Chargebacks for research suppliers.

How a dispute works

In the US, cardholders can dispute billing errors with their card issuer, including charges for goods that were not delivered as agreed. Under federal rules the cardholder writes to the issuer within 60 days of the statement that first showed the error, and the issuer must resolve it within 90 days [1]. Card networks layer their own dispute rules on top, with reason codes and deadlines for each step [2].

For a merchant, the sequence usually looks like this:

With Zonipay as merchant of record, the dispute arrives at us. We ask the store for what only it has, such as tracking and proof of delivery, within 5 business days of our request. We attach the transaction record and the buyer's attestation ourselves, and file the response.

Why buyers dispute

Most disputes in this category fall into a few groups:

• Unrecognized charges. The buyer does not connect the statement line with the store. Someone else in a lab or household may have ordered.
• Not received. The parcel is late, held in customs or delivered to a mailroom.
• Not as described. The buyer says the item differs from the listing or arrived damaged.
• Genuine fraud. A stolen card was used to place the order.
• Buyer's remorse presented as one of the above. Often called first-party misuse.

Each needs a different answer, which is why generic "the customer agreed to our terms" responses rarely win.

Network monitoring programs

Card networks track dispute and fraud levels for each merchant through their acquirers. When a merchant's ratios rise above the program's thresholds, the acquirer is expected to act: remediation plans, fees and, in persistent cases, closing the account. Visa consolidated several of its fraud and dispute programs into the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program, effective April 1, 2025 [3]. Mastercard runs its own excessive-chargeback program. Thresholds and fees change over time and are applied through the acquirer, so we do not quote them here.

The practical point is simple. Disputes count against the merchant even when they are won, so the cheapest dispute is the one that never happens. Under an MoR, these programs apply at the MoR's level, which is one reason we monitor storefronts and buyers closely.

Evidence that wins

Match the evidence to the reason code, and send it complete the first time.

• Tracking and proof of delivery. Carrier tracking that shows delivery to the address on the order, ideally with a delivery scan or signature for higher-value orders. This answers "not received" directly.
• The research-use attestation. The buyer ticked a mandatory box confirming the purchase was for laboratory research use, not for human or animal use, and that they are 21 or over. Stored with the order, timestamped, it shows the buyer knew what they bought and agreed to the terms of sale.
• The order record. Billing and shipping details, email, IP address and device information, and 3-D Secure authentication where it took place. For fraud claims, history of earlier undisputed orders from the same customer can also help under the networks' current rules.
• The product as listed. A snapshot of the product page as it was on the order date and the certificate of analysis for the batch. Our scan archive keeps page snapshots, which helps here.
• Communication. Emails with the buyer, especially any acknowledging receipt.
• Your refund policy, as published on the order date, and proof the buyer did not ask for a refund before disputing.

Evidence that hurts: a product page with claims of benefit. If the listing contradicts the research-use attestation, the attestation loses much of its weight.

Prevention

• Make the charge recognizable. A statement descriptor with your store name (on Zonipay, ZONIPAY* STORENAME), a receipt that names the store, and a buyer help page that explains the charge.
• Ship fast and upload tracking the same day. Send the tracking link to the buyer.
• Answer customers quickly. A buyer who gets a reply asks for a refund. A buyer who does not files a dispute.
• Refund when you are wrong. A refund costs less than a dispute and does not count against your ratios.
• Keep the storefront honest. Research presentation, no claims, accurate descriptions. Disputes for "not as described" start with the listing.
• Screen orders. Mismatched details, unusual quantities and repeated failed payments are worth a second look before shipping.

Our disputes policy sets out how Zonipay handles disputes for merchants and buyers.