Fight chargebacks and recover more revenue…guaranteed!

Know when you’ve received a chargeback.

It’s impossible to fight and win a chargeback if you don’t know when a transaction is disputed! 

Processors use different techniques for sending chargeback notifications including mail, email, and online portals. Make sure you know which method your processor uses, and then keep an eye out for notifications — whether that’s opening your mail or logging into your portal daily.

Know what you should and shouldn’t fight.

Win rates — or how many chargebacks you successfully overturn — are an important chargeback management KPI. However, win rates aren’t the only data point you should analyze. 

Focusing on win rates exclusively can have a negative impact on your bottom line because it entices you to fight every chargeback you receive. After all, if you don’t fight, you can’t win.

However, you also need to monitor return on investment (ROI). And if you monitor ROI, you quickly realize a ‘fight all’ philosophy isn’t cost effective. Here’s why:

• Fighting chargebacks that have already expired means you devote time and money to cases that have no chance of winning.
• Fighting chargebacks without sufficient compelling evidence also means you devote time and money to cases that have no chance of winning.
• Fighting low-dollar chargebacks means you spend more than you recover.
• Fighting legitimate chargebacks could damage your reputation and lower customer lifetime value (CLV).

Set fight rules so everyone on your team knows when they should and shouldn’t respond to a dispute. Then, monitor your results to make sure you are recovering the maximum amount of revenue with the highest ROI.

Create a customized and compelling argument.

When you fight a chargeback, you are asking the bank to take money away from the cardholder. That’s a really big deal — especially if it is a substantial amount of money! So in order to be successful, you need to present the most compelling and convincing case possible. 

Start with a well-thought-out argument. Create a professional, easy-to-read rebuttal letter that clearly explains your case and what you hope to accomplish — which is overturning the dispute. 

Keep in mind that if no one can understand what you are trying to say, you’ll have a hard time winning! Check for spelling errors, typos, run-on sentences, grammar mistakes — basically, anything that could confuse your message. 

Next, gather evidence to support your claims. 

Since every customer experience is different, your chargeback response should likewise be unique. This means that you can’t use the exact same pieces of compelling evidence for all disputes and expect to win. You have to choose the information that will be most compelling in the given situation.

Generally, the evidence you send will depend on what the customer purchased: a physical good, a digital good, or a service. We’ve found that including the following types of information in a chargeback response yields the best outcome. 

• Transaction Information – Highlight noteworthy transaction details.
• Order Information – Share information obtained from the cardholder during checkout. 
• Proof of Service or Delivery – Show that you provided the goods or services as promised.
• Order History or Customer Service Notes – Detail how you tried to work with the customer to proactively identify concerns or resolve issues.
• Website Images – Give a visual explanation of the customer’s experience.
• Terms and Conditions – Help the reader understand the rules and expectations you’ve laid out for the customer.

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Submit your response on-time

As you collect your compelling evidence, make sure the formatting meets requirements. 

The issuer (cardholder’s bank) is responsible for deciding if you win or lose, but your processor reviews the case first. In order for your response to advance to the issuer for a decision, it needs to first get approved by the processor. 

Here’s how to increase your odds of acceptance.

• Optimize for processor preferences, such as page order.
• Format the package into a compliant file type, such as a PDF or an image.
• Deliver via your processor’s preferred method, such as fax or email.

Each processor has different preferences, and it’s difficult for merchants to find out what those preferences are. But if you can, you’ll have a much better chance of winning. 

When everything is perfect, send it off. Try to submit your response before the deadline — don’t wait until the last minute. It’s best to deliver your chargeback response at least three days before the expiration date. This allows time for the processor to follow up if items are missing or to resubmit if the first attempt didn’t go through.

Analyze your results

Each chargeback you receive contains a wealth of valuable information. Analyzing this data, along with your results, can give you a clearer picture of performance. 

Examples of key performance indicators you’ll want to monitor include:

• Did Not Fight – Keep track of how many chargebacks you didn’t fight. Why didn’t you fight those chargebacks? Was it for cost-saving reasons or because you didn’t have enough compelling evidence?
• Won – Identify the characteristics that are common in your winning cases. Can you duplicate that success with other chargeback responses?
• Lost – Why did your chargeback response lose? Do you need to adjust your fight rules so you aren’t wasting resources on cases that are impossible to win?
• Amount Recovered – Keep track of how much revenue you are able to recover so you can compare it against costs and determine ROI (return on investment).
• Costs – If you create and submit chargeback responses in house, figure out how much time and money is being devoted to each case. Compare your operating expenses against available service providers to see if you have the most cost-effective solution.
• Win Rate – Win rates (the percentage of chargebacks you’ve won compared to the number you’ve fought) can help you monitor changes in success over time.
• ROI – Are you recovering revenue with the most cost-effective strategy?

If you consolidate your data in a central place, you’ll be able to effectively and efficiently monitor your performance. You won’t miss key pieces of information and you won’t have to access multiple reports to get what you need.