Set up PayPal, Stripe and Square names right

That's a bad outcome for a sale that went fine. The fix takes ten minutes: make sure every payment account shows your business name.

Why the name matters

Customers see the merchant name in three places:

1. At checkout, on the payment page or popup
2. In the receipt email
3. On their bank or card statement, often weeks later

If any of these doesn't match the name on your website, people get confused. Confused customers call their bank, and disputes take time and can cost you fees.

PayPal

Back in 2011 we wrote step-by-step instructions for this. PayPal's menus have changed many times since, but the basics are the same:

• Use a business account, not a personal one. If you started on a personal account, PayPal offers a way to upgrade.
• Set your business name and customer service details in the account or business settings, including the email and phone shown to customers.
• Check the credit card statement name. PayPal lets you set a short name that appears on card statements.
• Add your logo where it's offered so checkout looks familiar.

Then make a small test purchase and look at what the buyer actually sees.

Stripe

Stripe separates a few names, and they're worth getting right:

• Legal business name: used for verification and tax purposes
• Public business name: what customers see on checkout pages and receipts
• Statement descriptor: the short text on card statements. Make it recognizable, like your brand name instead of a holding company.

Also set your support email, phone and website so customers who have questions contact you, not their bank.

Square

Square shows your business name on receipts, and on card statements as "SQ *" followed by that name. Check the business name for each location in your account settings, and keep it short so it doesn't get cut off.

Check your website too

Your store connects to these accounts through a Joomla extension or a WordPress plugin, such as WooCommerce's payment gateways. After any change:

• Run a real test transaction and refund it.
• Read the receipt email from top to bottom.
• Check the statement entry when it posts.
• Make sure the name matches your website, invoices and Google Business Profile.

For the background on PayPal, see our earlier post, Setting Up PayPal. If you run WooCommerce, WooCommerce basics covers how payment gateways fit into your store.

When you change your business name

Rebranding or switching from a sole proprietorship to an LLC? Update every payment account at the same time you update your website. Verification for a new legal name can take a few days, so start early. Keep the old name in your statement descriptor or receipts for a short while, or add a note to your invoices, so longtime customers aren't surprised by the change. Tell your bookkeeper too.

Want us to check your checkout and payment setup? Call 678-379-9321 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..