What Visa 13.1 means
The cardholder claims merchandise or services they ordered were not received by the expected date or at the agreed location, or that merchandise was not available for pickup.
Common causes
- Lost or misdelivered parcels, or porch theft after delivery
- Shipping delays without a proactive update to the customer
- Backorders or preorders charged long before shipping
- Friendly fraud: the parcel arrived but the cardholder claims it did not
Evidence that answers it
- Carrier tracking with a delivery scan to the shipping address on the order (signature for high values)
- Proof the delivery address matches the one entered at checkout
- Proof the expected delivery date has not yet passed
- Customer messages acknowledging receipt, or later use of a digital product or service
- Proof the cardholder cancelled before the delivery date, if applicable
How to prevent it
- Ship with tracking and use signature confirmation above a value threshold
- Send shipping and delivery notifications with the tracking link
- Tell customers in writing about delays and offer cancellation
- Charge preorders closer to the ship date
Time limits and caveats
Collaboration workflow. The issuer must file within 120 days of the transaction processing date or of the last date the cardholder expected the goods, never beyond 540 days. When no delivery date was specified, the issuer generally waits 15 days from the transaction date before filing.
How Verdikx helps with 13.1
Verdikx's not-received playbook builds delivery proof from Shopify fulfillment and tracking data, with AfterShip checkpoints (beta) where connected; direct UPS, FedEx and USPS adapters are coming soon. Customer conversations from connected helpdesks (beta) can show the customer acknowledged the parcel. The AI drafts the response for your review.
Frequently asked questions
What does Visa reason code 13.1 mean?
Visa 13.1 means the cardholder says goods or services did not arrive by the agreed date or were not available for pickup. It is often winnable: carrier proof of delivery to the address the customer gave at checkout, or proof the promised delivery date has not passed, answers the claim directly.
Is Visa 13.1 worth fighting?
Our reference rates 13.1 (Merchandise/Services Not Received) often winnable with the right evidence. The evidence that answers it starts with proof the delivery address matches the one entered at checkout. The cardholder's bank decides the outcome.
How long does a cardholder have to file a Visa 13.1 chargeback?
Usually 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction, under the network's issuer time limits. Your processor gives you far less time to respond, so work from the due date on the case.
Answer your next 13.1 with the right evidence.
Install on Shopify, or create a workspace for WooCommerce, another platform or your processors, and get your first verdicts in minutes. 7-day free trial, no percentage of what you win.
Sources
- Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules (18 April 2026), Chapter 11 Dispute Resolution (checked October 5, 2026)
- Visa: Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants (June 2024) (checked October 5, 2026)
- Stripe Docs: Dispute reason codes (checked October 5, 2026)
Last reviewed by Verdikx Research.