A partial refund is the return of part of a payment that has already been completed. A merchant issues one when a customer returns some items from an order, when a service is only partly delivered, or when the merchant agrees a price reduction after a complaint. In card payments, the merchant sends a credit transaction linked to the original purchase for the agreed amount, and the cardholder's issuer credits it to the card account, usually within a few business days. Several partial refunds can be made against one purchase, but their total normally cannot exceed the original amount. A partial refund differs from partial capture, which reduces a charge before it is settled, and from a full refund. Merchants should record partial refunds accurately, since processing fees on the original sale are often not returned and a refund fee may apply. Issuing a refund promptly, as a refund before chargeback, can also prevent a costlier dispute.