What fees might a Crowne Plaza franchisee be charged for AVS (Address Verification Service) requests?
Crowne_Plaza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We may charge you an AVS fee for any AVS request you submit, even if we are not able to provide a response to the request.
You are responsible for all Chargebacks, Third Party Based Fees, Servicers Fees, and other amounts arising from fraudulent activity processed through your Merchant Systems and/or your Merchant Account (regardless of any AVS response that you receive).
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 100–424)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Crowne Plaza Franchise Disclosure Document, Crowne Plaza may charge franchisees a fee for each Address Verification Service (AVS) request they submit. This fee applies regardless of whether Crowne Plaza can provide a response to the request.
AVS is a security feature that helps combat fraud by verifying the cardholder's billing address. While using AVS can help identify potentially fraudulent transactions and potentially lower interchange rates, it does not guarantee the validity of a transaction, nor does the AVS response impact whether an authorization request is approved or denied.
Franchisees are responsible for all chargebacks, third-party-based fees, servicer fees, and other amounts arising from fraudulent activity processed through their merchant systems or accounts, regardless of the AVS response received. This means that even if a franchisee uses AVS and receives a positive response, they are still liable for any losses resulting from fraudulent transactions.