Expect zero help from Optimal if you get into a dispute as I have just found out to my cost.
I don't use my Optimal merchant account much and just went into it (as I do every quarter) to get the fees etc for tax time and saw a chargeback taken at the end of Novemebr on an item shipped mid-September.
The result - Optimal will not condsider even looking at the dispute as it is "past due" - they never contacted me, or asked for my side - they just handed $294.99 over to my customer who had filled in a form and said they returned the item - it never went anywhere, they didn't even try to forge a tracking ID but did submit a false name as the person who had received it at my supplier.
I'm now out $294.99 and a gorgeous Plus Sized Mahogany finished Adirondack Chair.
Way to go Optimal and bye bye as well.
So any Canadians out there understand that Optimal treats online merchants like high street ones - you're expected to "go to the bank" every day with your "takings" - the fact that my cart tells me I've got a new order and whether it cleared or not is immaterial and unless there is a dispute (which you would have thought they'd tell you about) why login all the time?
Optimal also has the notion that internet merchants are shady and not to be trusted.

So watch out you Optimal users and make sure you keep logged in so you know when Optimal hands your money out - at last what they don't keep in a "reserve" to make sure they always have some of your loot to give out to anyone who asks.

I was 85% PayPal - I'm now 100% and saving money (lower transaction fees and no monthly).

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Chances are the same thing would have happened with Paypal. And are you seriously saying you didn't notice the amount when they took it out of your account?

There should have been some type of notification, but what kind would depend on how you filled out your paperwork. Sometimes it would be via mail, others via email, and still another choice would be for you to see it on your account.

I'm sorry this happened, and yes, the internet sellers are higher risk (for Optimal and Paypal) - and the buyer is almost always consiered right unless proved wrong - but it was not Optimal that did the chargeback - it was the card issued - so if they used the same credit card with Paypal - Visa, for example, the same chargeback would have happened.

Hopefully if you have any future disputes - with Paypal or a merchant account, you'll notice it in time to do whatever necessary to hopefully get some back.

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Beth
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Ouch ... not nice .. just like telephone visas, the merchant isn't protected .. it's not right at all ..

One nice thing with paypal though, is you would end up being notified of the dispute and an opportunity to respond, in fact the customer needs to make contact with the seller firstly too about this and be given the opportunity to resolve before actually opening a dispute, so maybe a bit safer then ..

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