What happens if I have previous chargebacks?

A dispute history does not automatically disqualify an application. Underwriters look at the ratio, the trend, the reason codes behind it, and whether anything has been done about the cause. The most useful thing you can provide is context: what drove the disputes, what changed, and what the numbers look like since. A documented remediation story is far stronger than a statement with an unexplained spike in it.

Why is my business considered high risk?

“High risk” is a classification applied by acquirers, processors and card networks. It reflects the financial and reputational exposure they take on, not the quality of your business. Common reasons include elevated dispute exposure, regulatory or licensing requirements, future delivery, recurring billing, cross-border structures, limited processing history, or a prior account closure. Being classified this way does not mean your business cannot be placed — it means the application has to be prepared and directed carefully.

Will a reserve be required?

Possibly. A reserve holds a portion of your settlement for a defined period to cover potential disputes and refunds. It is common in future-delivery, recurring-billing and closely underwritten categories. Whether one applies, how it is structured, and for how long is determined by the underwriting provider based on your file. We will explain how the mechanism works and what it means for your cash flow, but we will not tell you a number before the provider has assessed your application.

Payment Solutions

Chargeback and Fraud Management

Disputes are an operational problem before they are a payments problem. Most preventable chargebacks come from something a customer did not understand, could not find, or did not receive on time.

Apply for Processing Ask a Question First

At a glance

Root-cause firstWe categorise disputes before recommending tools, so the fix matches the cause.
Evidence disciplineRepeatable response packs, assembled from records you already generate.
Threshold awarenessRatio monitoring so a rising trend is visible before a programme is triggered.

Sorting disputes by cause

Chargebacks are not one problem. In practice they cluster into a handful of causes, and each has a different remedy.

Unrecognised descriptor — the customer does not connect the charge to your brand
Service or product not received — a fulfilment or delivery-evidence gap
Not as described — expectation set by marketing rather than the product
Subscription not cancelled — a cancellation-flow or notification failure
True fraud — the cardholder did not authorise the transaction
Friendly fraud — the cardholder did authorise it, then disputed anyway

Prevention that does not cost you sales

Blunt fraud rules reduce disputes and revenue at the same time. We look for changes that lower dispute pressure while leaving good customers alone.

A descriptor that includes a recognisable brand name and support contact
Order, shipment and delivery confirmations that arrive when promised
Support responses fast enough to beat the dispute window
Clear, findable refund and cancellation paths
Risk rules tuned by segment rather than applied globally
Pre-dispute alerts, where the provider supports them for your account

Responding to a dispute

A representment is an evidence exercise with a deadline. The response needs the transaction record, the customer’s consent, proof of delivery or access, the support history, and the policy the customer agreed to — presented in a form the issuer can read quickly.

We help you build a template for each dispute reason you actually receive, so responses stop being written from scratch. Outcomes are decided by the issuer and the card network, and no representment can be guaranteed.

Monitoring programmes and ratios

Card networks operate monitoring programmes with defined dispute and fraud thresholds. Entering one brings extra fees, remediation requirements and, in some cases, account closure.

We help you track your ratio the way your processor calculates it — which is not always the way you would calculate it yourself — so a trend is visible early enough to act on.

Who decides

All approvals, pricing, reserve requirements, settlement schedules and account terms are determined by the applicable processor, acquiring institution, gateway or underwriting provider. Nothing on this website is an offer, a guarantee of approval, or a commitment to specific terms.

Questions

Chargeback Management — Common Questions

Straight answers, including where the honest answer is “that depends on the underwriter”.

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Find the Right Payment Solution for Your Business

Tell us about your business, current processing situation, and growth plans. Our team will review the information and explain the available next steps.

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Submitting a form does not guarantee approval and does not create a contractual relationship. It begins a review conversation so we can explain the options that may be available to your business.