WooCommerce guide · checked 16 October 2026
How to respond to a WooCommerce chargeback
WooCommerce itself doesn't handle chargebacks. Your payment gateway does, so where you respond depends on which one takes your card payments. The rules are the same everywhere: one complete submission, before the deadline.
Where to find the dispute
| Gateway | Where to respond |
|---|---|
| WooPayments | WordPress admin: Payments → Disputes, then Challenge dispute |
| Stripe plugin | Your Stripe Dashboard: Payments → Disputes |
| PayPal | PayPal Resolution Center, on PayPal's own claim timeline |
WooPayments step by step
- Open Payments → Disputes. The list is sorted by deadline, not by amount, so check the biggest ones first yourself.
- Choose the dispute and note the reason and the respond by date. Deadlines are typically 7 to 21 days.
- Click Challenge dispute and fill in the form: product, purchase details, shipping and delivery information, and your explanation.
- Attach your evidence files and submit. You get one chance; you can't add evidence afterwards.
- The bank usually decides in 60 to 75 days.
Miss the deadline and you lose automatically. If the order is small and your proof is weak, accepting may cost less: use the calculator.
What it costs
WooPayments runs on Stripe and charges a $15 dispute fee for US stores when a dispute opens. Fees differ by country, and sources disagree on whether the fee comes back when you win, so check the current WooPayments fee page for your store's country. The Stripe plugin uses Stripe's own fees: Stripe dispute fees.
Evidence by reason
| Reason | Lead with |
|---|---|
| Fraudulent / unauthorized | Billing address and CVC checks passed (AVS/CVC match); 3D Secure authentication completed; Two earlier undisputed orders from the same customer, 120 to 365 days old, sharing the same IP or device (Visa Compelling Evidence 3.0) |
| Product not received | Carrier tracking number showing Delivered, with date; Delivery address matches the address the customer gave; For digital goods or services: download, login or usage logs after purchase |
| Not as described / defective | Screenshot of the product page as it was when ordered; Return policy shown at checkout, and that the customer never asked to return; Messages showing you offered a fix, replacement or return |
| Subscription canceled | Renewal terms shown at signup, with the box or button they agreed to; Account record showing no cancellation before the charge date; Logins or usage after the charge date |
| Duplicate charge | Both order records, showing different items, dates or order numbers; Refund receipt if one charge was already refunded |
| Credit not processed | Refund receipt with date and amount, if issued; Refund policy shown at checkout; Messages where you explained the refund decision |
WooCommerce data worth exporting
- The order page: billing and shipping addresses, IP address and order notes.
- Shipment tracking from your shipping plugin, with the delivery scan.
- Customer emails and any order notes showing contact.
- Your refund and terms pages as they looked at checkout (screenshots with dates), and proof the customer ticked to accept terms if your checkout asks.
- For digital goods: download or login logs that show the customer used what they bought.
Other platforms: Shopify · Stripe · PayPal, eBay, Etsy and Amazon cases.
Sources: Chargeback.io, WooCommerce chargebacks by gateway. Read 16 October 2026. Confirm the fee and deadline shown in your own dashboard.