Chargeback Response Checklist
A step-by-step checklist that takes a Stripe dispute from the first notification to a submitted evidence packet without missing the deadline.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
A dispute notification arrives with a due date and a reason code, and the sellers who win consistently are the ones who follow the same sequence every time rather than improvising under pressure. This checklist walks through that sequence: confirm the deadline, classify the reason code, decide whether the case is worth fighting, gather only the exhibits the claim calls for, write a one-page summary, and record the outcome so the next case is easier.
Print it or copy it into your ticketing tool and tick items as you go. The steps line up with the pages on this site that explain each one in depth, including the reason code guide at /blog/chargeback-reason-codes/, the evidence packet walkthrough at /blog/building-strong-evidence-packet/, and the Fight or Accept Chargeback Calculator at /tools/fight-or-accept-chargeback/. Adapt the dollar thresholds and owners to your own business; the order of the steps is what matters.
- Note the due date shown in the Stripe dispute and put it on a shared calendar the same day it arrives.
- Assign one named owner for the case and confirm they can reach the order, customer, and shipping records.
- Read the reason code and the cardholder's stated claim before opening any files.
- Classify the reason code family: fraudulent, product not received, product unacceptable, credit not processed, subscription canceled, duplicate, unrecognized, or general.
- Check whether a refund was already issued or promised; if so, consider accepting the dispute rather than fighting a case you cannot win.
- Look for an earlier inquiry or early fraud warning on the same charge and read how it was handled.
- Run the amount, the dispute fee, and your time estimate through the Fight or Accept Chargeback Calculator to decide whether a full response is worth it.
- Choose one triage path and write it on the case: concede, fight with a template, or fight with care.
- Pull the order record: date, amount, items, billing and shipping address, email, IP address, and any card verification results.
- For physical goods, download carrier tracking with delivery confirmation and any signature to the address the customer gave at checkout.
- For digital products or subscriptions, export access logs, login timestamps, and the recorded acceptance of your terms.
- For services, collect the booking or scheduling record, the delivered work, and the communication history.
- Gather every customer message about this order, including support tickets, emails, and chat transcripts, in date order.
- Screenshot your refund and cancellation policy exactly as it appeared at checkout, with the date visible.
- Write a summary of no more than one page that states the reason code, the claim, and the two or three facts that disprove it.
- Label each exhibit with a number and a one-line purpose, in the order the summary references them.
- Remove anything that does not address the claim, and cut any wording that argues with or speculates about the cardholder.
- Convert exhibits to common formats such as PDF or images and confirm no archive files or links to external drives remain.
- Have a second person read the summary and confirm they can understand the case in one pass.
- Submit through the Stripe dashboard with a buffer of at least two business days before the due date, and save a copy of the exact packet sent.
- Log the case in your dispute tracking log with the reason code, amount, triage path, and submission date.
- Record the decision when it arrives, note what you would change, and update your template for that reason code if needed.
https://disputeloom.com/templates/chargeback-response-checklist/Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.
Also from DisputeLoom
- Dispute Tracking Log: A running log of every dispute with its reason code, deadline, triage path, and outcome so you can see your true win rate and your dispute ratio at a glance.
- Free calculators