Do companies fight chargebacks?
Daniel Santos
Updated on February 24, 2026
Merchants can fight chargebacks through a process called representment. To do so, they must provide evidence to the issuing bank that the chargeback is illegitimate. The issuing bank will evaluate the evidence and decide to either uphold or reverse the chargeback.
issuing bank
An issuing bank (also called an issuer) is part of the 4-party model of payments. It is the bank of the consumer (also called a cardholder) and is responsible for paying the merchant's bank (called an Acquiring Bank or Acquirer) for the goods and services the consumer purchases.
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How do companies deal with chargebacks?
Or — the customer must pay or start arbitration: If the bank sides with you, the merchant, the customer is contacted and then they must pay for the charge or opt to enter an arbitration process. With arbitration, the chargeback dispute is taken to the credit card company (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.)Do merchants win chargebacks?
No merchant enjoys being on the receiving end of a credit card dispute. You lose the sale, you often lose the product, and you have to pay a chargeback fee as well. You don't always have to just accept these losses, however. Most chargebacks are illegitimate, and illegitimate chargebacks can be reversed.Why do companies hate chargebacks?
When a buyer disputes a purchase, the credit card company involved reverses the charge, reimbursing the buyer in full and debiting the business' account. Retailers and other businesses hate chargebacks because they reduce their income and can lead to penalties if too many chargebacks occur.How do you fight a chargeback and win?
To win a chargeback dispute as a merchant, you must have evidence that is compelling enough to persuade the cardholder's bank to reevaluate the case. Depending on the reason for the chargeback, your evidence needs to prove you: verified the identity of the shopper. processed the transaction correctly.Chargebacks - 3 Types Of Chargebacks - Friendly Fraud - What Is A Chargeback & Chargeback Protection
Are chargebacks always successful?
Chargebacks are easy to initiate and are often successful, but they don't cover all scenarios. Chargebacks are designed as a last resort; the first step should generally be to try to resolve the issue with the merchant directly.How often do merchants win chargebacks?
20 All merchants report winning 40 percent of disputed chargebacks on average. The true win rate average is actually 22 percent (56 percent average of fraud-related chargebacks disputed multiplied by 40 percent average win rate); however, the 27 percent average looks at the metrics on a merchant-by-merchant basis.Do chargebacks get investigated?
Friendly fraud chargebacks are a huge problem for merchants, who have to take it upon themselves to provide evidence that refutes these claims. If they're confident that fraud has occurred and feel the case is substantial enough to warrant it, the bank may notify law enforcement agencies such as the FBI.What happens if you lose a chargeback?
For merchants who have lost their chargeback dispute during any of the three cycles, or decided not to contest the chargeback, they are out the money from the sale, the product sold, plus any fees incurred. Once a merchant loses a chargeback, the dispute is closed and they can't petition any further.Does a chargeback hurt you?
Chargebacks incur costly fees, endanger your relationship with reputable payment processors, and can cause you to waste time and labor that would be better spent on your actual business activities. In some circumstances, a chargeback an end up costing up to three times the original transaction amount.What are the chances of winning a chargeback?
This can't always be helped. You might not always get a fair outcome when you dispute a chargeback, but you can increase your chances of winning by providing the right documents. Per our experience, if you do everything right, you can expect a 65% to 75% success rate.Can you go to jail for chargebacks?
Customers who lie in order to receive a chargeback are committing a form of fraud. Depending on the circumstances, the sentence for someone convicted of fraud can include prison time.What to do if a merchant refuses to refund?
Company Won't Give You a Refund? Here's How to Get Your Money Back
- Try to Work it Out with the Merchant First.
- Option 1: Request a Chargeback.
- Option 2: Consider Mediation.
- Option 3: Sue in Small Claims.
- Option 4: Pursue Consumer Arbitration.
- FairShake Can Help Make Arbitrating a Breeze.