Merchandise/Services Not Received, Condition 13.1

Your card processor has notified you that a cardholder is disputing a transaction that you processed.

The cardholder claims that merchandise or services that they ordered were not received or that the cardholder cancelled the order as the result of not receiving the merchandise or services by the expected delivery date (or merchandise was unavailable for pick-up).

There are several common causes for this type of dispute:

  • You did not provide the services.
  • You did not send the merchandise by the agreed-upon delivery date, time or to the agreed upon location.
  • You billed for the transaction before shipping the merchandise.
  • You did not make merchandise available for pick-up.

You delivered the merchandise or made it available for pickup by the agreed-upon date or agreed upon location.

Provide documentation to prove that the cardholder or authorized person received the merchandise or services as agreed.

Specified delivery date has not yet passed.

Provide documentation to support the expected delivery date.

Cardholder cancelled prior to expected date.

Provide documentation to support you were able to provide merchandise or service and that the cardholder cancelled prior to the delivery date.

Transaction represents a partial payment with balance due.

Provide documentation to support additional payments due.

You did not deliver the merchandise or provide the service as agreed.

Notify your card processor that you accept the dispute.

You have already processed a credit or reversal for the transaction.

Provide documentation of the credit or reversal; include the amount and the date it was processed.

For further details, refer to the Compelling Evidence Chart in Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants.

The cardholder no longer disputes the transaction.

Provide a letter or email from the cardholder that states they no longer dispute the transaction.

How to avoid this dispute in the future

  • If merchandise is going to be delayed, notify the customer in writing of the delay and expected delivery date. Allow the customer to cancel if they choose.
  • If you are shipping merchandise without requesting proof of delivery, consider the costs and benefits of doing so compared to the value of the merchandise you ship. Proof of delivery or pick-up, such as certified mail or a carrier's certification that the merchandise was delivered to the correct address or picked up and signed for by the cardholder, will allow you to return the dispute if the customer claims the merchandise was not received.

For more information, please see Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants.

Acquirer's approach or timelines may be different and you should adhere with your current Acquirer's process. Not all disputes apply to every country/region, please check with your acquirer for further information.