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Cancellation policy prominent at check out to prevent chargebacks - new requirements

BlueMtnCabins
Jun 6, 2018 1:36 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1115 posts

Long story short, apparently there is an increased number of chargebacks in the VR industry lately. I have been doing some research and here is what I came across - new credit card requirements (from Apr 18, 2018) re cancellation policy (which have to be in place to prevent frivolous "I did not know" chargebacks). My question is - how to add a field to the check out form with abbreviated cancellation policy disclosure so that they cannot claim they did not see it within the rental agreement. I have defined a field but right now having a brain malfunction. should it be a "property" or Booking" type field, and how to make it display on the check out form?

Required Disclosure

All of the following:

That the Merchant agrees to hold the reservation unless it is cancelled according to the agreed cancellation policy
The date and time the stay or rental will begin
The Merchant location where the accommodations, merchandise, or services will be provided
Cancellation policy, including, but not limited to, the following:
Date and time by which the Cardholder must cancel the reservation to avoid a penalty
Amount the Cardholder must pay if the reservation is not properly cancelled by the deadline and the Cardholder does not claim the accommodations, merchandise, or services within 24 hours of the agreed time
That, if the Merchant cannot honour the reservation, the Merchant will provide the agreed accommodations, merchandise, or services, or comparable accommodations, merchandise, or services at no additional cost to the Cardholder or as agreed by the Cardholder
Location of Disclosure

Either or both:

Merchant website or application, both:
One or more of the following:
In the sequence of pages before final checkout, a "click to accept" or other acknowledgement button, checkbox, or location for an Electronic Signature
On the checkout screen near the "submit" button
A "click to book" or other similar confirmation button
Not solely a link to a separate page (In the Europe Region, this may be a link to another website only if the link forms part of the “click to accept” acknowledgement and refers to the cancellation policy)
Written notice provided through mail, email, or text message


Chris Hynes
Jun 6, 2018 2:31 PM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1400 posts

Looking at those requirements, it seems like the electronic signature on the rental agreement should suffice. It actually calls out specifically the electronic signature as valid, as well as written notice through email (which they get with the renter agreement signed email/pdf). Is there a new component of the credit card requirements that changes that?

In terms of a custom field, what you'd want is a Booking custom field, required during checkout. Here's an article on that: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/capture-additional-fields-on-checkout-quote-acceptance

What you could do is this:
- Create a form message for "Quote Acceptance - Step (2) Enter Guest Info Page" and below the default, put in your cancellation policy.
- Create a booking custom field called "Cancellation Policy Acceptance" or some such, make it required, and give it a description referring to the cancellation policy -- "Enter your initials to confirm that you agree to the cancellation policy above"

BlueMtnCabins
Jun 6, 2018 2:38 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1115 posts

Chris Hynes said:

Looking at those requirements, it seems like the electronic signature on the rental agreement should suffice. It actually calls out specifically the electronic signature as valid, as well as written notice through email (which they get with the renter agreement signed email/pdf). Is there a new component of the credit card requirements that changes that?

The specific requirement as I understand that either a) cancellation policy should be located within the rental agreement next to signature spot or b) there should be some sort of disclosure (maybe abbreviated policy) on checkout form that they have to agree to before proceeding. yes know they e-sign the rental agreement, and for example my rental agreement is 6 pages, so if cancellation policy is on page 2 (or next to signature or where they initial), it may not suffice. In essence it appears that renter has to proactively acknowledge the rental agreement (by putting signature/initial under it or having to click thru it on check out form). As you know I am in Say No group as well as others and it does appear that all these 'walled gardens" esp AirBNb created "book now, don't read anything cancel later" mind-set, and when renter changes their mind they expect to get their money back no matter what. we have to be protected in this new reality

BlueMtnCabins
Jun 6, 2018 2:42 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1115 posts

I have created field and added to checkout form BXCXLPOL , but I think it looks a bit clunky. But should work. I thought there was some other way too.