A "product not received" chargeback means the cardholder told their bank the order never arrived. You can contest it, but the outcome depends on whether you can show the delivery happened. This guide covers what Shopify asks for, how to build the response, and how to reduce these disputes.
What this chargeback reason means
Shopify uses the label "Product not received" when the buyer believes they never received the goods or services they paid for. The card issuer reviews the evidence and decides. Shopify states it is not involved in deciding chargeback outcomes, so nothing in this guide is a promise of a result.
- Chargeback: The bank takes the disputed amount from you right away, plus a chargeback fee
- Inquiry: The bank asks for information first and does not take the amount or a fee right away
- Decision: Made by the company that issued the cardholder's card
Contact the customer before you respond
Shopify's suggested starting point is to contact the customer. A late parcel, a neighbour who took it in, or a delivery to a mailroom often explains the claim.
- If you resolve it: Ask the customer to contact their bank and withdraw the chargeback. They have to do this themselves
- Still respond: Send evidence of the agreement to the card company in your response
- Refunds: Shopify says you can't issue a refund once a chargeback has been made, so do not refund on top of it
The evidence Shopify lists
If you cannot resolve it, your response needs to show the customer received the order before the chargeback was filed. Shopify lists the evidence below, and says it automatically uploads a PDF of the order's fulfillment events for you.
| Evidence | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Date and time you fulfilled the order | You shipped promptly after payment |
| Billing information the customer used | The order ties to the cardholder |
| Shipping and tracking information | The carrier delivered to the address given |
| Activity log, for digital products or services | The customer accessed what they bought |
Make the response easy to follow
The person reading your response does not know your store. Lay it out so the timeline is obvious without opening every attachment. The general steps are in how to respond to a chargeback.
- ✅ Lead with the delivery date and the tracking number
- ✅ Show that the delivery address matches the address entered at checkout
- ✅ Submit before the response deadline
- ❌ Do not contest it if you never shipped. Shopify says that when you were at fault, you must accept the chargeback
Prevent the next one
Shopify's chargeback prevention guidance for shipping is short and practical. Most of it is about leaving a clear record and keeping the customer informed.
- Ship quickly: Send products as soon as possible after you collect payment
- Tracking: Use online tracking and delivery confirmation when you can, and give customers the tracking information
- Delays: Contact the customer and explain what is happening
- Contact details: Make them easy to find, so customers reach you before their bank
Doing this at scale
Good dispute evidence is collected before the dispute exists. RiskClarity reviews each paid order, explains the risk with the fraud signals behind it, and logs every decision in an audit log you can export for chargeback disputes. See RiskClarity.