Managing Disputes & Chargebacks
Understand, respond to, and prevent payment disputes
A dispute (chargeback) occurs when a customer contests a charge with their bank. RevKeen tracks disputes automatically and helps you respond with the right evidence to protect your revenue.
What is a Dispute?
When a cardholder contacts their bank to reverse a charge, the bank initiates a dispute. The funds are temporarily held while both sides present evidence. RevKeen notifies you immediately and provides tools to respond.
Dispute Lifecycle
| Status | Description | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
open | Dispute received, evidence window open | Submit evidence before deadline |
under_review | Evidence submitted, bank reviewing | Wait for bank decision |
won | Dispute resolved in your favor | Funds returned to you |
lost | Dispute resolved in customer's favor | Funds returned to customer |
Common Dispute Reasons
| Reason | Description | Best Response |
|---|---|---|
| Fraudulent | Customer claims they did not authorize the charge | Provide proof of authorization, delivery confirmation, IP address logs |
| Product Not Received | Customer says they never received the product or service | Provide delivery tracking, access logs, or proof of service completion |
| Not as Described | Product or service did not match what was advertised | Provide product description, terms of service, correspondence |
| Duplicate Charge | Customer charged multiple times for the same item | Show distinct invoices for each charge, or issue refund if duplicate |
| Subscription Canceled | Customer claims they canceled but were still charged | Provide cancellation policy, subscription status history |
Responding to Disputes
When you receive a dispute notification:
Go to Finance > Disputes in the dashboard to see the dispute reason, amount, and deadline.
Collect relevant documentation: invoices, delivery confirmations, customer communications, terms of service, and transaction records.
Upload evidence and provide a clear explanation before the deadline (typically 7-21 days).
The bank reviews evidence from both sides. Decisions typically take 30-90 days.
Preventing Disputes
Clear Descriptors
Transparent Pricing
Easy Cancellation
Prompt Communication
Dispute Webhooks
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
payment.disputed | New dispute received |
dispute.won | Dispute resolved in your favor |
dispute.lost | Dispute resolved in customer's favor |