Reason codes, explained the way we explain them to customers
Every chargeback arrives with a reason code, and each code is fought with different evidence. Wrong evidence loses winnable cases. This is Backstop’s actual guidance library, published openly: real win rates, the evidence that decides each code, and a straight answer about which fights are not worth your time.
One response only
A dispute response locks the moment it is submitted, yours orShopify’s automatic one, with no edits after. Whatever you send first is your whole case.
Ranges are not promises
Every percentage below is an industry average for merchants who send the evidence that reason needs. Banks decide disputes. Anyone promising you a win rate is selling something.
Fraudulent Transaction
Usually skip
9 to 17%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Fraudulent transaction disputes are the hardest to win. Banks default to the cardholder. Two exceptions worth fighting: CE 3.0 eligibility (see above), and orders that ran through 3D Secure: authenticated transactions generally leave fraud liability with the issuer. Without either, accept the loss and focus on prevention: AVS, CVV, and 3D Secure stop most stolen-card fraud before a dispute ever files.
What decides these cases
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
3D Secure authentication on the disputed order (since October 2025, Visa auto-qualifies Visa Secure transactions for CE 3.0)
Device fingerprint or device ID matching the cardholder's prior orders
IP address matching prior orders from this cardholder
Delivery to the same shipping address used on undisputed prior orders
Account login records showing the cardholder accessed their account before and after the disputed purchase
Customer service communication initiated by the cardholder post-purchase
30 to 50%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Product Not Received is winnable when you have a carrier scan showing 'Delivered' at the correct address. Know that a tracking scan alone can be overridden when the cardholder insists nothing arrived: a delivery photo or signature is often what decides it, especially on higher-value orders. Expect to win roughly half these disputes with strong evidence, not more. If the package was genuinely lost in transit, refunding and filing a carrier claim is faster and cheaper than fighting the dispute.
What decides these cases
Carrier tracking showing 'Delivered' at the billing/shipping address
Proof of delivery signature (if collected)
Delivery photo from carrier (e.g. FedEx, UPS delivery confirmation photo)
Order confirmation email with correct shipping address
Customer communication after claimed non-delivery
IP or device confirming customer accessed their account post-shipment
20 to 35%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
These disputes often come from buyer's remorse. Your best evidence is an accurate product listing and a clear return policy that the customer bypassed. If your product description was genuinely misleading, accepting the dispute and improving listings prevents future losses.
What decides these cases
Product listing screenshots showing accurate description at time of purchase
Photos or videos of the item as shipped
Your return/refund policy shown at checkout
Any customer communication about the product before the dispute
Proof customer did not attempt to return before disputing
Third-party reviews or lab reports confirming product quality
25 to 45%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Often triggered by an unfamiliar billing descriptor on a bank statement. First verify your Stripe/Shopify billing descriptor is recognizable. If the descriptor is clear and you have login + delivery evidence, these disputes are contestable. If you believe it is true fraud, skip the dispute.
What decides these cases
Order confirmation email sent to cardholder's email address
Login records showing account access from the cardholder's device/IP
Billing descriptor matching your store name (check this first)
60 to 80%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Duplicate disputes are among the most winnable when you actually shipped two separate orders. Present the two order records, two tracking numbers, and two confirmation emails. If it was a genuine technical double-charge, refund the duplicate immediately, no dispute needed.
What decides these cases
Order history showing two separate, legitimate orders with different order IDs
Two separate fulfillments / tracking numbers
Two separate order confirmation emails sent to the customer
Any customer communication acknowledging both orders
Payment processor logs showing two distinct authorization events
15 to 30%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
Win rate is modest. If the customer genuinely canceled but was still charged, refund promptly. If they did not cancel and received value, proof they kept using the service after the claimed cancellation is your strongest argument, backed by agreed billing terms and cycle notifications. Without usage evidence, these are hard to win: networks require you to honor cancellations, so any gap in your cancellation records works against you.
What decides these cases
Usage logs showing the customer kept using the service after the date they claim they canceled: the single strongest evidence for this code
Logs showing no cancellation request was received before the charge
Cancellation policy displayed at signup and in confirmation emails
Email confirmations of each billing cycle the customer received
Customer portal or account page showing active subscription status
Any customer communication about the subscription
Terms of service with billing terms accepted at checkout
30 to 50%of these are won with the right evidence, industry average
If you issued the refund before the dispute was filed, submit the refund transaction record: these are about as strong as dispute responses get. If the refund went out after the dispute was filed, it does not clear automatically; you still need to respond with the evidence. If you owe a refund and have not sent it, process it now: the dispute fee plus a lost chargeback costs more than the refund. If the refund is legitimately not owed (e.g. outside your stated policy window), document why clearly.
What decides these cases
Refund transaction record from your payment processor
Date the refund was issued vs. dispute filing date
Refund confirmation email sent to customer
Your refund policy and stated processing timeline
Customer communication where refund was promised or acknowledged
Bank processing time disclosure (refunds take 5 to 10 business days)
Inside Backstop, this guidance sits next to each live dispute with your order’s evidence already assembled beneath it. The seven codes above cover the disputes Shopify Payments reports; anything rarer gets the same structure with a conservative read. The cover letter for the response is on the rebuttal letter template page.
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