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Dispute Prevention

Best practices to prevent payment disputes.

4 min readUpdated: 1/25/2026

Dispute Prevention

Prevent chargebacks and disputes before they happen.

Why Prevention Matters

  • Disputes cost you money ($15+ per dispute)
  • High dispute rates can affect your account
  • Prevention is easier than fighting disputes

Best Practices

Clear Business Name

Make sure customers recognize charges:

  1. Go to SettingsBusiness
  2. Set your Statement Descriptor
  3. Use a name customers will recognize

❌ "CLAPPAY*23847XY"

✅ "JOES COFFEE SHOP"

Accurate Descriptions

  • Describe products accurately
  • Use high-quality photos
  • List all specifications
  • Note any limitations

Clear Policies

Display clearly on your site:

  • Return/refund policy
  • Shipping times
  • Terms of service
  • Contact information

Shipping & Delivery

  • Ship promptly
  • Provide tracking numbers
  • Require signature for high-value items
  • Send shipping confirmation

Customer Communication

  • Send order confirmation
  • Provide shipping updates
  • Respond quickly to inquiries
  • Be proactive about delays

Fraud Prevention

Enable 3D Secure

Adds extra verification for cards:

  1. Go to SettingsPaymentsSecurity
  2. Enable 3D Secure
  3. Choose when to require it

Address Verification (AVS)

Check billing address matches card:

  • Decline mismatches
  • Or flag for manual review

CVC Verification

Always require the 3-digit security code.

Radar (Fraud Protection)

Our built-in fraud protection:

  • Blocks high-risk transactions
  • Learns from patterns
  • Customizable rules

Learn more about Radar →

Handling Issues Proactively

Refund When Appropriate

If a customer is unhappy, consider refunding:

  • Refunds are cheaper than disputes
  • Preserves customer relationship
  • No dispute fees

Communicate Problems

If something goes wrong:

  1. Contact customer immediately
  2. Explain the issue
  3. Offer solutions
  4. Document everything

Monitoring Your Dispute Rate

Track in AnalyticsDisputes:

  • Current dispute rate
  • Trends over time
  • Reasons for disputes

Target: Keep dispute rate below 0.75%


Related Articles:

disputes
prevention
chargebacks
fraud

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