Refunds and Chargebacks

Refunds and Chargebacks


At Mainstack, we understand the importance of managing refunds and chargebacks effectively to protect your business and maintain customer satisfaction.

Refunds

We encourage users to establish their refund policies based on their business needs. If you choose to offer refunds, you can easily issue them through the "Refund" tab on your dashboard at any time. The refunded amount will be deducted from your balance, minus our platform fee.

Please note that if you have a “no refunds” policy in place, customers still have the ability to initiate chargebacks against their purchases. This is important to keep in mind when setting your policy.

Chargebacks

A chargeback (also referred to as a charge reversal or dispute) occurs when a customer requests their credit card provider to reverse a charge on their statement. Chargebacks are typically initiated due to fraud or disputes over the transaction.

Chargebacks can happen for various reasons, and we encourage you to learn more about the causes of chargebacks.

When a chargeback is initiated, you must gather and provide as much information as possible to help resolve the dispute. However, once this information is submitted, it is up to the card issuer to make the final decision.

Note that a chargeback isn’t the same as a Refund. The chargeback process is initiated outside of Mainstack, and it's between the card issuer and its cardholder. Also, note that the card issuer imposes a fine (called a dispute fee) on the seller when a customer files a chargeback.

Effective June 17th, 2025, we will no longer only charge a $15 dispute fee; an additional counter-dispute fee will be charged. Here is the reason why we will start charging a counter-dispute fee. 

The dispute fee of $30 will apply in the following cases:
  1. $15 fine (or the applicable fee in the local payment currency) when a dispute is opened and,
  2. $15 fine (or the applicable fee in the local payment currency)  when a dispute is countered by the seller (this fee will be refunded if you, the seller, win the dispute).
This means you will be charged $30 (or the applicable fee in the local payment currency) in total per dispute (one fee when it is opened, and another if it is countered). In a dispute over a chargeback, the decision is ultimately made by the card issuer, and we don't decide the outcome.

Here's how to upload a supporting document or proof of service:
  1. Log in to your Dashboard.  
  2. Click on the Revenue Tab.
  3. Click on View All Transactions.
  4. Identify and click on the transaction, and
  5. Click Accept or Decline. 
If you accept the chargeback, it means you agree with the customer's claims and approve that they should be refunded.
If you choose to decline the chargeback, proceed to upload the file containing your supporting document or proof of service, include a short description, and click Submit.


If your store experiences an unusually high number of chargebacks, our team may need to intervene and in some cases, suspend your account to protect the integrity of the platform.



Additional Tips

  1. Keep communication clear and transparent with customers about your refund policies to reduce the risk of chargebacks.
  2. Monitor your transactions closely and take proactive steps to identify any potential fraud.

By understanding and managing refunds and chargebacks effectively, you can help ensure the success of your business on Mainstack.



    • Related Articles

    • How Refunds Work on Mainstack

      Refunds play a crucial role in managing an online business. They help maintain customer trust, enable quick dispute resolution, and contribute to a positive brand reputation. On Mainstack, you can easily process refunds for digital products, courses, ...

    • How to Manage Payment Disputes (Chargebacks) on Mainstack

      A step-by-step guide to responding effectively and protecting your business. Disputes can be frustrating, but they don’t have to mean lost revenue. Understanding the process, acting promptly, and providing thorough evidence gives you the best shot at ...

    • How to Issue Refunds

      Quick guide on how to issue a refund. Log in to your Course Dashboard. Click on “More”. Click “Refund”. Proceed to log a refund request to your student.

    • How to view your chargeback dashboard

      This is a step-by-step guide on how to view your chargeback dashboard. You can track, manage and address all disputes from this dashboard. Log in to your Mainstack Dashboard. On the Home page, click on Storefront. Click on the ‘...More’ button. ...

    • How to Issue a Refund from your Transaction Dashboard

      Follow these simple steps to issue a refund to your customer. Log in to your Dashboard. Click on your Balance or navigate to the Revenue Dashboard. Click on View All Transactions. Find and click on the specific transaction you want to refund. On the ...