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Payment methods compared

How you pay decides what you can get back if nothing arrives. Choose the payment method the shop offers you. You see what protects you, which deadline applies and what to do first if something goes wrong. Every deadline comes from the law or the payment provider’s terms and is linked.

I want to pay with

Protection by law or process

Protection with conditions

No way back

Bank transfer and instant transfer

No way back

What protects you
Once executed, you cannot reverse it on your own. A recall by the bank is goodwill.
Deadline
No reversal deadline; recall via the recipient’s bank, answer within 15 banking days
Deadline starts
Receipt of the order by your bank
Responsible
Your own bank; it contacts the recipient’s bank

What to watch when paying

  • Watch your bank’s verification of payee. If name and IBAN do not match, it warns you before you approve.
  • Once your bank has received the order, it can no longer be stopped. Only transfer money to a shop you do not know if you could afford to lose the amount.

If nothing arrives

Call your bank immediately. Ask whether the order has already been executed.

Steps, templates and deadline calculator

Source: § 675p BGB (irrevocability of payment orders)

All payment methods at a glance

To print or pass on. Sorted by how easily you can get your money back.

Payment methods with protection level, deadline and responsibility
Payment methodProtectionDeadlineResponsible
Purchase on invoiceProtection by law or processno recovery deadline neededthe shop
SEPA direct debitProtection by law or process8 weeks, 13 months without mandateYour bank
PayPal Buyer ProtectionProtection with conditions180 days, then 20 daysPayPal
Klarna buyer protectionProtection with conditions120 daysKlarna
Credit card (chargeback)Protection with conditionsAsk your bankCard-issuing bank
Bank transfer and instant transferNo way backImmediately; recall needs consentYour bank
PayPal “Friends and Family”No way backno buyer protectionno recovery route
Gift cards, cash transfer, cryptocurrencyNo way backno way backno recovery route

Already paid and nothing arrived?

Each payment method has its own page with a deadline calculator, wording for the phone and an email template.

Before you pay: check the shop

The payment method protects you afterwards. The shop check shows you beforehand what we know about the shop.

Frequent questions

Which payment method gives me the best chance of getting my money back?

With purchase on invoice you only pay once the goods have arrived. Your bank refunds a direct debit within 8 weeks without a reason (§ 675x BGB). PayPal and Klarna offer contractual buyer protection, and for a credit card there is the chargeback via your bank.

Why do fake shops want prepayment?

Under § 675p BGB a transfer is irrevocable once your bank has received the order. After that only a recall via the recipient’s bank remains, and it only works with the recipient’s consent. That is why prepayment is often the only option left at a fake shop’s checkout.

Is PayPal or Klarna buyer protection a statutory right?

No. Both are contractual services under the provider’s terms. Klarna decides at its own discretion. You only have a statutory right to a refund without giving reasons for a direct debit.

Dennis Bölling, Founder · QAD SoftUpdated

Sources