Overview

Chargebacks — also called charge disputes — happen when a buyer contacts their bank or credit card issuer to reverse a charge from an Amazon order. These disputes can stem from various reasons, including claims of non-receipt, unauthorized credit card use, or dissatisfaction with a product. For Amazon sellers, understanding the chargeback process is essential because unresolved disputes can lead to financial losses and potential account health issues.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• What triggers a chargeback — A cardholder disputes a charge through their bank rather than through Amazon's own resolution process. This bypasses Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee and is handled through the credit card network instead.
• Seller responsibility vs. Amazon's responsibility — Sellers are responsible for chargebacks filed for service-related reasons, such as non-receipt of goods or items not matching the listing description. Amazon covers payment-related fraud chargebacks, such as those resulting from stolen credit cards or other unauthorized payment fraud.
• FBA vs. MFN distinction — This chargeback policy applies specifically to Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN) sellers who handle their own shipping and fulfillment. Sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) have a separate chargeback process since Amazon handles fulfillment on their behalf.
• Financial impact — When a chargeback is filed, the disputed amount is typically debited from your seller account while the dispute is under review. If you lose the dispute, you forfeit both the payment and any merchandise already shipped.
• Record-keeping requirement — Sellers must retain shipping records, tracking information, and delivery confirmations for at least six months after the order date to effectively contest chargebacks.

How the Chargeback Process Works

When a cardholder initiates a chargeback through their bank, the credit card network notifies Amazon, which then passes the dispute along to the seller. Sellers typically receive a notification in Seller Central with details about the disputed order and the reason code associated with the chargeback. From that point, sellers have a limited window — usually seven calendar days — to respond with evidence supporting their case. This evidence can include proof of delivery, tracking numbers, correspondence with the buyer, and any documentation showing the order was fulfilled as described. If the seller does not respond within the allotted timeframe, the chargeback is automatically decided in the buyer's favor.