How can I handle a chargeback claim for a parcel still in transit?

[ckong]

We are based in Europe and we very often ship to the USA. Unfortunately shipping time can sometimes be a few weeks and in November / December even a bit longer.

So I had this order and shipped it early November to the customer in the USA. A few weeks later she asked me where her parcel was and I told her that it's still en route. However, she probably didn't believe me because she filed a chargeback via her bank the next day or so. But ... not because she didn't receive her order, but her claim is that the items were defective faulty. This can't be true because she didn't receive the items yet when she filed the claim. 

Anyway, I checked her order every day and I just saw on the website of USPS that she received her order yesterday, December 19 (I know, it took a long time, but I can't do anything about that). Of course I e-mailed her immediately and asked her to cancel her chargeback and give me the evidence of it, so that I can show that as proof in my Shopify reply of the chargeback (I have the time until December 31).

But what if for some reason the customer doesn't give me this proof? I did contact her a few times in the last few weeks, but she never replied to me. What can I do in that situation? 

Or should I not be worried and just repy to Shopify that her claim was false in the first place because she claimed to have received defective items, while the items were still on their way to her?

[StephensWorld]

If the customer isn't working with you to resolve the issue (or being honest about things), then the only thing you can do is respond to the chargeback as honestly as you can, and provide as much proof as possible that you acted honestly and professionally. 

Include copies of the emails you sent the customer, as well as a link/screenshot to the shipping updates from USPS, that shows the product was still in transit when the customer filed the chargeback, and that it has since been delivered. 

Chargebacks suck, and having customers who file them dishonestly sucks even more. Unfortunately, this is kind of par-for-the-course with doing business online. It's not necessarily 'common', but it does happen from time-to-time.

To help prevent this in the future, you should try to make your shipping times as clear as possible on your website (maybe add some more text to product pages directly, larger text, banner images, etc. -- to make things even clearer than they probably already are). 

I'd also recommend editing your 'checkout settings' so that phone numbers are required on all orders (if it's not already required). By having a phone number (in addition to an email), it'll give you another way to get in contact with your customers, if they aren't replying via email. If you can get them on the phone and explain things, it'll be more personal, and usually, the customers will be more likely to work with you to resolve things without needing a chargeback. 

I wish you the best of luck! 🙂