How to Find Your Visa Acquirer Reference Number (ARN) for Refunds

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An Acquirer Reference Number (ARN) is a unique identifier assigned to a credit or debit card transaction by the acquiring bank. This number helps track transactions through the various stages of the payment process, from the initial sale to final settlement. ARNs are critical for resolving disputes, tracking refunds, and addressing payment processing issues efficiently.

If a customer is waiting on a refund, providing them with the ARN can help their bank locate the transaction and speed up the resolution process.

Where to Find Your ARN Across Different Payment Platforms

We’ve compiled detailed instructions on retrieving an ARN across five major payment platforms: Stripe, Shopify, PayPal, Adyen, and WooCommerce. There will be other payment processors and portals to navigate, however, many will be similar to the following instructions.

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Shopify

To retrieve an ARN for a refunded transaction in Shopify:

  1. Login to your Shopify account.
  2. Go to the Orders section.
  3. Use the search bar to filter by VISA transactions.
  4. Add a filter based on the Payment Method.
  5. Select Refunded as the filter option.
  6. Choose a refunded order that is at least 3 days old but not older than 30 days.
  7. Scroll to the Timeline of the order to locate the ARN.
Shopify ARN

Note: If the ARN is missing, reach out to Shopify support for further assistance.

Need help? Contact CB-Alert for expert support.

Stripe

To locate the ARN for a refunded transaction in Stripe:

  1. Log into your Stripe Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to the Payments section and find the refunded transaction.
  3. Open the payment details page for the transaction.
  4. Scroll to the Timeline section.
  5. Find the refund entry and click View Details.
  6. The ARN (or STAN) will be displayed for the refund.
Stripe ARN

Note: If you don’t see an ARN in your Stripe portal, contact Stripe support and request ARN details for the transaction.

Need help? Contact CB-Alert for assistance in tracking your refunds.

PayPal

To find the ARN in PayPal:

  1. Log into the PayPal Control Panel.
  2. Click on Transactions in the navigation bar.
  3. Use the Transaction Search section to filter by refunds.
  4. Click on the Transaction ID of the refunded payment.
  5. Scroll to the Transaction Information section.
  6. The ARN will be displayed at the bottom of this section.

Alternative: Download the Transaction Search CSV Report to find the ARN in bulk.

paypal arn

Need assistance? CB-Alert is here to help you locate and manage ARNs.

Adyen

To retrieve an ARN from Adyen:

  1. Log into your Adyen Customer Area.
  2. Navigate to Transactions > Payments.
  3. Select the PSP Reference of the refunded transaction.
  4. Look under the Payment Events section for the ARN.
Adyen ARNs

Note: ARNs are only generated for Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and Diners transactions. If the ARN is unavailable, contact Adyen support.

Have questions? Reach out to CB-Alert for guidance.

WooCommerce

To locate an ARN for a refunded transaction in WooCommerce:

  1. Log into your WordPress Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Payments > Transactions.
  3. Find the refunded transaction and click on it.
  4. In the Timeline section, locate the ARN under the refund entry.
Woocommerce ARN

Note: Missing ARNs may be due to the refund being processed as a reversal instead. Contact WooCommerce support if needed.

For additional support, CB-Alert is available to assist you.

Important Notes About ARNs

  • All Visa ARNs begin with a 2 or a 7 and are 23 digits long.
  • ARNs typically appear within 24-48 hours after the refund is processed.
  • If the ARN is not visible in your payment processor’s dashboard, contact the processor’s support team and request ARN details for 2-3 recent refunds.
  • If you don’t currently have Visa refunds, you can:
    1. Place a test order using a Visa card.
    2. Wait at least 3 days before refunding it (if refunded sooner, it may process as a reversal, and no ARN will be generated).
    3. Check back 2-4 days after refunding to find the ARN.
    4. If still missing, contact your payment processor for assistance.

By following these steps, you can efficiently track refund transactions and provide customers with ARNs for faster resolution with their bank.

Please send CB-Alert this ARN once it appears, or add it to your MID signup sheet.

If your ARN does not show up, you can contact your processor to retrieve it.

Why Choose CB-Alert For Chargeback Management?

At CB-Alert, we specialize in providing businesses with advanced tools to manage chargebacks, reduce fraud, and streamline dispute resolution. By leveraging ARNs and real-time transaction tracking, we help merchants improve customer satisfaction and maintain healthy payment processing relationships. Our platform ensures that you stay ahead of disputes by proactively identifying risk factors and providing actionable insights.

By partnering with CB-Alert, you can take control of your payment processing, prevent unnecessary losses, and enhance the efficiency of your refund management process.

Ready to protect your business? Contact CB-Alert today and start managing disputes with confidence!

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