E-commerce
July 1, 2026
"Why does my card show a blocked amount when I haven't paid yet?" "If I return it before the end of the trial, will I be charged?" "This isn't Klarna, what is it exactly?" Three tickets where a poorly explained try-before-you-buy program generates chargebacks, cart abandonment, and bank hold disputes.
E-commerce TBYB support covers card authorization without immediate capture, product trial window, return before final charge, and automatic capture if the customer remains silent. Distinct from BNPL (installments) and distinct from home trial #627: here, the payment mechanics are auth → test → capture or void at checkout.
This guide #629 covers policy TBYB-SUP, flow TB-1 to TB-8, and matrix TBYB-MAP. Future customer service pair TBYB bot (#630).
Summary
Why does try-before-you-buy generate support tickets?
The customer chooses "try before you buy" at checkout. They see an authorization hold on their statement, do not understand when the final charge will occur, and confuse the model with Klarna or a standard brand-new return. Without a SOP, the agent promises an immediate void outside the window or a capture while the return is in transit.
Five Typical TBYB Friction Points
Auth perceived as debit: blocked amount ≠ final payment poorly explained on the PDP
Unclear trial window: D+14 vs D+30 auto-capture incorrectly dated
Return before capture: customer expects a refund when an auth void is sufficient
BNPL confusion: Klarna Alma ≠ TBYB distinct auth capture
Customer silence: auto_capture at deadline without reminder email leads to disputes
Shopify TBYB apps (TryNow, Loop, etc.) reduce abandonment when the auth hold and capture trigger are visible before card validation (Loop Returns, TBYB 2026). Without TBYB-MAP, agents improvise void captures and bank delays.
TBYB #629 vs BNPL, try-at-home #627, kit #537 and bot #630
Six pieces of content, six distinct payment and conversion models.
Quick Matrix
#629 TBYB: auth checkout trial capture if keep void if return before deadline
BNPL checkout: Klarna Alma distinct installments auth capture TBYB
#627 TRYHOME: home trial complete product deposit decision keep return
Trial Kit #537: mini discovery kit refund convert distinct SKU
Rental #619: rent mandatory return buyout distinct trial deferred payment
#630 TBYBbot: bot tier 1 rules deadlines charge handoff
#629 = auth/capture/void mechanics in cart. #627 = home trial program for mattress eyewear with deposit. Do not mix TBYB and TRYHOME macros on the same order_ref.
Which tbyb_* typologies to classify?
Eight try-before-you-buy ticket scenarios.
Eight TBYB typologies
tbyb_how_it_works: customer does not understand the try-before-you-buy checkout model
tbyb_auth_hold: card authorization hold, amount blocked but not yet charged
tbyb_trial_window: how many days to test before automatic capture
tbyb_capture_timing: when the final charge occurs if kept or upon silent deadline
tbyb_return_void: return before capture, authorization voided, not a refund
tbyb_partial_keep: keep one TBYB cart item, return the rest
tbyb_bnpl_confusion: confused with Klarna Alma, reroute to payhelp
tbyb_charge_dispute: charged despite initiating return before dispute deadline
Tags: tbyb, try_before_you_buy, auth_hold, conversion. TBYB-MAP-GROUNDED: trial_days capture_trigger void_auth from map only.
How to structure the TBYB-MAP matrix?
The TBYB-MAP matrix documents each try-before-you-buy program for agents and future bot #630.
TBYB-MAP Columns
tbyb_program_id: try-before-you-buy program identifier
sku_or_eligibility: SKU or minimum cart eligible for TBYB
auth_hold_amount_rule: 100% cart or map cap
trial_days: trial duration before capture_trigger
capture_trigger_rule: keep_explicit auto_on_deadline ship_plus_X
return_window_days: return period for void auth
return_method: prepaid_label pickup partner_collect
void_auth_on_return: void at return scan vs warehouse receipt
partial_return_policy: split capture cart lines map
bnpl_distinction_copy: anti-confusion phrase Klarna vs TBYB
customer_copy: Checkout badge "try before you buy" PDP
Sync checkout widget TBYB, email D-3 end of trial, helpdesk macros and auth_hold audit visible before clicking pay.
TBYB-SUP policy in six rules
Six rules support try-before-you-buy.
TBYB-MAP-GROUNDED: trial_days capture void auth from map only
CAPTURE-TRIGGER-CITE: capture_trigger_rule cites verbatim map
VOID-NOT-REFUND: return before capture = void auth not standard refund
BNPL-REROUTE: Klarna Alma → distinct BNPL payhelp bot
TRYHOME627-REROUTE: home trial deposit → distinct #627 TRYHOME
DISPUTE-EVIDENCE-ONLY: chargeback tbyb_charge_dispute return scan date proof only ops
Flow TBYB TB-1 to TB-8
Eight-step try-before-you-buy agent flow.
TB-1 Intake: tbyb_* intent + order_ref tbyb_id return proof if dispute
TB-2 Program lookup: TBYB-MAP trial_days capture void return rules
TB-3 Payment status: auth_status capture_status trial_end_date return_scan API
TB-4 Classify: auth hold capture timing return void bnpl partial
TB-5 Policy triage: VOID-NOT-REFUND CAPTURE-TRIGGER-CITE map
TB-6 Respond: macro TBYB grounded map customer_copy bnpl_distinction
TB-7 Execute: void auth manual capture waive escalate finance chargeback
TB-8 Close: tag tbyb_resolved tbyb_program_id captured Y/N void Y/N
SLA: tbyb_auth_hold answered with auth_hold_amount_rule and VOID-NOT-REFUND if return before capture in one interaction.
Essential TBYB macros
Four try-before-you-buy macro agents.
TBYB-EXPLAIN-01
"Program [tbyb_program_id]: [customer_copy map]. Your card shows an authorization [auth_hold_amount_rule map], not an immediate charge. [trial_days map] day trial. [bnpl_distinction_copy map]. Return: [return_method map]."
TBYB-AUTH-01
"Order [order_ref]: authorization [montant map] visible on statement. Status: [authorized / captured / voided API]. Release of hold if void: [bank_release_days map] business bank days (bank processing delay #519)."
TBYB-CAPTURE-01
"Capture according to [capture_trigger_rule map]. Evaluation end [trial_end_date map]. [If keep: charge [montant map] on [date capture].] [If deadline silence: auto_capture [policy map].]"
TBYB-RETURN-01
"TBYB return [tbyb_id]: [return_method map]. Due [date return_window_days]. Return before capture: void auth according to [void_auth_on_return map], not a traditional refund. Return scan: [date] status [in_transit / received]."
Edge cases: partial keep, premature capture, return to new, and auth hold #519
Five cases outside the standard TBYB framework.
Partial keep basket: partial_return_policy map split capture lines
Capture before return scan: escalate ops partial void DISPUTE-EVIDENCE-ONLY
New returned item mix-up: 14-day purchase policy without distinct TBYB
Persistent auth hold: bank_ref_auth_hold release delay
Multi-program basket: TBYB SKU + standard SKU split order_ref
TBYB active = trial_end_date + auth_status. Do not open a standard refund ticket if the capture has not yet gone through.
Essential TBYB KPIs
Five TBYB steering metrics.
tbyb_ticket_rate: tbyb_* tickets / active TBYB orders
tbyb_capture_rate: captures / completed keep or silence trials
tbyb_void_rate: void auth return / completed trials
tbyb_charge_dispute_rate: tbyb_charge_dispute chargebacks / captures
tbyb_capture_trigger_cite_rate: % CAPTURE-TRIGGER-CITE map responses
Target: tbyb_capture_trigger_cite_rate higher than 95% and monthly tracking of tbyb_charge_dispute_rate by program.
TBYB anti-patterns
Five common mistakes in try-before-you-buy support.
Promising refund before capture: VOID-NOT-REFUND void auth only
Confusing with BNPL: BNPL-REROUTE Klarna ≠ auth capture TBYB
Applying TRYHOME #627: TRYHOME627-REROUTE distinct home deposit
Waiving auto_capture without map: capture_trigger_rule finance ops only
Capture deadline not cited: CAPTURE-TRIGGER-CITE map verbatim
TBYB with Qstomy
Qstomy on Shopify: detect tbyb intent, TBYB-MAP RAG grounded, auth_status trial_end lookup, VOID-NOT-REFUND cite, handoff #630 bot tier 1 rules debit delays.
Pipeline: #630 bot explain auth capture tier 1 → #629 agents void dispute partial escalate finance.
Explore AI support and request a demo.
Checklist, FAQ and going further
TBYB Checklist (8 steps)
TBYB-MAP v1: SKUs trial_days auth capture void return
TBYB-SUP Policy: 6 rules VOID-NOT-REFUND CAPTURE-TRIGGER-CITE
8 tbyb_* typologies: helpdesk tags
4 TBYB-* macros: EXPLAIN AUTH CAPTURE RETURN
TBYB Checkout badge: customer_copy auth_hold visible before paying
Email D-3 end of trial: TBYB-CAPTURE-01 auto keep or return
30-min Agent training: TBYB vs BNPL vs #627 vs brand new return
KPI Dashboard: tbyb_* section 9 capture_rate dispute_rate
FAQ
BNPL Klarna difference?
BNPL = pay in installments. TBYB = auth without capture then debit if kept or void if returned.
Try-at-home difference #627?
#627 = home trial complete product deposit decision. #629 = payment mechanism auth/capture checkout.
Will I be refunded if I return it?
TBYB-RETURN-01: void auth if return before capture, not a classic refund VOID-NOT-REFUND.
Connection #630 bot?
#630 = bot tier 1 rules debit deadlines. #629 = agents void dispute partial escalate finance.
Going further
This week: index TBYB-MAP eligible SKUs, audit checkout widget capture_trigger, test agents macro TBYB-AUTH-01.
Enzo
July 1, 2026
