It’s not rare that, due to a material error, a customer is invoiced twice the amount of its order when it makes internet purchases. Despite the customer’s identifying itself, which is required for the completion of the order, it sometimes appears difficult to obtain its banking information for reimbursement of the sums collected. What can be done in this situation?

You must inform the customer of the receipt of the undue payment and request that it transmit to you its banking information for reimbursement. To do that, we advise you to contact the customer through your usual means of communication and save a record of your request. If your terms and conditions so provide, a simple email is sufficient. Once the customer has sent its banking information to you, you may effectuate the reimbursement. With respect to accounting, you will record the disputed sum under line item 485, Transitional or Suspense Accounts – Liability (under the new standardized chart of accounts (plan comptable général normalisé)) until reimbursement is complete.

In the absence of a response from the customer allowing you to complete the reimbursement, the sum will be acquired by your company at the end of ten (10) years, by accruing this exceptional income through the Account 7688, other various exceptional income (autres produits exceptionnels divers) (under the new standardized chart of accounts (plan comptable général normalisé)) in the context of year-end transactions.

During those 10 years, you have the right to save the communication sent to the customer to prove your efforts and good faith.