Key Takeaways:
How holiday traffic surges impact authorization rates, latency, and soft declines
Why proactive communication with processors and banks is critical before peak season
The hidden risks of refund delays and unclear billing descriptors during the holidays
How fraud tactics like card testing, enumeration, and first-party misuse spike during high-volume periods
What merchants can do now to reduce the Q1 “holiday hangover” of disputes and chargebacks
Meet Our Speakers:
Episode Summary:
Holiday sales may drive record revenue, but they also amplify every weakness in a merchant’s payment stack. In this episode, Steve Marshall and Paul Smith of Adaptiv Payments share firsthand insight into how processors, banks, and card networks respond to peak-season volume; and why merchants who fail to prepare often pay the price months later.
Listeners will learn how authorization routing, fraud controls, refund policies, and dispute prevention tools must work together to protect revenue during Cyber Week and beyond. The discussion also explores emerging risks tied to digital wallets, buy now pay later options, and evolving Visa monitoring thresholds; giving merchants a clear framework for navigating both the holiday rush and the dispute surge that follows.
This replay is essential listening for merchants, payment teams, and risk leaders who want to enter peak season with confidence rather than damage control.
