Chargeback Management Win Disputes

A chargeback is a forced reversal of a card payment initiated by the customer's bank, not by you. The customer disputes a charge, the bank pulls the funds from your account, and you must prove the sale was valid to get the money back. Chargebacks cost you the sale, the product, and often a dispute fee on top. Keeping your chargeback ratio under about 1 percent protects your account. ProTech sets up tools to prevent disputes and helps you fight the ones that come in.

Reason codes are the labels card networks attach to each dispute to explain why the customer is challenging the charge. Common categories include fraud, where the cardholder did not authorize the purchase, product not received, product not as described, and processing errors like duplicate billing. Each code carries its own evidence requirements and deadlines. ProTech helps you read the code on each dispute and gather the specific documents that code requires, so your response actually matches what the bank is asking.

You win a chargeback by submitting clear evidence that the sale was valid before the bank's deadline, usually within 7 to 10 days of the notice. Strong evidence includes signed receipts, proof of delivery with tracking, AVS and CVV match records, customer communication, and your refund policy. The case must directly answer the reason code given. ProTech helps you assemble and submit this representment package so you are not guessing what the bank wants to see.

Prevent chargebacks with clear billing descriptors, accurate product descriptions, fast customer service, and fraud tools like AVS, CVV, and 3-D Secure at checkout. A recognizable name on the customer's statement stops many disputes that come from confusion rather than fraud. Easy refunds also keep small problems from becoming chargebacks. ProTech configures these prevention tools in your NMI or Authorize.net gateway and sets up chargeback alerts so you can resolve issues before they post.

Chargeback alerts notify you the moment a customer disputes a transaction, before it becomes a formal chargeback. This early warning gives you a short window, often 24 to 72 hours, to refund the customer and stop the dispute from counting against your ratio. Avoiding the chargeback protects both your account standing and your pricing. ProTech can enable alert services on your account so you catch disputes early and keep your ratio in safe territory.

Friendly fraud happens when a real customer disputes a legitimate charge they actually made, sometimes by mistake and sometimes to get a free product. They might not recognize the billing name, forget a subscription, or claim non-delivery falsely. It is one of the most common and frustrating dispute types because the purchase was genuine. ProTech helps you fight friendly fraud with clear descriptors, delivery proof, and transaction records that show the cardholder authorized and received the purchase.