How to Read Your Merchant Statement

How to Read Your Merchant Statement

A merchant statement is a record of deposits from customers’ purchases and fees you are paying for your merchant services. Generally, a merchant statement is designed with simplicity and efficiency. It should be convenient and easy to understand. That way, you are assured of business’ transparency.

>

Merchant number and statement period – basically shows the merchant number and the coverage of the statement: month and year.

>

Fee settlement summary – this part shows a summary of fees processed to your account. This part also reflects the details of the account to be debited or credited; charges debited or credited to your account in dollars; the total sum of all fees processed.

>

Facility fees and charges – this is where you can see details of fixed facility fees and charges; fee type; unit price; cost per unit; the total fee for each type of fixed charge; total fixed fees.

>

Transaction fees and charges – this section shows the transaction fees and charges for credit and debit cards. Also, this is where the service fee for Visa, MasterCard, and alternative payments charged per card transaction are reflected; merchant service fees for each card type processed.

The service fee under this tab means sale when the fee charge relates to a purchase transaction on a savings or check while the unit price is the fee charged as either a percentage of the transactions or a single unit charge. Total transactional fees are also included in this section.

>

Daily Transaction Settlement Summary – this tab shows the total transactions for your store or business at settlement time and the total daily transaction amount in dollars. Transactions are itemized showing the date and net sales value.

>

Card Summary – this section shows itemized transactions by card type (ie. MasterCard, Visa, and other payment options). Sub-categories include sales by card type, number, and value; refunds or reversals; net sales.

>

Chargebacks Processed – this tab outlines the value of each chargeback. Other details outlined here include process date and amount of transaction in dollars. The reversal amount can be seen in this section also if a chargeback has been processed.

Final Say

If you have any questions concerning your merchant services statement, it is best to get in touch with your merchant provider. Communication is still always the most effective way to address any confusion.

A good merchant service provider should be able to make you understand your merchant service statement. Not only will it give insight on your monthly net profit, but also design an action plan for the financial future of your business. So, the next time you receive your merchant statement, do not just read it, but understand it too.