When you issue a refund in Cents, you pick a Reason from the dropdown. That choice quietly controls two things: where the money goes (back to the customer's original payment method, or as account credit) and whether the order still shows a balance due afterward. Picking the right reason keeps the customer's balance and your reporting accurate.
Read this first: Accidental charge is the exception
Accidental charge is the only reason that intentionally leaves a balance due. Use it only when the customer was charged by mistake but still owes for the order (charged twice, wrong card, wrong amount). It refunds the money to the original payment method and then restores the balance due to what it was before that charge, because the customer still owes. Every other reason is a customer-service refund that clears the money without the customer owing anything more. Using Accidental charge for a normal "make the customer happy" refund will make the order wrongly show a balance due, this is the single most common point of confusion.
What each reason controls
Every reason sets two things:
Where the money goes, either account credit (a balance on the customer's Cents account for future orders) or a refund to the original payment method (their card, etc.).
Balance due, whether the order still shows money owed after the refund.
Reason | Money goes to | Leaves a balance due? |
Order adjustment | Account credit | No |
Accidental charge | Original payment method | Yes — restores the balance due |
Customer dispute | Original payment method | No |
Service / item no longer needed | Original payment method | No |
Item lost or damaged | Original payment method | No |
Late delivery | Original payment method | No |
Cancelled delivery | Original payment method | No (auto-refunds the delivery fee, nets to zero) |
Machine reimbursement | To confirm with engineering | To confirm with engineering |
Other | Original payment method | No |
When to use each
Order adjustment, you changed the order after it was paid (removed or reduced items or fees) and are returning the difference as credit.
Accidental charge, the customer was charged in error but still owes for the order (double charge, wrong card, wrong amount). See the callout above.
Customer dispute, the customer disputes or complains about a charge and you refund to resolve it.
Service / item no longer needed, the customer paid for a service or item they no longer need.
Item lost or damaged, you're refunding because an item was lost or damaged in your care.
Late delivery, compensating the customer for a late pickup or delivery.
Cancelled delivery, a scheduled delivery was cancelled; refund its delivery fee.
Machine reimbursement, reimbursing a customer for a self-serve machine issue (a machine took their money or malfunctioned).
Other, any refund that doesn't fit the categories above. Leave a note so the refund report is clear.
Need assistance?
Feel free to text our Cents Support team at 888-302-8809.