Odds of winning a returned item dispute?
January 22, 2020 11:17 AM Subscribe
I know I should have asked for signature confirmation, but I had a positive history with an online retailer. I returned an item, tracking says it was delivered, and the merchant says they never received it. Am I likely to win a credit card dispute?
Details:
I ordered a piece of sub-$250 jewelry online a few months ago. It wasn't like the pictures on the merchant's website, so I asked to return it. I mailed it in with tracking and insurance, as well as all the documents the merchant required. The item was marked as delivered during the merchant's return period, but to this date, the merchant says they never received the item. I filed an insurance claim with the USPS. The USPS rejected my claim because the item was supposedly delivered. I also opened a lost mail claim and am occasionally on the phone with some flaky women in the Midwest about my missing package. They haven't found anything.
I attempted to file a chargeback with my credit card issuer since I'm now out the money and the item, and the merchant started fighting it today. What are the odds I'll be made whole? What else can I do? I kept the paperwork from the USPS with my tracking number and the letter they sent me about my denied insurance claim, and I have some email correspondence with the USPS employees in the Midwest (but they mostly want to play phone tag).
Details:
I ordered a piece of sub-$250 jewelry online a few months ago. It wasn't like the pictures on the merchant's website, so I asked to return it. I mailed it in with tracking and insurance, as well as all the documents the merchant required. The item was marked as delivered during the merchant's return period, but to this date, the merchant says they never received the item. I filed an insurance claim with the USPS. The USPS rejected my claim because the item was supposedly delivered. I also opened a lost mail claim and am occasionally on the phone with some flaky women in the Midwest about my missing package. They haven't found anything.
I attempted to file a chargeback with my credit card issuer since I'm now out the money and the item, and the merchant started fighting it today. What are the odds I'll be made whole? What else can I do? I kept the paperwork from the USPS with my tracking number and the letter they sent me about my denied insurance claim, and I have some email correspondence with the USPS employees in the Midwest (but they mostly want to play phone tag).
Response by poster: Yes, this is a U.S.-issued credit card.
posted by marfa, texas at 11:30 AM on January 22, 2020
posted by marfa, texas at 11:30 AM on January 22, 2020
Best answer: I would also be astounded if you did not get 100% of your money back.
posted by saeculorum at 11:53 AM on January 22, 2020
posted by saeculorum at 11:53 AM on January 22, 2020
Best answer: The thing about charge-backs (which is the industry term for these sorts of disputes initiated with the credit card issuer) is that they're one of the few cases where the credit card company is actually on your side. This because they make customers happy and don't cost the card issuer any money. In fact, the card issuer generally charges a fee to the merchant for every charge-back, so they probably even make money on the deal. So you probably won't even need your evidence unless the merchant disputes the charge-back.
The one possible downside is that many merchants will refuse to do business with customers who initiate charge-backs, so you may find yourself unable to purchase from this merchant in the future.
posted by firechicago at 12:23 PM on January 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
The one possible downside is that many merchants will refuse to do business with customers who initiate charge-backs, so you may find yourself unable to purchase from this merchant in the future.
posted by firechicago at 12:23 PM on January 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
Best answer: Echoing what firechicago says. You can win the dispute by not having to pay the money and still lose a little (or a lot) by not being able to do business again with the merchant. This may or may not matter to you, but it's something I was unaware of until recently.
(I know this because the woman at the car rental counter told me a few weeks ago that I was on the company's "do not rent" list. This is because I disputed a bogus fee months ago in a neighboring country. The company also sent the unpaid amount to a collections agency. It's quite the rich tapestry.)
posted by veggieboy at 1:03 PM on January 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
(I know this because the woman at the car rental counter told me a few weeks ago that I was on the company's "do not rent" list. This is because I disputed a bogus fee months ago in a neighboring country. The company also sent the unpaid amount to a collections agency. It's quite the rich tapestry.)
posted by veggieboy at 1:03 PM on January 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: After this experience, I don't want to do further business with this merchant, so no big loss. Thanks everyone -- feeling a little better about this. The merchant did dispute the chargeback, but I'll send in my evidence and hopefully I'll get my money back.
posted by marfa, texas at 1:16 PM on January 22, 2020
posted by marfa, texas at 1:16 PM on January 22, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
Assuming you're talking about a US issued credit card, this evidence will 100% get your money back.
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 11:29 AM on January 22, 2020 [3 favorites]