What is a chargeback and how do you avoid it?

A chargeback is a dispute against a particular transaction raised by the cardholder (end-user) and reported to their card issuing bank.

A chargeback is a provision by banks and card networks such as Visa & MasterCard to protect buyers from unauthorized or fraudulent payments.

Once the cardholder files a complaint, the bank reports the same to IntaSend and initiates an investigative procedure.

Why Chargeback?

There could be several reasons for chargebacks against a particular transaction.

Generally, chargebacks can be associated with unsatisfactory customer service/product or poor service delivery experience. Chargebacks can also be filed if the customer suspects fraudulent activity on their card.

Why avoid Chargebacks?

It is best to avoid any kind of chargeback, as banks and card networks can label your business as a fraudulent/high-risk business, hampering your image. A customer has a timeframe of 180 days to file a chargeback, which means your sales are reversible for that time period.

A high number of chargebacks can lead to the banks holding remittances for the business as well. The worst-case scenario could be a ban on online payment services imposed upon the business.

What’s the process to resolve a chargeback?

Chargebacks should be considered high priority issues due to the involvement of risk teams of both the customer’s bank as well as our partner banks. At IntaSend we have a process to resolve disputes/chargebacks.

Notification about the dispute

We will notify you by email/telephone about the dispute, mentioning the payment ID and the reason for the chargeback, if provided by the bank.

Review the chargeback

In order to represent the chargeback, review the chargeback and explain to us the chain of events that took place.

In case the goods/services have not been provided, review the issue and let us know if the customer is willing to accept the goods/services.

In case the goods/services have been provided, share the proof of deliveries, invoices, any other authorized proof of product/service delivery.

In case of a duplicate payment made, let us know so we can ask the bank to refund the amount back to the cardholder.

Share documents

Share all documents as per the requirement of the bank with us. We will represent the dispute on your behalf.

Banks generally provide a window of 7 working days to represent the chargeback. Failure to do so within the specified window will increase the number of chargebacks lost by you.

How to avoid Chargebacks?

As mentioned above, most of the chargeback cases come up due to miscommunication between the buyer and the seller. Here are a few tips that you can keep in mind to avoid chargebacks.

Transparent Return Policy

Making sure the return policies are clearly mentioned on the website.

Constant & Clear Communication

Keep customers updated regarding the status of their orders.

Proofs of Delivery

Share tracking numbers, invoices, and all other order-related docs and references with your customers.