Anatomy of a statement line
A typical line reads something like "ACME COURSES +16505550187 CA". The first part is your statement descriptor, up to 22 characters (19 on Shopify). The second is your support phone or city, depending on the card network and the issuing bank's formatting.
| Part | Set where | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Statement descriptor | Stripe Public details / Shopify Payments | Use the name customers know, not your LLC's legal name |
| Shortened descriptor | Stripe Public details, plus a per-charge suffix | Brand in the prefix, product in the suffix |
| Support phone | Same page | A number that answers |
Why descriptors get disputed
A customer buys "Pricing Fundamentals" from your site, and three weeks later their statement says "JSMITH LLC". They don't remember, they can't reach anyone, and the bank makes disputing a one-tap process. Banks classify these as card-not-present fraud even when the purchase was legitimate.
Fixing yours
Make the descriptor the brand name your customer saw at checkout. If you sell more than one thing, use dynamic descriptors so the product appears too. Then make the phone number one that picks up and can explain the charge, ideally by looking at the actual order.