Chargeback Response

A chargeback response is what a merchant sends to its acquirer after receiving a chargeback notification. The merchant can accept the chargeback, in which case the disputed amount stays with the cardholder, or contest it by providing evidence that the transaction was valid. A contested response typically includes a short rebuttal letter and supporting documents chosen to answer the specific chargeback reason code, such as proof of delivery, signed terms, customer communications, authentication results or records of previous undisputed purchases. The acquirer checks the response and, if it meets scheme requirements, forwards it to the issuer as a chargeback representment. Responses must arrive within the acquirer's deadline, which is usually earlier than the scheme limit. Clear, relevant and well-organised evidence improves the merchant's representment win rate, while weak responses add cost without changing the outcome.