Introduction to dispute management

Disputes sometimes occur when a shopper isn't satisfied with the goods or services you provide.

In most cases, you can negotiate with the shopper and resolve the problem with a variety of standard solutions. For example, you offer the shopper a refund, offer a replacement, simply repeat the service, or send the goods a second time.

The use of cards

On-line and other 'at-a-distance' payments have an extra factor - the use of a card for payment. Companies that provide cards are called card issuers. These card issuers offer a series of safeguards to the shopper, who is a card holder. This means that the card issuer almost always gives a shopper their money back if the shopper has a problem with the service you provide.

Another problem that can occur with payment by card is the possibility of fraud if the card is lost or stolen. There may also be data entry errors or other errors that may occur during the payment process.

Online payments

Online payments occur in a "card not present" (CNP) environment. This means you see no card, no card holder or signature. In a CNP situation, the shopper can take any dispute direct to the card issuer without you being contacted. When a payment is in dispute Worldpay, the card issuer, and the acquiring bank operate clearly defined and well-established procedures to resolve the dispute.

Disputes can occur for many different reasons. Common reasons include a shopper who doesn't recognise a transaction on their card statement, fraudulent use of a card, and data entry errors such as entering a wrong digit in a 16 digit card number. A shopper can dispute a payment up to six months (sometimes longer) after the payment.

If a payment is disputed, the card issuer sends you a request for further information about the sale. You must send any documents or information that supports your side of the dispute.

Remember that even if you have already been paid, if the Card Issuer does not receive your response within an agreed time-scale, or decides against you in favour of the shopper, you are subject to "chargeback."

Chargebacks

A chargeback is an automatic process that removes funds from your internet merchant bank account and places them in the Card Issuer's account.

These procedures establish if you, the merchant, will get money for the disputed payment. Of particular concern to you is a process called a chargeback.

We provide a special area of the Worldpay payment service, called the Dispute Management area to help you keep track of disputed payments and chargebacks.

See the What is a chargeback? section for an explanation of what a chargeback is, and how to work with chargebacks.