Shopify Chargeback Evidence: What to Submit by Reason

Start with the dispute reason

Read the reason code before collecting evidence. A “product not received” response needs delivery and fulfillment proof. A “fraudulent transaction” response needs information that connects the buyer to the order and shows why the transaction passed the merchant’s policy. A “not as described” response needs the product page, order details, communications, and return-policy history.

Do not send the same evidence bundle for every reason. Irrelevant attachments make the response harder to review. Shopify’s chargeback process guidance explains where the case and response requirements appear.

Build a chronological order timeline

The reviewer should be able to follow the order without guessing. Include:

1. checkout and payment date;
2. billing and shipping details that are appropriate to disclose;
3. fraud or risk checks performed;
4. fulfillment date and carrier;
5. tracking and delivery confirmation;
6. customer communications;
7. refund, cancellation, or return-policy actions.

Use dates and order identifiers consistently. Avoid unsupported claims such as “the customer is definitely fraudulent.” Describe the observable facts instead.

Preserve policy evidence

If the merchant relies on a cancellation, refund, shipping, or return policy, include the policy version that was available at checkout. A generic link to the current website may not prove what the customer saw when the order was placed.

Connect prevention to response

Fraud prevention and dispute response are connected but not identical. A merchant can scan completed orders for unusual risk, hold fulfillment according to a policy, and still receive a dispute later. The evidence response should show what the merchant actually did, when it happened, and which order records support it.

Choose review or automatic submission deliberately

Some merchants want every response prepared for review. Others prefer automatic submission when the evidence meets their policy. The important control is an explicit merchant setting, with an audit trail showing whether a response was reviewed, submitted manually, or submitted automatically.

A practical checklist

• Match the evidence to the dispute reason.
• Use one order identifier throughout.
• Put the timeline before the attachments.
• Include delivery or fulfillment proof when relevant.
• Preserve the policy shown at checkout.
• Remove unnecessary personal data.
• Verify the submission mode before the deadline.