds to it. Learn more about bank account requirements.

Are there certain businesses that are prohibited from using Shopify Payments?

Yes, there are some kinds of businesses and services that can't use Shopify Payments. For more information on which types of businesses are prohibited, refer to the prohibited businesses.

Where can I find the Terms of Service for Shopify Payments?

Terms of Service (TOS) for Shopify Payments and related legal documents are available from Shopify Legal.

How do I transfer ownership of my Shopify Payments account?

Contact Shopify Support if you want to transfer ownership of your Shopify Payments account.

What is a Shopify Balance account?

Shopify Balance is a business financial account that you can use to manage your store's payments and transactions in one place. If you're an eligible merchant in the United States, you'll receive a Shopify Balance account when activating Shopify Payments. You can change your payout account at any time in Settings > Payments.

Location and currency

What currency can I sell in?

The currency you can sell in depends on the country where your business is located. Refer to Supported currencies for the list of country and currency pairings that Shopify Payments supports.

Can I sell in USD in Canada?

Yes, but you need to make sure your bank account is compatible. For more information on the accounts that you can use, refer to the bank account requirements for Shopify Payments section in your country.

What are domestic cards?

Domestic cards are credit cards that are issued and used in the same country or region of your business. This means that the financial institution that issued the credit card is in the same country or region that your business is in.

For example, your business is located in Japan, and a customer makes a purchase using a credit card from Japan. This is a domestic credit card purchase.

What are international cards?

International cards are credit cards that are issued and used in a different country or region than your business. This means that the financial institution that issued the credit card is in a different country than your business.

For example, your business is located in Germany, and a customer makes a purchase using a credit card in the United States. This is an international credit card purchase, because the customer's credit card is from a country or region that is different from where your business is located.

What are European cards?

European cards are credit cards that are issued and used in specific countries and regions in Europe. This means that the financial institution that issued the credit card might be in a different country or region than your business. European cards are treated the same way that domestic cards are treated.

For example, your business is located in The Netherlands, and a customer makes a purchase using a credit card in Ireland. This is a European credit card purchase. Your customer's credit card is a European credit card, because it was issued in a supported European country or region.

The list of countries and regions that are supported as European cards are:

List of European countries and regions, and their associated country codes
Country or regionCountry code
AndorraAD
AustriaAT
BelgiumBE
BulgariaBG
CroatiaHR
CyprusCY
Czech RepublicCZ
DenmarkDK
EstoniaEE
Faroe IslandsFO
FinlandFI
FranceFR
GermanyDE
GibraltarGI
GreeceGR
GreenlandGL
GuernseyGG
Holy See (Vatican City State)VA
HungaryHU
IcelandIS
IrelandIE
Isle of ManIM
IsraelIL
ItalyIT
JerseyJE
LatviaLV
LiechtensteinLI
LithuaniaLT
LuxembourgLU
MacedoniaMK
MaltaMT
MonacoMC
MontenegroME
The NetherlandsNL
NorwayNO
PolandPL
PortugalPT
RomaniaRO
Saint Pierre and MiquelonPM
San MarinoSM
SerbiaRS
SlovakiaSK
SloveniaSI
SpainES
Svalbard and Jan MayenSJ
SwedenSE
SwitzerlandCH
TürkiyeTR

Do Shopify Payments fees include GST (goods and service tax) in Australia?

Yes. The current Australian GST rate of 10% is charged on all transactions that are processed through Shopify Payments.

Do Shopify Payments fees include GST (goods and service tax) in Singapore?

Yes. In Singapore, the current GST rate of 7% is charged on all transactions that are processed through Shopify Payments.

Where can I find out how much GST has been collected on Shopify Payments fees?

You can export a spreadsheet of your transactions that shows how much GST you've paid.

Do Shopify Payments fees include Value-Added Tax (VAT) for stores in Europe?

Shopify Payments fees do not include Value-Added Tax (VAT) for stores in Europe with the exception of Ireland. You may need to account for VAT at the local applicable tax rate on your VAT return.

What is PSD2?

On September 14, 2019, the Revised Payment Service Directive, also known as PSD2, was introduced in all countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom. There is an expected 18-month transition period for online stores in the affected countries to become compliant with PSD2.

PSD2 introduces new, strict security requirements for electronic payments to reduce the risk of fraud. You will be PSD2 compliant if you use Shopify Payments through our integrated 3D Secure checkout.

What is 3D Secure Checkout?

3D Secure is an additional security layer for online credit and debit card transactions. It adds an authentication step for online payments by redirecting the user to the card issuer’s domain, then back to the online store's domain to complete payment. Online stores in countries under the PSD2 directive require 3D Secure checkout integrations in order to be compliant with the PSD2 directive.

Payments that are successfully authenticated by 3D secure are protected by a liability shift. When a payment is authenticated with 3D secure, the liability for fraudulent chargebacks or disputes is shifted from merchants to card issuers. This liability shift results in merchants no longer being liable for the costs of a chargeback or dispute. However, card issuers have policies that remove liability shift protection if too many chargebacks occur. For example, Visa's policy is that merchants who receive more than 7,500 USD in fraudulent chargebacks in one month are no longer able to shift liability to the card issuer.

If you're using Shopify Payments or Stripe as a payment gateway, then you're automatically using a 3D Secure checkout flow. Shopify Payments is optimized to minimize the use of 3D Secure, and only uses 3D Secure when required by the issuing bank in order for a transaction to be authorized successfully.

If you're using a third-party gateway and require 3D Secure, then you can use Cardinal as a 3D Secure provider.

Purchases and refunds

Is there a minimum transaction amount required when using Shopify Payments?

Yes. If the transaction total is less than the minimum, then the customer will encounter an error at checkout. The minimum amount is in place to ensure that you don't lose money from a transaction after your Shopify Payments fees are deducted.

The minimum amount is based on the currency in which you recieve payouts.

Table highlighting the payout currency and minimum amounts.
Payout currencyMinimum amount
USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, SGD$0.50
DKK2.50-kr.
EUR €0.50
GBP£0.30
HKD$4.00
JPY¥50
RONlei2.00

Can I capture multiple payments on a single order using Shopify Payments?

No. You can capture a payment only once for an order, and the payment can't be more than the order's authorized amount. This means that your customers can't add to an existing order. If they want to add more products after an order has been placed, then they need to make a new order.

My customer says they were charged for something but I don't have an order, why?

Many banks display charges immediately when an attempt for payment is made, even if that payment fails. Most of the time, failed payment attempts appear as pending charges; however, some banks display them as regular charges. These charges, regardless of their status, appear for a short period of time before they are reversed. The amount of time that the charge appears on the customer's account depends on the bank, but is typically 3-5 days. If it's unclear what the charge is for, then ask the customer to contact their bank to confirm whether the charge is an authorization, a failed charge, or a successful transaction. If a charge remains on the customer's account for more than 5 business days without an order and the customer's bank can't determine what the charge was for, then contact Shopify Support for assistance.

How long does it take for my customer to get refunded?

In most cases, your customer receives the refund within 10 business days. Processing time can vary between banks.

Inside the authorization period, when a customer is refunded (either partially or in full), the customer might not have a line item on their statement for a refund because we adjust the capture amount for the charge when it settles. They might still have a charge as “Pending” on their statement until the period expires.

If you would like help in determining the status of a refund that you have processed, then contact Shopify support for a refund reference number.

How do I refund an order?

If you're using Shopify Payments and you issue a refund, then the amount is deducted from your next available payout. In most cases, the refund is labeled as Pending for up to 2 business days, and it can take up to 10 business days for your customer to receive the refunded amount.

You can find the Acquirer Reference Number (ARN) in the order timeline under the refund details. ARNs are available for all refunds through Shopify Payments that are sent to a Visa or Mastercard.

ARNs can be used by banks and credit card providers to trace a transaction. If a customer claims they haven't received their refund, then provide the customer with the ARN and advise them to reach out to their credit card provider to investigate.

If you're using Shopify Payments and your payout doesn't have enough funds for a return, then there are different outcomes depending on where your store is based:

  • In the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czechia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, the balance is debited from your bank account. The debit will occur on a day that falls outside your regular payout schedule.

  • If the debit fails, then it will be attempted again in 3 business days. If that reattempt fails, then you need to change your Shopify Payments bank account, or repay the negative balance manually.

  • In all other countries, the remainder of the refund is deducted from the next payout until the refunded amount is covered.

If your Shopify Payments account displays a negative balance, and the refund status in the order timeline has been Pending for more than 2 business days, then the outcome depends on where your store is based:

  • In France, Romania, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, or Japan, your negative balance will be cleared by future sales.
  • If you're in Europe and use a non-Euro bank account, then your negative balance will be cleared by future sales.
  • In all other countries and currencies, your bank account will be debited for the negative balance.

Depending on the balance, and how long it's been pending, the Shopify Recovery team might get in touch directly with the store owner to address the negative balance, and to keep your Shopify Payments account in good standing.

If you have questions about your negative balance, then contact Shopify Support.

Can a refund be canceled?

No. After you've issued a refund, it can't be canceled.

If the card that you have refunded is expired or canceled, the customer's new card is credited with the refund. In the rare case that the customer doesn't have a new card, the bank usually sends the refund to the customer's bank account.

How long do I have to issue a refund?

The maximum time frame of issuing a refund depends on your customer's bank's ability to process refunds for orders after a long period of time. You can usually issue a refund up to 120 days.

After a refund, am I refunded for the credit card fees?

No. The Shopify Payments Terms of Service sections C5, D5 and D6 state that we don't refund credit card fees on Shopify Payments transactions when a merchant issues a return to a customer. Shopify Payments incurs costs to process both the refund and the original transaction, so the original credit card processing fee isn't reimbursed.

Chargebacks and declined payments

Can I refund a chargeback?

No. A chargeback happens when a credit card company refunds a charge to the credit card holder at your expense. An order's payment can't be refunded through Shopify after a chargeback process has been started, and the funds are automatically taken from your account by the bank. If the chargeback is only an inquiry and the funds haven't been taken by the credit card company yet, then a refund is possible but not recommended. The credit card company refunds the customer directly if you lose the chargeback inquiry.

Why am I charged a fee for each chargeback?

When a chargeback is filed, Shopify Payments is debited the full amount of the charge fee to help cover the cost of processing the dispute. You can submit evidence to have a dispute resolved in your favor. If you end up winning the dispute, then we return the full amount (including the chargeback fee) to you.

My customer said the dispute was a mistake. Can it be reversed?

Yes, though only your customer can do so. If you've talked to your customer and they've agreed to drop the dispute, then you should tell them to contact their bank and say that they want to drop the chargeback. You should also submit evidence to the customer's bank, including the statement where the customer said they would drop the charge. You could include evidence such as:

  • the date and time that you fulfilled the order
  • the billing information that the customer used
  • the IP address and country used for the order
  • shipping and tracking information for the order.

Can I add more information after submitting a response?

You can submit additional evidence to your response at any time before the chargeback due date. The due date varies from 7 to 21 days after the chargeback or inquiry is filed. For information on viewing and adding evidence to a chargeback, refer to Managing chargebacks and inquiries.

My customer’s purchase was declined. Why?

There are several possible reasons. When we submit a charge to your customer’s bank, they have automated systems that determine whether or not to accept the charge. These systems take various signals into account, such as your customer’s spending habits, account balance, and card information like the expiration date and CVV.

These signals are constantly changing, so a previously successful card might be declined in the future. Even if all of the card information is correct, and your customer previously had a successful payment, a new charge can still be declined by a bank’s fraud systems.

Can I find out more about the decline?

We show as much information as we receive from your customer’s bank about a decline in the order history. Most declines are generic, so we don’t have much information as to why a charge was declined.

If the card information seems correct, then it's best to have your customer contact their bank, ask for more information, and ask for future charges to be accepted.

How do I decrease the likelihood of a charge being declined?

The correctness of the card number, expiration date, and the CVV are the primary factors used by the customer’s bank when deciding whether or not to accept a transaction. The influence of other data that you collect, like the address or name, varies by card brand. For example, only American Express consider the customer’s name.

If I close my store, do I still get emails about chargebacks?

Emails regarding chargebacks are still sent to closed or paused stores.

If your store is closed or paused, and you receive an email about a chargeback, then you need to follow the link in the email to log in and pay for a new plan to reopen the store. After you reopen your store, you can submit the additional evidence for the chargeback.

If you don't reopen your store, then only basic transactional information is submitted with the chargeback.

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