Chargebacks can be frustrating, but responding quickly and providing the right documentation can improve your chances of a successful resolution. Chargeback Manager helps you track disputes, organize evidence, and submit responses from one place. It’s also important to reach out to the client, work to resolve concerns before they escalate, review the client’s history for patterns, and communicate the situation with staff so everyone handles the issue consistently.
These recommendations are provided by payment processors. While informative, they may not be comprehensive and apply broadly across different platforms.
Follow these steps to manage chargebacks:
Review the Dispute
Access the Chargeback Manager and review all relevant transaction and dispute details. Identify the reason for the chargeback by clicking the dispute, and use Stripe's defense guidelines to learn how to prevent and overturn it.
Engage with the Customer
Contact the customer directly to understand why they filed the dispute and, if possible, attempt to resolve the issue. In some cases, once the concern is addressed, the customer may choose to withdraw the dispute with their bank.
When reaching out to the client:
Contact them promptly and professionally using your normal communication channels, such as email, phone, or in-app messaging. Some disputes occur simply because the client does not recognize the charge on their statement.
Focus on understanding the issue by asking why the dispute was filed and listening to their explanation. This can help identify misunderstandings, billing confusion, missed cancellation policies, or service concerns.
Work toward a resolution. If the issue can be clarified or resolved, the client can contact their bank to request withdrawal of the dispute. The process for withdrawing a dispute varies by card issuer. If the customer agrees to withdraw the dispute, ensure they provide an official letter or email from their bank confirming the withdrawal. A customer’s statement alone is insufficient.
Assess Customer Behavior
Monitor for patterns of repeated or abusive chargeback activity. If a customer consistently disputes valid charges or appears to be abusing the system, document the behavior thoroughly and review their transaction history for patterns. Identifying repeat disputes can help you determine whether the issue is a misunderstanding, a service concern, or potential abuse of the dispute process, allowing your team to respond appropriately.
In Chargeback Manager, you can export your disputes and use Excel or Google Sheets to filter by email. This lets you group disputes by customer, making it easier to identify repeat disputes and track patterns over time.
Flag accounts with repeated or suspicious chargeback activity to the appropriate teams, including management, front desk, and risk teams.
Submit Evidence
Submit evidence in the Chargeback Manager. Follow these steps to create clear, effective evidence that supports your dispute in Chargeback Manager.
You may only submit dispute evidence once. Bank decisions on chargebacks are final and cannot be appealed once resolved. Before submitting: It is important to note that once a chargeback dispute decision is finalized by the bank, it cannot be changed or reversed under any circumstances.
Match the Evidence to the Dispute Reason
Tailor your submission to the specific dispute reason.
Common evidence types: web logs, emails, shipment tracking numbers, delivery confirmations, proof of refunds or replacements.
Example: For “Product Not Received,” include:
Carrier and tracking number
Delivery confirmation with full address
Screenshots of tracking information- Proof of communication: Email or text communications with the customer, ideally tied to the email on their account.
Transaction records: Signed purchase agreements, proof of product usage, or check-ins.
Refund evidence: Bank statements showing refunds, accompanied by the completed evidence form.
Always provide evidence that the issuer can verify, and avoid external links or requests that the bank contact you.
Format Evidence Clearly
Supported file formats: PDF, JPG/JPEG, PNG
Use 12-point font or larger, portrait orientation, U.S. Letter or A4
Crop screenshots to highlight key info; circle or annotate details
Avoid color highlighting and unrelated content.
Ensure files are accessible and free of errors like "403 Unauthorized." Resend inaccessible files promptly before the deadline.
Illegible or cluttered evidence may be rejected.
Write a Professional, Factual Response
Be clear, concise, and neutral. Avoid emotional language or commentary on fairness
Include the transaction, delivery/service details, and relevant policies
For digital goods, include system logs, IP addresses, or device info to prove usage
Example template:
“Jenny Rosen purchased [Product Name] on [Date] with a Visa card. The customer agreed to our terms of service. We shipped the product on [Date], and it was delivered on [Date].”
Include Terms of Service and Refund Policies
Show screenshots of the terms and refund/return policies as seen at checkout
Ensure policies were acknowledged before purchase (especially for Visa disputes)
Submit Carefully
All evidence must be included at once. The Chargeback Manager allows only one submission per dispute
Double-check for clarity and completeness before submitting
If the customer agrees to withdraw the dispute, submit evidence anyway, as the banks still require it.