Start with the payment method, not just the word "chargeback." For a missing, wrong, damaged, or unauthorized order, the relevant deadline may come from the seller, marketplace, PayPal, card issuer, or payment app. Save the records, contact the seller in writing when appropriate, and open the right case before its deadline.

The steps below are for U.S. consumers. Marketplace and payment-platform terms can vary by country and by transaction. For a U.S. credit card, an eligible billing error generally must be disputed in writing within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent. That deadline doesn't automatically apply to debit cards, PayPal, bank transfers, or every marketplace claim.

Pick the dispute route

Problem Start here Main limit
Order never arrived Seller or marketplace, then the payment provider Delivery and platform deadlines vary
Wrong, damaged, or defective item Seller or marketplace return process Show the listing, order, and item received
Unauthorized credit-card charge Card issuer immediately Written notice is needed for the federal billing-error process
Unordered merchandise Don't pay for it; review FTC guidance A seller's demand doesn't make an unsolicited order valid
PayPal purchase PayPal Resolution Center or card issuer PayPal says not to pursue both routes at the same time
Debit, prepaid, bank transfer, or payment app Provider immediately The credit-card 60-day rule isn't automatic

A chargeback isn't a guaranteed refund. It's a review by the issuer or card network based on evidence from you and the merchant. A marketplace guarantee and PayPal Buyer Protection are separate programs with their own eligibility rules and deadlines.

Take these steps first

1. Confirm how the payment was made

Compare the order confirmation with the card or bank statement. The payment rail determines which protections and procedures are available:

Check the merchant name on your statement, too. It may show a parent company or payment processor instead of the store's brand.

2. Lock down the account if fraud is involved

For an unauthorized payment, contact the issuer or payment provider immediately rather than waiting for the seller. Change the shopping-account password, remove saved payment details, and look for other unfamiliar transactions.

A person claiming to arrange a refund doesn't need your password, one-time passcode, or full card number. Don't give those details out.

3. Put the seller contact in writing

For a missing, incorrect, or damaged order, use the seller's support system or the marketplace messaging tool. Include the order number, purchase date, and a short description of what went wrong. State the remedy you want, such as a full refund or replacement, and attach relevant photos or tracking information.

Give the seller a clear response date if you need one. Keep the message factual, and don't let an unanswered seller message run out the clock on a platform or card claim.

Credit-card billing errors and chargebacks

The FTC's credit-card dispute guidance describes a specific U.S. process for billing errors. It isn't the same thing as a merchant's return policy or a general promise that a disappointing purchase will be refunded.

The federal 60-day process

For an eligible billing error:

  1. Write to the issuer. The letter must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.
  2. Send it to the right address. Check the statement for the billing-error address. It may be different from the address used for payments.
  3. Identify the transaction. State the amount, merchant, transaction date, statement date, and specific reason for the dispute.
  4. Include copies of the evidence. Useful records can include the order confirmation, tracking history, seller messages, return records, or information about an unauthorized transaction. Keep the originals.
  5. Track the acknowledgment. The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved the problem.
  6. Watch for the decision. The issuer generally must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the letter.

During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges. Continue paying the undisputed portion of the account and follow the issuer's instructions so the rest of the account doesn't become delinquent.

Some issuers may extend the 60-day period when a shipment is delayed. Ask the issuer rather than assuming an extension applies. A telephone complaint alone also doesn't provide the same protection as a timely written billing-error notice.

When a chargeback is a different process

An issuer may place the transaction in a card-network chargeback category instead of using the federal billing-error procedure. Network deadlines and evidence requirements can differ. Ask the issuer:

Don't call an authorized purchase fraud just because you changed your mind or dislike the item. Describe what actually happened.

Platform-specific steps

Amazon

Open the order in Your Orders and use Amazon's seller-contact or problem-reporting flow. Keep messages and evidence inside the Amazon account.

Amazon's published A-to-z Guarantee page for its European operation says that, in relevant cases, the buyer must have contacted the marketplace seller more than 48 hours earlier without a satisfactory resolution. It also lists a condition tied to the last possible delivery date being within 90 days. Because that page is for Amazon EU, those figures aren't a universal U.S. deadline. Follow the instructions and date shown on the U.S. order.

For an A-to-z request, gather:

Not every return, quality complaint, or buyer's-remorse request qualifies for A-to-z protection. Check the policy attached to the order.

PayPal

PayPal's U.S. Purchase Protection policy says the dispute must be opened within the applicable timeframe. The policy lists 180 days from the payment date as an outer period, while also stating that certain transactions must be disputed within 30 days of delivery or fulfillment, whichever comes sooner.

The process is generally:

  1. Open the transaction in PayPal's Resolution Center.
  2. Choose the reason that matches the facts.
  3. Upload the listing, receipt, tracking information, photographs, and messages.
  4. Communicate with the seller through the case.
  5. Escalate the dispute to a claim if the issue isn't resolved and the policy allows it.

PayPal says you must choose between its Buyer Protection process and a claim with your card issuer. You can't pursue both at the same time or receive a double recovery. If you're thinking about changing routes, check the policy and speak with the issuer before closing or abandoning a case.

eBay

Use eBay's transaction-resolution process for a covered issue and follow any return-shipping instructions. Select the reason that accurately describes the problem.

The eBay Money Back Guarantee policy lists a 30-calendar-day period after the estimated or actual delivery or collection date has passed for reporting covered issues. It also says that a buyer or seller may appeal an eBay decision within 30 calendar days.

Keep the original listing and item description, seller messages, delivery or collection records, photographs showing the difference between the listing and the item received, and tracking for any return.

A change of mind may be treated differently from an item that never arrived or was materially different from its description. Check the specific policy before selecting a reason.

AliExpress and Shopify stores

AliExpress protection periods can depend on the order, delivery status, return terms, and marketplace location. Open the dispute from the order page before the displayed protection or return deadline. Save screenshots of the order page and terms because the deadline can change as tracking updates.

A Shopify checkout doesn't create one universal refund program. The store's published policy and the payment provider's rules control the next step. Contact the merchant first, then use PayPal or the card issuer if the seller doesn't resolve an eligible problem. The payment descriptor on your statement can help identify the correct merchant or processor.

Build an evidence file

A dated timeline usually does more work than a long explanation. Put these records in one folder:

Write the chronology in a few lines:

Ordered on [date]. The seller promised [delivery date]. Tracking shows [status]. I contacted the seller on [date]. The seller offered [response]. I am requesting [specific remedy].

Redact passwords, one-time codes, full account numbers, and unnecessary personal information. Upload readable copies and keep the originals.

U.S. credit-card dispute letter template

Use this format for a U.S. credit-card billing error when the transaction fits the issuer's dispute process:

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Card issuer's billing-error address]

Re: Billing error for account ending [last four digits]
Statement date: [date]

I am writing to dispute a charge of [$ amount] from [merchant] posted on [date]. The charge concerns [goods not delivered as agreed / an unauthorized transaction / another specific billing error].

I contacted the merchant on [date]. The result was [brief factual description].

Please investigate and correct this billing error. Enclosed are copies of the order confirmation, statement entry, tracking information, correspondence, and other supporting records.

Please send me the result of your investigation in writing.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Make sure the letter reaches the issuer within the 60-day period. Use a delivery method that lets you retain proof of delivery, and keep a copy of everything submitted.

A defective or disappointing product may not clearly fit the federal billing-error process. Ask the issuer which dispute category applies. A merchant return request and a card dispute aren't interchangeable.

After you file

Save the case number, submission date, and every response. Look for a temporary or final credit on the account, but don't treat a temporary credit as the final decision.

If the platform or issuer requests more information, respond by its deadline and address the stated reason for the denial. Specific evidence is more useful than another general complaint: a delivery scan, a photograph comparing the listing with the item received, or proof that a promised refund never appeared.

If the seller refunds you after the payment dispute was filed, tell the payment provider. That can prevent a duplicate credit or a record suggesting that you received nothing.

A report to the FTC about a broader scam may help regulators identify patterns, but it doesn't replace the dispute filed with the card issuer or payment provider.

Mistakes that weaken an online purchase dispute

Common questions

Do I have to contact the seller before disputing a credit-card charge?

For an unauthorized charge, contact the issuer immediately. For a missing, wrong, or defective order, contacting the seller first creates a useful record and may be required by a marketplace. It doesn't excuse missing the issuer's written deadline.

Can a seller's "no refunds" policy defeat a card dispute?

A no-refund policy may affect a voluntary return or refund. It doesn't by itself make an unauthorized charge valid or stop an issuer from reviewing an eligible billing error. The issuer still evaluates the facts and applicable rules.

What if I received something I never ordered?

Don't pay for it. Review the FTC's guidance on unordered merchandise, save the package and billing records, and contact the issuer if your account was charged.

Can I dispute a purchase after the marketplace denies my claim?

Possibly, but the payment provider's deadline and rules still control. Preserve the marketplace decision and explanation, and don't misrepresent the reason for the dispute. If PayPal is involved, review its rule against pursuing PayPal and the card issuer at the same time.

Pull up the order and payment statement now. Write down the payment method, statement date, delivery date, and platform deadline; then file the route that expires first.