Key takeaways
- Processors review a business when it applies and again later, and both reviews ask for evidence, not reassurance.
- Keep one folder with four kinds of document: who you are, what you sell and where it comes from, how you sell it, and your numbers.
- Everything in the folder has to tell the same story as the live website. A reviewer compares them.
- Answer a request for information with exactly what was asked, on time, and keep a copy of what you sent.
- Run the free processor check before you apply so the website a reviewer opens matches the documents you send.
Why a ready folder matters
Underwriting does not end on the day an account opens. A processor can review a business at any point, typically after a jump in volume, a run of disputes, a complaint or a change on the website, and the review usually arrives as a request for information with a deadline. Stores that have the documents ready answer in a day. Stores that do not spend the week hunting for them while payouts are paused.
The list below is built from what processors and acquiring banks commonly ask research-supply stores for. It is a preparation aid, not any processor’s official list, and each provider asks for its own set. It is general information, not legal advice.
Keep the folder current, not just complete
A folder assembled once and forgotten goes stale quickly: a new supplier, a new lot, a policy edit or a new ad channel each changes what a reviewer would see. Put a date on every file, keep old versions rather than overwriting them, and review the whole folder once a month alongside your statements. When a request arrives, you should be able to answer from the folder without asking anyone for anything, and the dates will show that the documents and the website changed together.
Who you are
The first question in any review is whether the business on the application is the business on the website. Keep the documents that prove it together.
- Formation documents for the legal entity, and the tax registration letter that shows its name and number.
- A recent statement for the business bank account that payouts go to, in the entity’s name.
- Government identification for each owner. Send it only through the processor’s own secure upload, never by ordinary email.
- Proof of the business address shown on the website, such as a lease or utility bill.
- Proof that you control the domain, such as the registrar account or a renewal invoice.
- Any licences or registrations that apply where you operate. Whether any are required for your products and location is a question for a lawyer, not a checklist; see is it legal to sell research peptides.
What you sell and where it comes from
A reviewer wants to see that the products exist, come from a real supplier, are labelled for research use and are described the same way everywhere.
- A product list with names exactly as they appear on the website, including code names if you use them.
- Recent supplier invoices that match the products on that list.
- A certificate of analysis for each product, filed by lot, that matches the lot you ship. See organising COAs.
- Photographs of labels and packaging showing the research-use-only wording.
- Your research-use notice as it appears on the site. See the research-use notice.
How you sell
This part is about the controls around a sale: who can buy, what they agree to, and how you look after them afterwards.
- Dated screenshots of the 21+ age and research-use gate, and of the confirmation a buyer gives at checkout.
- Your shipping, returns, privacy and terms pages, each with the date it last changed. See the policies processors read.
- How you fulfil orders: handling time, carriers, tracking, and what happens when a parcel is lost.
- How customers reach you, and how quickly you reply.
- Where your traffic comes from, with examples of ads, emails and affiliate posts, and the rules affiliates must follow. See affiliate program rules.
Your numbers
Reviewers use numbers to judge risk. Have them ready and be able to explain anything unusual in one sentence.
| Number | Why it is asked for | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Processing statements, often the last three to six months | Shows volume, refunds and disputes over time | Your current or previous processor’s dashboard |
| Monthly volume, now and projected | Sets reserve and limits | Your order system, plus an honest forecast |
| Average order value | Unusual values can signal risk | Your order system |
| Refund rate and dispute rate, with reasons | The strongest signal of customer trouble | Processor dispute reports and your refund log |
| Handling and delivery times | Late orders become disputes | Shipping reports or carrier data |
| Explanation of any spike | A sudden jump triggers reviews | Your own notes: a launch, a sale, a new channel |
Answering a request for information
A request for information is not a closure, but a poor answer can turn into one. Keep it short and factual.
- Read the request twice and list exactly what it asks for. Answer those items and nothing else.
- Check that every answer matches what the live website says today. If the site and the documents disagree, the reviewer will believe neither.
- If you fixed something on the site recently, say what you changed and when, with a screenshot.
- Send it before the deadline through the channel the processor asked for, and keep a copy of every file and message.
- Do not make large changes to the site or the catalog while the review is open without saying so in your reply.
- If anything in the request is unclear or touches a legal question, ask the processor for clarification in writing, or ask counsel, before you answer.
Make the website match the folder
The documents describe a business; the website is where a reviewer checks whether that business is real. Before you apply, or while you are putting the folder together, run the free processor check on your store. It lists the things reviewers commonly look at that it finds on your public pages, such as product names, claims language, the 21+ research-use gate, policies and contact details, so the site and the folder say the same thing. It cannot predict any decision.
Torva keeps several of these documents where a reviewer expects them: certificates attached to products by lot, a 21+ research-use gate before the catalog, policies with dates, and your contact details in the footer of every page. See your store rebuilt in the free preview; it needs no card.
Frequently asked questions
How far back do processing statements need to go?
It varies by provider; three to six months is a common request. Keep every monthly statement from every processor you have used, so you can send whatever period is asked for.
Do I need a certificate of analysis for every product?
A reviewer who asks usually wants to see that each product has one and that it matches the lot you ship. A complete library, filed by product and lot, answers that in one link.
Can I send documents by email?
Send identity documents and bank details only through the processor’s own secure upload. Anything else, send through the channel the request names, and keep copies.
What if my website changed since I applied?
Say so in your answer: what changed, when and why. A reviewer who finds an unexplained difference between the application and the site has a reason to stop.
Preview your store on Torva OS — no card needed — or explore the Desk demo, the eight themes and the plans. Questions: hello@torvaos.com.
General information for merchants, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check the rules in your jurisdiction and with your providers.