A refund always follows the same route as the payment — back to the same card. If the card was reissued or closed, the buyer bank usually credits the money to their account; if the account itself is closed, the buyer has to contact their bank.
What the merchant does
- Issues the refund as usual, against the original operation.
- Keeps the operation confirmation: the buyer will need it at their bank.
- Does not send money by another route "instead" — that creates a double refund.
What to tell the buyer
- With a reissued card the money usually arrives automatically.
- If the account is closed, it is their bank that resolves it, not the store.
- Crediting time depends on the bank and may differ from an ordinary refund.
How a cancellation differs from a refund is covered separately.
