Why INR disputes happen
- The parcel was lost, delayed or held at customs.
- It was delivered to the wrong door, or stolen after delivery.
- The customer entered a wrong or incomplete address.
- Someone else in the household received it.
- The customer received it and claims otherwise (see friendly fraud).
Each cause needs different evidence, and some (a genuinely lost parcel with no delivered scan) are better refunded than fought.
What the networks look at
On Visa, non-receipt disputes use dispute condition 13.1 (Merchandise / Services Not Received). Since 16 October 2021, Visa requires issuers to address all the information a merchant supplies showing the cardholder, or an authorized person, received the merchandise at the agreed location or by the agreed date. On Mastercard, non-receipt claims typically arrive under the cardholder dispute chargeback 4853 ("Goods or Services Not Provided"); older notices may show 4855. See Visa 13.1 and Mastercard 4853 for the details of each code.
Evidence that wins
Stripe's evidence guidelines for "product not received" disputes on physical goods recommend:
- Proof of shipment to the address the cardholder provided, ideally the label with the full address.
- Carrier and tracking number, with the delivery scan and date.
- A shipping address that matches an AVS-verified billing address, or a business connected to the cardholder.
- A signature at delivery or pickup, where you have one.
- Customer communication, especially messages after delivery that mention the item.
- Arguments that defeat the claim: the agreed delivery date hasn't passed, part of the order was delivered, the parcel is held at customs, or a refund was already issued.
How to prevent INR disputes
- Show realistic delivery estimates at checkout.
- Email tracking when the parcel ships and again on delivery.
- Tell customers about delays before they ask, and offer a refund if they don't want to wait.
- Require a signature on high-value orders.
- Validate addresses at checkout and flag orders shipping far from the billing address.
- Answer "where is my order" messages fast; many INR disputes start as an unanswered email.
When to refund instead of fighting
Contest when tracking shows delivery to the address on the order. Refund when there is no delivered scan, the carrier confirms a loss, or the order value is smaller than the fee and the time a response takes. A refund issued before the customer disputes avoids the chargeback entirely; once a dispute is filed, it counts toward your ratio whatever the outcome. For digital goods and services, the equivalent of delivery proof is a download, login or usage record tied to the customer's account.
How Verdikx helps
Verdikx is a fraud, chargeback and dispute platform for e-commerce and SaaS merchants, built by Verdikx LLC (New Jersey, United States).
- Delivery proof (every plan, from Starter at $29/month). Tracking numbers are kept on the order, with alerts. Carrier delivery scans are checked automatically, with no carrier login. AfterShip checkpoints (beta) can be added on Growth and Pro. Direct UPS, FedEx and USPS adapters are built but need authorized carrier credentials before they supply proof.
- A playbook for each reason. Each case shows what wins a not-received dispute (carrier scan, signature, address match, customer messages), marked Available, Partial or Missing from your records.
- Evidence packet. Order, payment, delivery destination, shipments and any carrier scans on file, policies and conversations in one PDF, with an AI draft that cites the records it uses (on Starter, AI drafts and the AI claim check cover 10 cases a month; unlimited with fair use on Growth and Pro).
- Autopilot (Growth, $79/month). Not-received disputes are one of the default auto-submit reasons, and "Require carrier delivery proof" is on by default, so a case without a delivered scan is never auto-submitted. Submissions go out 48 hours before the deadline by default.
What Verdikx does not do
- It cannot create delivery proof that doesn't exist. Without a delivered scan, a refund is often the better choice.
- It does not guarantee outcomes; the issuer decides.
- Shopify Payments responses are finished in Shopify admin unless your case shows Submit to Shopify.
How to respond to an item not received chargeback
- Check the deadline and reason codeOpen the dispute, note the response deadline and confirm it is a non-receipt claim (Visa 13.1, or a Mastercard cardholder dispute).
- Pull the tracking recordGet the carrier, tracking number, ship date and delivery scan, plus any signature or delivery photo.
- Match the addressShow the shipping address on the label matches the address on the order and, ideally, the AVS-verified billing address.
- Add customer communicationInclude messages from the customer, especially any sent after delivery that mention the item.
- Address the claim directlyIf the delivery date hasn't passed, part of the order arrived, or a refund was issued, state it with proof.
- Write a short rebuttalSummarize the facts in a few sentences, citing each attached document, and avoid generic templates.
- Submit before the deadlineSubmit through your processor once, early, and record the outcome to improve future responses.
Frequently asked questions
Can I win an item not received chargeback if tracking shows delivered?
Often, yes. A delivered scan to the address the customer gave, ideally matching an AVS-verified billing address, is strong evidence. A signature and messages from the customer after delivery make it stronger. Without an address match or with signs of a misdelivery, the issuer may still side with the cardholder.
What if the package was stolen after delivery?
Card networks generally look at whether you delivered to the agreed address. If the scan shows delivery there, many merchants contest the dispute, while some refund as goodwill to keep the customer. For high-value items, requiring a signature reduces porch-theft disputes in the first place.
What if the expected delivery date hasn't passed yet?
Say so in your response, with the delivery estimate the customer saw and the current tracking status. Stripe's guidelines list an agreed delivery date still in the future as an argument against a not-received claim.
Should I refund instead of fighting an INR dispute?
Refund when you have no delivered scan, the parcel is clearly lost, or the amount is smaller than your time and fees. Contest when tracking shows delivery to the right address. Refunding before a dispute is filed avoids the chargeback; after it is filed, the dispute still counts toward your ratio.
Does signature confirmation help with chargebacks?
Yes, for non-receipt claims. A signature ties delivery to a person at the address, which is stronger than a scan alone. Stripe recommends considering signatures for higher-value goods. Weigh the cost and the friction for customers against your order values.
See it on your own orders.
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Sources
- Stripe Docs: Dispute reason code categories and evidence (checked October 5, 2026)
- Visa Business News AI10681: Updates and clarifications to dispute rule language (14 January 2021) (checked October 5, 2026)
- Stripe Docs: Dispute and fraud card monitoring programs (checked October 5, 2026)
Last reviewed by Verdikx Research.