Total lack of transparency in chargeback process extremely disappointed with Shopify

Hi everyone,

I’d like to share a recent experience that has left me deeply frustrated and disappointed with how Shopify handles chargebacks — or more precisely, how little visibility and support merchants get during the process.

A few months ago, I received a chargeback from a customer. I gathered all the necessary evidence, submitted my appeal, and waited for the outcome.

Eventually, Shopify notified me that the customer’s bank had decided in their favor. So far, fair enough — that can happen.

But here’s the problem:

  1. Naturally, I wanted to see why the bank made that decision. What was their argument? What did they base it on?

  2. Shopify support told me they don’t have access to that information.

  3. I asked for the name of the bank involved — again, they said they can’t provide that.

  4. I asked for a copy of the reasoning or documentation the bank used to make their decision — again, not possible.

So basically, I’m expected to just accept the outcome blindly, without any right to transparency, explanation, or recourse. Shopify tells me it’s entirely the bank’s decision, but they won’t even tell me which bank. And apparently, there’s no way to challenge this or even understand it.

As a merchant, this makes me feel completely powerless. We’re expected to take all the risk, invest time in appealing, and in the end, we’re given zero information. Shopify acts as the intermediary but offers no real support when it matters most.

This is unacceptable. Chargebacks are already a stressful part of online business — the least Shopify could do is provide transparency and advocate for its merchants.

Has anyone else experienced something similar?

Still no answer given by shopify. This is a scam. For all I know the bank could have giving me the reason and shopify lies and keeps my money.

i don’t have any proof or information.

Hi Alejandro, I have been an online merchant in a past life (1994-2007) and I still work with hundreds of merchants today. I can tell you that even if you weren’t on Shopify, but on another platform using a gateway to connect like Authnet - and you had a direct relationship with a processing bank - you would still lose the chargebacks and you would have no recourse to appeal. The problem lies with the banking industry itself. It almost always sides with the customer.

Joe

Well that might be true in your country but not in mine.

If I get a chargeback or an inquiry by the police for a stolen credit card I got the report from the Police, a letter from the bank, etc.

Here I just got an email from Shopify with the statement, no real answer, no proof, no change or asking or discuss the resolution.