Hey, it’s been 4/5 days since I return a pair of pants purchased with my credit card through the Apple Pay feature. The return appeared to work from the vendors side (a brick and mortar store), but I still don’t see that amount appearing in my credit card statement.
where is the money? Is there some Apple account that holds my owed balance? How do I access that money?
Apple is not a bank and is not the merchant. Transactions (purchases and refunds) are between the banks involved. When the merchant’s bank sends the money, your bank will receive the funds after 5 to 7 business days. It occasionally may take a few days longer.
Apple Pay only securely sends the data between the parties involved. This protects your card information and personal information from scammers and fraudsters. Apple is not a bank and does not handle the funds involved.
Apple is not a bank and is not the merchant. Transactions (purchases and refunds) are between the banks involved. When the merchant’s bank sends the money, your bank will receive the funds after 5 to 7 business days. It occasionally may take a few days longer.
Apple Pay only securely sends the data between the parties involved. This protects your card information and personal information from scammers and fraudsters. Apple is not a bank and does not handle the funds involved.
Not meaning to be argumentative, just helpful and factual. I’ve worked in retail management off and on since 1979. I’m also a former Apple Store manager. The delay has nothing to do with your bank, Apple Pay, Google Pay or anything else.
The merchant controls the process. Once the store processes your refund, many retailers just send it to their HQ and just delay the refund.
Why? Ask the retailer? But the bank receiving the refund have no reason to slow it down and the merchant has every reason to slow down the process.
Transferring funds cost the send bank money. The sending bank (merchant’s bank) can deliberately send it the slowest (cheapest) way possible. What is the motivation to send it faster? You’ll call the store, talk to the clerk or manager and all they can say is it’s sent. But in all reality, the merchant and their bank hasn’t done anything.
Banks use ACH to transfer funds. ACH is governed by the Federal Reserve Bank System. Funds only move Monday through Friday. No weekends or holidays, unless it’s an instant transfer. Why aren’t refunds processed as an instant transfer? The banks get charged a whole lot more to do an instant transfer. Don’t believe me? Then why do banks charge you so much for instant transfers.
Bottom line. Shop better merchants that care about their customers and process their returns quicker.
What’s Apples role in all this? Processing data. Once that clerk or manager says “your return is in its way” that’s BS. That’s Apple Pay sent the encrypted data and the merchants credit card processor received. Any delays beyond that are the merchants.
Can you then please explain to me why twice now, I have had to call Apple to ask them where my refund is because they’re holding it?
I use Apple Pay directly for some things, which means that it is shown as paid for using the debit card number Apple Pay provides. The first refund was only 10$ from a camera company called Wyze. It took three weeks before I called Apple and asked what was up, and miraculously, my refund appeared a day later. Now, it’s 35$ from barkbox and it’s been almost a month. I guarantee I call today, and then boom money back in my Apple wallet tomorrow.
Why does it seem like Apple Pay is withholding refunds? I would have gotten these refunds within 5-7 days had I used my actual bank card.
I appreciate the great response and how quickly you responded. But to be honest, I probably won’t use Apple Pay anymore because that means I’ll be tracking refunded items a week or two later. Thank you!
Apple Pay purchase refunded but no refund appearing in account
