Root Cause

• Transaction not eligible for refund: The original payment might not be settled, captured, or fall outside the refundable parameters.

• Gateway restrictions: The payment processor has rules preventing credits in specific scenarios (e.g., chargebacks in progress, expired refund windows).

• Incorrect refund logic: The refund request does not align with the gateway's expected flow (e.g., refund amount mismatch, currency issues).

• Missing transaction details: Required identifiers or metadata for refunding may be incomplete or invalid.

Troubleshooting and Solutions

• Inform the customer that a credit could not be issued for their transaction due to unmet eligibility criteria.

• Internally:

  • Verify the original transaction status (e.g., captured, settled).

  • Check the gateway documentation or support to identify refund requirements and limitations.

  • Ensure all refund request parameters (amount, reference ID, currency) are accurate.

• If necessary, retry the refund after resolving the identified issue or offer alternative solutions such as store credit or offline reimbursement.