Seatext library / BotRefund evidence
How to Integrate BotRefund with Your Checkout Page for Automated Bot Purchase Refunds
To integrate BotRefund with your checkout page, install the tracking script on your checkout, configure a conversion event, and connect the scored result to your payment gateway so fraudulent bot orders are automatically refunded....
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If you run an ecommerce store, you can use BotRefund to detect bot-driven purchases at checkout and automatically refund those orders. The integration works by adding BotRefund's lightweight tracking script to your checkout page, capturing behavioral signals from every session, and then sending a webhook to your payment gateway when BotRefund flags an order as fraudulent. This guide walks you through the exact steps, from getting your script to verifying the automated refund flow.
What You Need Before You Start
Before you integrate BotRefund with your checkout, gather these prerequisites:
- An active BotRefund account. You can sign up on the homepage and add the script in about one minute, no credit card required.
- Admin access to your website's HTML or your tag manager (like Google Tag Manager).
- Access to your payment gateway's webhook settings (Stripe, PayPal, or similar) so you can create an endpoint that listens for refund triggers.
- A way to map your order ID and amount from your checkout success event to the BotRefund API call.
BotRefund reads UTM and click IDs from your traffic, so you do not need to set up complex platform integrations first. For exact order reconciliation, you can later upload a CSV or connect your affiliate platform, but that is optional for checkout fraud detection.
Step 1: Get Your BotRefund Tracking Script
Log in to your BotRefund account and copy the tracking script. According to BotRefund's affiliate payout protection page, they install a lightweight tracking script on your site that monitors every session from click to conversion. The script captures behavioral signals, device data, and the full attribution path via UTM parameters. You will find the script in your account dashboard under “Installation.”
Make sure you copy the exact script for your account. It contains a unique identifier that ties the data to your BotRefund project. Do not modify the script manually unless you know what you are doing. If you use a tag manager, you can paste the script there instead of in the raw HTML.
The script is small. It does not load any external libraries or slow down your page. BotRefund designed it to run in the background, so your customers will not notice any difference in performance.
Step 2: Add the Script to Your Checkout Page
Paste the script into the <head> of your checkout page, or use your tag manager to load it on that page only. Make sure it runs on every checkout step—cart review, payment form, and the order confirmation page. This lets BotRefund track the entire purchase session. The script is lightweight and should not affect your page load speed.
If you have a single-page checkout (like Shopify or Recharge), the script should still work because it listens to DOM changes. But to be safe, add it to the main layout so it loads on all sub-steps. For a multi-step checkout, you can either include it on the first step and let it persist, or add it to each step individually. The latter is simpler if you use separate pages.
If you use Google Tag Manager, create a new tag with the BotRefund script. Set the trigger to fire on all checkout pages. Use the page path or URL contains rule to target only checkout URLs. This prevents the script from loading on unrelated pages.
Step 3: Configure the Checkout Success Event
When a purchase completes, BotRefund needs to know the order details. You can do this by adding a small snippet to your order confirmation page that sends a custom event to BotRefund. Include the order ID and the total amount. For example, you might call BotRefund.track('purchase', { orderId: '12345', amount: 99.00 }). This event tells BotRefund to evaluate the session that led to this order and returns a score.
BotRefund's behavioral detection checks include ghost clicks, honeypot traps, robotic linear mouse movements, superhuman input speeds, and other signals. If the session shows bot-like behavior, BotRefund will flag it.
Timing matters. Place the event call after the payment is confirmed but before the final “thank you” page loads. That way, the event captures the full session. If you dispatch the event too early, you might miss the last few interactions. If you fire it too late, you might include navigation away from the page.
If you use a framework like React or Vue, call the event in the appropriate lifecycle hook, such as componentDidMount or onMounted. For server-side rendering, you can send the event from the client after the page is interactive.
Step 4: Set Up the Automated Refund Trigger
Now you need to connect BotRefund's verdict to your payment gateway. The common approach is to set up a webhook that BotRefund calls when it identifies a fraudulent order. In your BotRefund dashboard, locate the webhook settings and enter your payment gateway's refund endpoint URL. Then, in your payment gateway, create a webhook receiver that listens for BotRefund's signal and processes a refund for that order ID.
Alternatively, you can poll BotRefund's API after each checkout and issue a refund when the score crosses a threshold. Choose the method that fits your engineering capacity. The key is to pass the order ID and amount from the checkout success event to BotRefund, then use the returned score to trigger the refund.
Webhooks are usually better because they are event-driven. BotRefund sends a request only when it detects a bot, so you avoid constant polling. However, webhooks require a publicly accessible endpoint. If you do not have a server, you can use a serverless function (like AWS Lambda or Vercel) to receive the webhook and call your payment gateway's refund API.
When you set up the webhook, decide which BotRefund verdicts trigger a refund. The default is to refund only orders tagged as “Reject.” You can also choose “Hold” to pause the order manually. “Review” orders should go to a queue for manual inspection. “Approve” orders are never refunded.
For the payment gateway, create an endpoint that accepts POST requests from BotRefund. Verify the request signature to ensure it comes from BotRefund, then extract the order ID and use your payment gateway's refund method. Stripe and PayPal both have official SDKs that make this easy.
Step 5: Verify the Integration
Test with a known bot pattern. Use a headless browser or a script that mimics superhuman input speed to complete a test order. Confirm that BotRefund flags it and that your payment gateway receives the refund webhook. Then test with a normal human session to ensure no false positives. BotRefund's accuracy is 99% (per the feature page), but you should always do a dry run before going live.
Create a sandbox environment if possible. Many payment gateways offer test keys. Use those to avoid charging real cards during tests. In your BotRefund account, you can also enable a “test mode” that returns predictable scores.
Here is a simple test plan:
- Load your checkout page in a real browser and complete a purchase normally. Check that BotRefund marks it as “Approve.”
- Run a headless browser (like Puppeteer) that fills the form programmatically. Complete the purchase. Check that BotRefund marks it as “Reject.”
- Confirm your payment gateway receives the refund webhook for the bot order and processes the refund automatically.
- Check that the human order is not refunded.
If any step fails, inspect the browser console for errors. The BotRefund script logs important events. You can also open the BotRefund dashboard to see the session details and evidence for each test order.
Key Facts About BotRefund and Checkout Integration
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Setup time | Add BotRefund to your website in about one minute. |
| Integration method | Lightweight tracking script on your site; no complex platform connectors required. |
| Data captured | Behavioral signals, device data, and attribution path via UTM parameters. |
| Fraud detection checks | 106 independent checks, including ghost click detection, honeypot traps, robotic mouse movements, and more. |
| Accuracy rate | 99% accuracy, based on corroborated signals rather than a single browser tell. |
| Output | Each conversion is scored and tagged as Approve, Review, Hold, or Reject. |
Limitations and When This Does Not Apply
BotRefund is not a traditional refund processing service. It provides the evidence and the score; the automated refund must be implemented by you through your payment gateway. The integration works best for digital products or services where the order is fulfilled immediately. If you sell physical goods, you may want to add a manual review step before refunding, because bots can still place orders that you might want to ship (unlikely, but possible).
Also, BotRefund's core strength is detecting bot traffic and affiliate fraud. If your concern is chargebacks or policy abuse by real customers, this integration will not help—that requires a different tool.
BotRefund works by analyzing behavior before and during checkout. If a bot uses a real user's session through a hack or extension, the behavior may look human. That is why BotRefund cross-checks multiple signals. But no system is perfect. The 99% accuracy means you will still see the occasional false positive or false negative. Plan a review process for ambiguous cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BotRefund process refunds directly?
No. BotRefund scores the session and provides evidence. You must connect it to your payment gateway via webhook or API to trigger the refund.
Can I integrate without a developer?
If you can add a script to your checkout and set up a simple webhook, you can do it yourself. For more complex setups, a developer will be helpful, but BotRefund is designed to be easy to install.
Will this capture every bot purchase?
BotRefund is 99% accurate, but no system is perfect. Some bot sessions may slip through, and some human sessions might be flagged. That is why a review queue is useful.
How do I handle false positives?
BotRefund tags sessions as Approve, Review, Hold, or Reject. You can configure your webhook to only auto-refund Reject sessions and send Review sessions to your team.
Do I need to update the script when my checkout changes?
Only if the checkout URL or event names change. Keep the BotRefund script in your tag manager so updates are easy.
Why This Integration Matters
Without bot detection at checkout, you may be shipping orders to bots, losing product, and paying fees on fraudulent transactions. By integrating BotRefund, you catch these in real time and prevent losses. The automated refund ensures you do not hold funds from a fake order, and you keep your conversion data clean.
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