Checkout checklist for compounding pharmacies

1. Legal & license visibility (before payment)

• State pharmacy license(s) visible or linked from footer — current, not expired screenshot from 2022.
• 503A vs 503B role clear on site — patient-specific vs outsourcing facility; no mixed messaging.
• Prescription / patient relationship policy published — how Rx is verified, which states you serve.
• Refund, cancellation, and shipping policy aligned with processor underwriting submission.
• LegitScript or applicable certifications linked if you claim them — underwriters will verify.

2. Product & cart presentation

• No gray-market or unlicensed compounding marketed as retail Rx — instant category kill at acquirers.
• Separate OTC, consult, and compound line items where business model requires it.
• Clear ingredient names — avoid euphemisms that look like evasion (“research blend” on a patient checkout).
• Temperature-sensitive shipping terms stated before payment capture.
• Subscription/refill language matches what the patient signs — rebill surprises = chargebacks.

3. Payment flow architecture

• Split flows if needed: telehealth consult fee vs compound fulfillment — different risk profiles may need different PSP routes.
• Descriptor matches brand — patient bank statements should recognize your pharmacy DBA.
• AVS/CVV enabled where appropriate — fraud tools reduce issuer declines on legitimate patients.
• 3DS strategy — balance friction vs EU/UK SCA requirements for international patients.
• Cascade routing configured — one acquirer throttle should not stop refills. See our cascade guide.

4. Subscription & refill discipline

Compounding lives on refills. Payment failure = clinical disruption.

1. Pre-decline email/SMS dunning before card expires.
2. Grace period policy — do not ship indefinitely on failed auth.
3. Token lifecycle: know which PSP owns rebill tokens before you migrate gateways.
4. Pause rebills during known processor migrations — batch chargebacks hurt the next underwriter.

5. Chargeback & support readiness

• Chargeback ratio monitored weekly — target well below scheme thresholds before processors warn you.
• Tracking numbers synced to processor dashboards within 24h of ship.
• Patient support SLA < 24h on billing questions — many disputes are confusion, not fraud.
• Representment templates ready: Rx verification trail, delivery proof, TOS acceptance log.

6. Processor & orchestration due diligence

Before you sign another single MID:

• Ask reserves, rolling hold %, and release schedule in writing.
• Confirm MCC and prohibited SKU list — “pharmacy” is not one category to all acquirers.
• Require decline-code reporting and webhook reliability for your EMR/ecommerce stack.
• Plan second PSP before you need it — not after a freeze. Explore compounding payment orchestration with iKash.

Quick printable checklist