Key Components of a Merchant Master Agreement

Definitions and Parties Involved: The agreement usually begins with definitions of key terms, including “Merchant,” “Service Provider,” and “Acquiring Bank.” It specifies the parties involved in the agreement and their respective roles.

Payment Processing: The agreement outlines how payments will be processed. This includes the flow of funds from customers to the merchant’s bank account via the payment gateway. For instance, once a customer initiates a payment, they may be redirected to the payment gateway for authentication and authorization before funds are transferred to the merchant’s account.

Fees and Charges: It details the fees associated with transactions, including transaction fees, chargebacks, refunds, and any applicable taxes. Merchants are typically required to pay these fees from the amounts received from customer transactions.

Settlement Terms: The agreement specifies how and when funds will be settled into the merchant’s account. This includes conditions under which settlements may be delayed or withheld, such as insufficient funds or chargebacks.

Compliance and Risk Management: Merchants must comply with various regulations and standards set by card associations (like Visa and Mastercard) and financial institutions. The agreement often includes clauses related to risk management, such as maintaining a security deposit to cover potential losses from chargebacks or fraud.

Termination Conditions: The agreement usually includes terms under which either party can terminate the contract, including breach of contract or failure to comply with specified obligations.

Liabilities and Indemnities: There are often clauses that outline the liabilities of each party in case of disputes or losses incurred due to non-compliance or failure in processing transactions.