Backstop

Chargeback rebuttal letter template

One letter per reason code, because an analyst reads a product not received case and a fraud case with different questions in mind. Copy the one that matches your dispute, fill the brackets, attach the exhibits in the order the letter lists them.

The letter is the index, not the evidence

Banks decide on documents: a delivered scan, a signature, a matching address. The letter points at each one in the order the analyst checks them, in under a page.

Facts with an exhibit, nothing else

No accusations, no policy quoted without the page it was on, no paragraph that does not name an attachment. Extra words are read as a weaker case.

Backstop's evidence pack for a dispute: order details, fulfillment and tracking, customer history and refund policy, reviewed by the merchant before submission

Fraudulent Transaction

Usually skip
9 to 17%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Fraudulent Transaction To the issuing bank, The cardholder states they did not authorize this transaction. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. CE 3.0 eligibility: two prior non-disputed orders on the same card, each 120 to 365 days before this dispute, with at least two matching data elements across all three orders: one match must be IP address or device ID; the other can be the second of those, account ID, email, or shipping address Exhibit B. 3D Secure authentication on the disputed order (since October 2025, Visa auto-qualifies Visa Secure transactions for CE 3.0) Exhibit C. Device fingerprint or device ID matching the cardholder's prior orders Exhibit D. IP address matching prior orders from this cardholder Exhibit E. Delivery to the same shipping address used on undisputed prior orders Exhibit F. Account login records showing the cardholder accessed their account before and after the disputed purchase Exhibit G. Customer service communication initiated by the cardholder post-purchase [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed on the basis of the cardholder's established purchase history with our store (Compelling Evidence 3.0) and the authentication on this order. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

Product Not Received

Worth fighting
30 to 50%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Product Not Received To the issuing bank, The cardholder states the order was not received. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. Carrier tracking showing 'Delivered' at the billing/shipping address Exhibit B. Proof of delivery signature (if collected) Exhibit C. Delivery photo from carrier (e.g. FedEx, UPS delivery confirmation photo) Exhibit D. Order confirmation email with correct shipping address Exhibit E. Customer communication after claimed non-delivery Exhibit F. IP or device confirming customer accessed their account post-shipment [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed: the carrier's records show delivery to the address the cardholder supplied at checkout. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

Product Unacceptable / Not as Described

Worth fighting
20 to 35%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Product Unacceptable / Not as Described To the issuing bank, The cardholder states the item was damaged, defective, or not as described. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. Product listing screenshots showing accurate description at time of purchase Exhibit B. Photos or videos of the item as shipped Exhibit C. Your return/refund policy shown at checkout Exhibit D. Any customer communication about the product before the dispute Exhibit E. Proof customer did not attempt to return before disputing Exhibit F. Third-party reviews or lab reports confirming product quality [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed: the item shipped matches the listing the cardholder ordered from, and our return policy was available to them and not used. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

Subscription Canceled

Worth fighting
15 to 30%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Subscription Canceled To the issuing bank, The cardholder states the subscription was canceled before this charge. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. Usage logs showing the customer kept using the service after the date they claim they canceled: the single strongest evidence for this code Exhibit B. Logs showing no cancellation request was received before the charge Exhibit C. Cancellation policy displayed at signup and in confirmation emails Exhibit D. Email confirmations of each billing cycle the customer received Exhibit E. Customer portal or account page showing active subscription status Exhibit F. Any customer communication about the subscription Exhibit G. Terms of service with billing terms accepted at checkout [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed: our records show no cancellation before the billing date, and the billing terms were presented and accepted at signup. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

Transaction Unrecognized

Worth fighting
25 to 45%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Transaction Unrecognized To the issuing bank, The cardholder does not recognize this charge. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. Order confirmation email sent to cardholder's email address Exhibit B. Login records showing account access from the cardholder's device/IP Exhibit C. Billing descriptor matching your store name (check this first) Exhibit D. Delivery confirmation to the cardholder's address Exhibit E. Customer service interactions post-purchase Exhibit F. IP address and device data at time of purchase [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed: the records show the cardholder placed this order, and it was delivered to them. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

Duplicate Transaction

Worth fighting
60 to 80%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Duplicate Transaction To the issuing bank, The cardholder states this charge duplicates another. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. Order history showing two separate, legitimate orders with different order IDs Exhibit B. Two separate fulfillments / tracking numbers Exhibit C. Two separate order confirmation emails sent to the customer Exhibit D. Any customer communication acknowledging both orders Exhibit E. Payment processor logs showing two distinct authorization events [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed: the two charges are for two separate orders, each with its own items and shipment to the cardholder. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

Credit / Refund Not Processed

Worth fighting
30 to 50%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Chargeback response, case [CASE ID] Order #[ORDER NUMBER], placed [ORDER DATE], [AMOUNT] [CURRENCY] Reason given: Credit / Refund Not Processed To the issuing bank, The cardholder states a promised refund was not issued. We are responding with the records below, attached as exhibits in the order listed. Exhibit A. Refund transaction record from your payment processor Exhibit B. Date the refund was issued vs. dispute filing date Exhibit C. Refund confirmation email sent to customer Exhibit D. Your refund policy and stated processing timeline Exhibit E. Customer communication where refund was promised or acknowledged Exhibit F. Bank processing time disclosure (refunds take 5 to 10 business days) [One paragraph in your own words: what happened, with dates. Only facts an exhibit above can show.] We ask that the chargeback be reversed: either the refund was issued on [REFUND DATE] as Exhibit A shows, or no refund was owed under the policy the cardholder accepted at checkout. [MERCHANT NAME], [STORE URL] [CONTACT EMAIL], [DATE]
What the bank checks first for this reason

The letter is worth nothing after the deadline

Every dispute carries an evidence deadline set by the card network, usually 7 to 21 days after filing. On Shopify Payments, if nothing is submitted by then, an automatic response goes out built from order data alone, and that response locks the case with no edits after.

Backstop watches every dispute, emails you before the deadline, and assembles the exhibits above from your own order data. You read the exact document, add what only you know, and submit it yourself.

Questions merchants ask about the letter

Does the letter matter, or only the documents?

The documents decide it. The letter is the index: it tells the analyst which exhibit answers the cardholder's claim, so they do not have to hunt. A good letter is under a page and every sentence points at an attachment.

Where do I submit it on Shopify Payments?

In the dispute in your Shopify admin, under Finance, before the evidence deadline. If nothing is submitted by the due date, Shopify sends an automatic response built from order data alone, and that response locks the case.

Should I fight a fraudulent transaction dispute?

Usually not: banks side with the cardholder on true fraud, and the merchant win rate is roughly 9 to 17 percent. The two exceptions are Compelling Evidence 3.0 (a purchase history on the same card) and an order authenticated with 3D Secure. The letter above is written for those two cases.

Live on the Shopify App Store

Install in under a minute. Free to watch; evidence packs are $19/month after a 14-day trial, cancel in one click.

Install on Shopify