How representment works
- Read the reason code, not just the customer's story. Visa 13.1 (merchandise not received) and Visa 10.4 (card-absent fraud) need completely different proof.
- Decide whether to fight. Weigh the amount, your evidence and the cost of responding. Stripe, for example, charges a separate dispute countered fee when you respond and returns it if you win.
- Assemble evidence: a short rebuttal letter plus exhibits that prove each point.
- Submit through your processor before its deadline. Stripe says response windows are usually 7 to 21 days depending on the network; American Express gives 20 days; Adyen lists 9 or 18 days for Visa (by region) and 40 days for Mastercard.
- Wait for the issuer. Stripe says issuers typically take 60 to 75 days to decide.
The name comes from the merchant presenting the transaction to the issuer a second time. Stripe calls it countering a dispute; Adyen labels the stage Information Supplied.
What evidence wins, by dispute type
- Fraud / unauthorized (Visa 10.4, Mastercard 4837, Amex F29): AVS and CVV results, 3-D Secure authentication, delivery to the billing address, the customer's account and login history, and for Visa 10.4, qualifying prior undisputed orders under Compelling Evidence 3.0.
- Not received (Visa 13.1, Mastercard 4853, Amex C08): carrier tracking showing delivery to the address the customer gave, with dates. For digital goods, American Express lists proof the purchase IP or email matches the download or delivery.
- Cancelled recurring (Visa 13.2, Amex C28): your disclosed cancellation terms, proof the customer agreed, and proof they had not cancelled or kept using the service.
- Credit not processed (Visa 13.6, Amex C02): your refund policy as shown at checkout and why no credit is due, or proof the refund was already issued.
A worked example
A customer charges back a $240 order under Visa 13.1. The merchant's packet has a one-page rebuttal ("The order was delivered on March 4 to the shipping address entered at checkout; tracking attached"), the carrier's delivery scan, the order confirmation with that address, and a support email where the customer asked about sizing two days after delivery. Every exhibit answers the "not received" claim directly. That is a strong representment. A packet with the whole order export and a paragraph about company values is not.
Common mistakes
- Arguing the wrong claim, for example sending a refund policy to answer a fraud code.
- Missing the processor's deadline, which is often days earlier than the network's.
- Burying the key proof in long, unlabeled attachments. Reviewers read quickly.
- Accusing the customer. State facts and let the documents speak.
- Skipping the response when the customer says they withdrew it. Stripe notes you still need to submit evidence for the dispute to close in your favor.
How Verdikx helps
Verdikx is a fraud, chargeback and dispute platform for e-commerce and SaaS merchants, made by Verdikx LLC. For each case Verdikx shows a playbook for the reason code (what evidence wins, what to avoid, the deadline), marks each evidence item Available, Partial or Missing, and builds a PDF packet from your order, delivery, customer and processor records. AI drafts a response for your review, and the contradiction finder looks for records that contradict the cardholder's claim, with an AI claim check on top of its rule-based checks (on Starter, AI drafts and the AI claim check for 10 cases a month; unlimited with fair use on Growth and Pro). You submit from the case to Stripe, Braintree, Adyen and other connected processors, or download the packet where a processor has no submission API (Shopify Payments evidence is usually submitted in Shopify admin). Autopilot submits only cases inside limits you set, where the processor allows it. Verdikx never guarantees a win.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between representment and a chargeback?
The chargeback is the cardholder's bank reversing the payment. Representment is your answer: evidence submitted through your processor asking the issuer to reverse that chargeback. Without representment, the chargeback simply stands.
How long do I have to submit representment?
Your processor sets it, and it is shorter than the network limit. Stripe says usually 7 to 21 days depending on the network, American Express allows 20 days, and Adyen lists 9 days for US and Canadian Visa disputes, 18 days elsewhere, and 40 days for Mastercard.
Is representment worth it for small orders?
Sometimes not. Compare the amount with the cost of responding, including any countered fee (Stripe returns its countered fee only if you win) and staff time. Fight when your evidence clearly answers the reason code; accept quickly when it doesn't.
Can I submit more evidence later?
Usually not. Most processors accept one submission per dispute and it can't be edited afterwards; Shopify, for example, accepts one submission per dispute. Put everything relevant in the first response and check it against the reason code before you submit.
What should a rebuttal letter include?
A short summary of the transaction, the specific claim you are answering, and a numbered list of exhibits that prove each point, such as tracking, AVS and CVV results, policy acceptance or customer messages. Keep it factual and under a page where possible.
See it on your own orders.
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Sources
- Stripe Docs: How disputes work (checked October 5, 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Visa chargebacks (checked October 5, 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Mastercard chargebacks (checked October 5, 2026)
- American Express: How to Manage and Help Prevent Disputes (merchant guide) (checked October 5, 2026)
Last reviewed by Verdikx Research.