The Merchant–Account Owner Agreement: What to Include Before You Launch
Before a single live charge, lock in a written operating agreement that defines roles, volumes, allowed categories, refund policy, data access, payout cadence, and pause conditions. This is the blueprint IRent Agency uses to protect both sides—and the payment account.
1) Roles & responsibilities (RACI)
| Workstream | Merchant | Account Owner | IRent Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalog, site, ads | R | A | |
| Gateway health & compliance | A | R | C |
| Review pack (MCC, policies, docs) | R | C | A |
| Dispute evidence | R | C | A |
| Limits & velocity plan | C | A | R |
| Reconciliation & payouts | C | R | A |
R=Responsible, A=Accountable, C=Consulted. Keep this in the appendix of your agreement.
2) Volumes, limits & allowed categories
- Daily cap e.g., $5k → $15k → $30k
- Weekly cap e.g., $25k → $75k → $150k
- Allowed MCC list + geographies (US/CA/EU/UK)
- Forbidden claims/items (medical, counterfeit, “too-good-to-be-true”)
3) Refund policy & dispute evidence
Refunds & SLAs
- Window (e.g., 30 days) and eligibility
- RMA steps that don’t require prior approval to start
- Refund timing (e.g., processed within 5 business days)
Evidence kit (wins disputes)
- Proof of shipment / delivery (signature for high AOV)
- Original listing copy + specs + photos
- Customer comms timeline and remedy offered
4) Data access, privacy & reconciliation
Both parties need read-only visibility. Minimum:
- Read access to gateway dashboard and dispute center
- Monthly CSV exports of charges, fees, refunds, disputes
- Statement descriptor and support contact published on site
Reconciliation rule: Payout = Processed − Fees − Refunds − Chargeback Losses. Numbers should match gateway reports 1:1.
5) Payout cadence & revenue share math
Choose a predictable cadence: weekly or bi-weekly. Account Owner’s share is calculated on processed revenue after fees and refunds (example below).
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Processed revenue | $100,000 |
| Gateway fees | −$3,200 |
| Refunds | −$2,000 |
| Chargeback losses | −$300 |
| Net basis | $94,500 |
| Account Owner 10% | $9,450 |
6) Pause conditions & termination
- Dispute rate ≥ 0.6% on a trailing 7-day or 30-day basis
- Policy drift (descriptor mismatch, prohibited claims)
- Velocity spike > plan for 48 hours without approval
- Non-payment or ledger mismatch for 7+ days
On pause, ads slow/stop, caps reset, and evidence/ops are reviewed before resuming.
7) Clause mini-template (copy & adapt)
Operating Scope. Merchant sells [category] to [geos] under MCC [code]. Prohibited items/claims listed in Appendix A.
Limits & Ramp. Caps: Day [X], Week [Y]. Changes require written approval from Account Owner and IRent Agency.
Refunds & Disputes. Refund window [N] days. Merchant will provide evidence within [48] hours of dispute notification.
Payouts & Share. Payout cadence: [weekly/bi-weekly]. Account Owner earns 10% of Processed − Fees − Refunds − Chargeback Losses. Ledger reconciles 1:1 with gateway reports.
Access & Privacy. Read-only access to gateway analytics and exports. Data used solely for operations and compliance.
Pause / Termination. Automatic pause if disputes ≥ 0.6% (7-day), policy drift, or velocity breach. Either party may terminate with [7/14] days’ notice after cure period.
Law & Notices. Governing law [state/country]. Notices by email to addresses on signature page.
Need a neutral agreement review?
We match and operate on warmed payment lanes under dual KYC and signed agreements— we don’t sell or rent accounts. Our job is clean approvals, stable payouts, and disciplined scaling.
Talk to a specialist or WhatsApp us at +1 (807) 804-0208
Cooperation / Advertising: marketing@irent.agency
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