Countering Chargebacks

Countering Chargebacks

When a cardholder files a chargeback , Helcim will alert you via:

• Email
• Helcim Dashboard

Note: When you receive a chargeback, you must  counter or accept it before the response deadline. Failing to respond results in a non-recoverable refund to the cardholder and a chargeback fee charged to your account.

1. Understand the complaint

When a chargeback comes in, don’t hesitate to reach out to the customer promptly and politely. Inquire about the reason behind the dispute, aiming to understand their perspective fully. Often, disputes result from misunderstandings or miscommunication, and a friendly conversation can resolve these issues amicably. By addressing customer concerns and finding common ground, you may even be able to facilitate the withdrawal of the chargeback. Keep records of all correspondence for future reference, as this can be invaluable in case the dispute escalates further. Effective communication not only helps in resolving the immediate issue but also fosters goodwill with your customers, potentially preventing future disputes and maintaining a positive business relationship

2. Decide to accept or counter

As soon as you understand everything about the chargeback, decide whether to accept or challenge the dispute. Ask yourself these questions before proceeding:

• Do I have sufficient evidence to counter the chargeback?
• Can I convince the account owner to withdraw the chargeback?
• Is the cardholder’s claim true?

When you’ve decided how to respond, click the corresponding button on the chargeback details drawer on our Chargebacks platform.

Accepting the chargeback means that you agree to refund your customer for the disputed amount and pay the chargeback fee.

Countering the chargeback opens a form that will guide you through the counter process. It will prompt for evidence that is relevant to the dispute type and your response type and allows you to easily upload files.

3. Submitting Evidence

Note/Caution: You only have one chance to submit your response as Helcim forward this information to the missing bank with all your supporting files. After submission there is no option edit or add more files, so ensure you’ve prepared all the evidence you want to submit

1. Open the Form by clicking “Counter” on the chargeback details drawer.

2. Tell us about the disputed transaction. In the description fields for each section provide as much information as you can that will explain why you believe the dispute is not valid. 

3. Attach your evidence. Use the file upload tool to attach evidence that best supports your argument. You can submit multiple files (under 2MB) for each section!

4. More information the better! The last section will give you the ability to add any additional background information/context surrounding the disputed transaction. For example, feel free to add information about:

• Shipping details
• Customer Communication
• Terms and Conditions

5. Submit your evidence. On the top right hand corner of the form, you can go ahead and submit your evidence. Remember, you only have one chance to submit your counter, so make sure you have every relevant evidence you want to provide.

4. Track your chargeback

Note: Chargeback Timelines are only available for chargebacks filed after August 23rd, 2023.

After you submit a response, the status of the chargeback will change to “Response Submitted” and once Helcim sends the response to the acquiring bank the status will change to “Review in Progress”. Eventually Helcim will let you know if you’ve won or lost the chargeback case! 

Additionally, you can track the chargeback case in more detail in the chargeback timeline found in your dashboard.

Dispute Withdrawals

Through communication you were able to get your customer to withdraw the chargeback. That’s great, but what are the next steps?

1. Make sure you gather all evidence that your customer agrees to withdraw the chargeback. This may be in the form of an email/text thread or a signed document. An email stating the customer has canceled the dispute will be the strongest piece of evidence.
2. Counter the chargeback and attach this evidence as well as providing brief descriptions of the product and customer.
3. Track the status of the chargeback and await the decision!