Shopify chargeback: how to respond and what evidence to send
A customer disputed a charge with their bank, and Shopify has told you about it. What you do before the deadline is your only chance to get the money back — once the bank decides, it’s final. Here’s how it works with Shopify Payments.
Chargeback or inquiry?
| Chargeback | Inquiry | |
|---|---|---|
| Money taken from you | Yes, right away — plus a chargeback fee | No, not yet |
| What it means | The bank has reversed the charge | The bank wants more information first |
For an inquiry, a full refund ends it — the cardholder can’t then file a chargeback. A partial refund doesn’t: a full chargeback can still follow.
With Shopify Payments, a chargeback amount is deducted from your next available payout.
The fee
The bank charges a processing fee when a chargeback is filed. For US stores it’s US$15. If you win, you get it back. If you accept the chargeback, you don’t.
The deadline
You usually have 7–21 days to respond. Shopify alerts you with the exact deadline — don’t let it pass, because after the bank decides you can’t appeal or add evidence.
What evidence to send
Shopify suggests evidence by dispute reason:
| Reason | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Product not received | Tracking, delivery confirmation, shipping address verification (digital: access logs; services: appointment records and proof of completion) |
| Fraudulent transaction | AVS and CVV results, device and IP data, 3D Secure records, the customer’s order history, delivery confirmation, messages with the customer |
| Product unacceptable | The product listing as it was at purchase, order and fulfillment records, photos before shipping, quality-control records, your return policy |
| Credit not processed | Refund records, bank or processor statements, your refund policy, messages, return tracking |
| Duplicate charge | Transaction logs, comparison of the orders, receipts for each, refund confirmations |
| Subscription canceled | The subscription agreement, cancellation policy and records, usage logs, billing notices |
| General | Itemized receipts, checkout confirmation, pricing policy, exchange-rate records, system logs |
The evidence form has an option, Include Shopify-generated insights to strengthen case (recommended), which is on by default.
Tips for a strong response:
- Answer the bank’s stated reason, not the customer’s story.
- Match the delivery address to the order’s shipping address.
- Keep it short and factual; label each attachment.
Response template
Adapt it to the dispute reason — the example below is for product not received. Replace every [bracket], and attach the evidence you mention.
Order [#1234], placed on [date] for [amount]. Dispute reason: [Product not received].
The customer ordered [product] on [date]. We shipped it on [date] with [carrier], tracking number [number]. Tracking shows it was delivered on [date] to [city, ZIP], which matches the shipping address on the order.
Attached: (1) order details showing the shipping address; (2) carrier tracking and delivery confirmation; (3) [our messages with the customer on [date]]; (4) [our refund policy as shown at checkout].
We fulfilled this order as described, so we ask that the chargeback be reversed.
How long the decision takes
- Chargebacks: up to 75 days after you submit.
- Inquiries: usually 65–75 days, sometimes longer.
If you win, the disputed amount and the fee come back in your next payout after the decision.
Preventing the next one
- Review orders flagged high risk by Shopify’s fraud analysis — you can cancel them before shipping. See Shopify high-risk orders.
- Ship with tracking, and require a signature on expensive orders.
- Make your store name recognizable on card statements and your return policy easy to find.
- Reply to customers fast — many chargebacks start as unanswered emails.
A chargeback can also hold up your money — see Shopify payout timing.