Payment Policy

The PeakTrail accepts the following payment methods for online orders. All payments are processed securely through our PCI DSS Level 1 compliant gateway powered by Shopify Payments.

The PeakTrail is committed to protecting your payment information in full compliance with UK GDPR, the Payment Services Regulations 2017, and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards.

When payment is authorised

When you place an order, we immediately seek authorisation from your card issuer or payment provider for the full order amount. This authorisation reserves the funds but does not transfer them to The PeakTrail.

When payment is captured

Payment is captured (charged) once your order has been processed and dispatched from our warehouse. For orders containing multiple items that ship separately, we may capture payment for each shipment individually.

Pre-orders and delayed items

For pre-order items, authorisation is taken at checkout. If the release date is more than 7 days away, we will capture payment closer to dispatch. You will receive an email notification before any payment is taken.

Currency

All prices displayed on The PeakTrail are in British Pounds Sterling (GBP £). If you pay with a non-UK card or through PayPal in a different currency, your bank or PayPal will apply their exchange rate and may charge a currency conversion fee. We do not control these fees.

VAT (Value Added Tax)

Prices include UK VAT where applicable for deliveries within the United Kingdom. For orders shipped to the EU or other international destinations, local VAT, customs duties or import fees may apply according to the regulations of the destination country. These charges, if applicable, are the responsibility of the recipient.

International payment fees

If your card is issued outside the United Kingdom, your bank may apply an international transaction fee or foreign exchange markup (typically 2–3%). These charges are set by your card issuer and are not part of your order total.

If your payment is declined or fails to process, your order will not be confirmed. Common reasons for declined payments include:

Refund method

All approved refunds are returned to the original payment method used at checkout. We cannot issue refunds to a different card, account, or payment method. Refunds to gift cards, store credit, or third-party accounts are not available.

Refund processing time

Once your return is received and inspected, we issue the refund within 2–5 business days. The time it takes for the refund to appear in your account depends on your bank or payment provider:

You will receive an email confirmation once the refund has been processed. If you do not see the refund after 10 business days, please contact your bank or card issuer. For detailed return eligibility, please refer to our Returns Policy.

What is a chargeback?

A chargeback is a reversal of a card payment initiated by your bank or card issuer, usually when you dispute a charge as unauthorised, fraudulent, or not as described. Opening a chargeback freezes the funds and begins a formal investigation process that can take 30–90 days.

Our position on chargebacks

If you open a chargeback or PayPal dispute, we will provide the payment provider with full order records, including proof of delivery, order confirmation, product descriptions, and correspondence history. While an investigation is open, we cannot issue a duplicate refund.

Contact us first

We strongly encourage you to contact our customer service team before initiating a chargeback or dispute. In most cases, we can resolve concerns about orders, delivery, or product quality quickly and directly—often within 1 business day. Chargebacks can delay resolution and may result in account restrictions.

As a UK-based business, The PeakTrail complies with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

For more information on your consumer rights, visit Citizens Advice or contact Trading Standards.

If you have questions about payment methods, declined transactions, refund status, VAT invoices, or payment security, our customer service team is here to help.