Shopify Chargeback Evidence: What to Submit by Reason

Quick answer for Shopify merchants

Match evidence to the dispute reason: use fulfillment and delivery proof for an item-not-received claim, transaction and customer records for an unauthorized-payment claim, and product, policy, and communication records for a not-as-described claim.

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.

Shopify dispute evidence by reason

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 your store 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. You can scan completed orders for unusual risk, hold fulfillment according to your rules, and still receive a dispute later. The evidence response should show what your store 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. Choose the submission option deliberately and keep a record showing whether the response was reviewed, submitted manually, or submitted automatically.

Make the response easy to review

Before you submit, read the response as if you have never seen the order. Lead with the answer to the claim, then support it with dated facts. If the customer says the item was not received, begin with the fulfillment and delivery record rather than a general description of your business. If the customer says the payment was unauthorized, explain the relevant order and transaction facts without claiming that a risk signal proves who placed the order.

Remove anything that does not help answer the reason. A large folder of unrelated screenshots can hide the one delivery record or refund entry that matters. Check that attachments open, that screenshots are readable, and that dates and order identifiers agree across the response. If another teammate reviews the case, ask them to identify the claim, the supporting record, and any unresolved gap in under a minute.

What to do when a record is missing

Do not fill a gap with an assumption. Say what the available records show and identify what you could not confirm. Then look for an appropriate source: the carrier portal, fulfillment system, customer-service history, refund record, or the policy version shown at checkout. Keep the search focused on the order and the dispute reason.

Missing evidence is also a prevention lesson. If delivery scans are consistently difficult to find, improve the fulfillment record before the next dispute. If customer messages are split across inboxes, create a clearer support handoff. A response process is strongest when it improves the store's everyday records instead of being rebuilt from scratch every time a case opens.

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.