How Are Refunds Processed, and What Happens if My Payment Method Is Inactive?
Refunds are an essential part of the order process and are designed to ensure that money is returned to you in the event of order issues or cancellations. Below, we provide a comprehensive overview of refund processing, including how refunds are handled when issues arise with the original payment method.
Refund Basics
Refunds are typically returned to the original payment method used during checkout, such as a credit card or PayPal account.
Once a refund is processed, a receipt is sent to you for your records, and funds are typically posted back to your account within 1–3 business days, depending on your bank's processing time.
Inactive or Changed Credit Cards
Refunds can still be processed even if the original card is no longer active.
If your credit card has expired, the refund will be sent to the same bank account associated with that card, provided the account remains active.
Deactivated or Closed Cards
If the credit card used for the original payment has been deactivated:
Refunds are still typically routed to the underlying bank account, provided the account remains active.
If this is not possible due to account closure, alternative refund methods may be offered, such as PayPal or store credit.
Apple Pay Transactions
For payments made using Apple Pay:
Refunds are processed back to the original transaction ID. The system uses a device-specific tokenized number for privacy, which may differ from your actual card number. Despite this, the refund will return to the correct card.
PayPal and Canceled PayPal Cards
When you pay via PayPal, refunds are handled directly by PayPal.
Even if a card linked to your PayPal account has been canceled, the refund will be deposited into your PayPal balance, ensuring you have access to it.
Refunds for Shipping Charges
Shipping refunds can also be processed to the original payment method, such as the credit card used at checkout. You will receive a receipt/confirmation via email once processed.
Alternative Refund Options
In cases where returning to the original payment method is not possible, such as account closure or other exceptional situations, you may be offered alternatives including:
Store credit
A refund to a PayPal account