ALEXANDRIA, Va. – High gasoline prices have led to increased use of credit cards at the pump, and retailers are well aware of the impact high prices are having on the cost of interchange they must pay to the credit card companies and their member banks. But there is another credit card cost retailers are addressing: chargebacks.

Beyond the escalating costs of card interchange and processing fees is the growing problem of "chargebacks," also known as "Reason Code 96." In response to numerous concerns and inquiries about this issue, NACS has produced a new resource guide, "Chargebacks: What You Don't Know May Hurt You."

Chargebacks can occur for a variety of reasons, such as double-charging, credit card expiration, bank error and customer disputes. But as gasoline prices remain near or above $3 a gallon in many U.S. markets, retailers are being denied payments if they allow customers to fill their tanks beyond the transaction limits imposed by Visa and MasterCard ($50 and $75, respectively).

The NACS resource guide, based on a NACStech 2006 presentation given by Paula Cotten, vice president and treasurer for QuikTrip Corp., addresses retailer concerns about what can be done to alleviate fees associated with chargebacks and steps that can be taken to petition Visa and MasterCard for relief, such as raising their transaction limits at the dispenser.

"Chargebacks: What You Don't Know May Hurt You," can be accessed at NACS Online by clicking here.