Charge Back & Payment Terms
Draft — merchant review required before publishing.
A chargeback happens when a customer contacts their bank and asks to reverse a payment (usually claiming the purchase was unauthorized, they never received the item, or it was not as described).
Here’s how the process normally works:
1. Customer starts the chargeback
The customer calls their bank or card provider.
They give a reason (fraud, item not received, not as described, etc.).
The bank temporarily takes the money back from your Shopify account.
2. You receive a notification
Shopify (or your payment provider – Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, etc.) will email you.
You usually have 7–21 days to respond (the exact time depends on the card network).
3. You submit evidence (this is the dispute stage)
You must upload proof that the order was valid. Strong evidence includes:
Order confirmation and invoice
Tracking number + delivery confirmation (signed or “delivered” status)
Customer communication (emails, chat)
IP address and device information
Proof that the billing address matched the shipping address
Photos of the packed item (if available)
Your Terms of Service and refund policy
4. The bank decides
The bank reviews both sides.
If you win → the money is returned to you.
If you lose → the customer keeps the refund and you may also pay a chargeback fee ($15–$25).