Managing chargebacks and disputes
A chargeback happens when a customer contacts their bank to challenge a transaction rather than seeking a refund directly from you. If this occurs, our payment processor will auto-dispute the chargeback to provide a window for you to "represent" the charge and submit evidence against illegitimate claims.
On mobile, reach the Merchant Hub through the Pages drawer in the bottom footer.
How to Handle a Dispute
If you receive a dispute notification, follow these steps immediately to improve your chances of a reversal:
Act Fast: You have a strict deadline (often 30 days or less) to respond. Missing this window will result in an automatic loss.
Gather Evidence: Collect every piece of documentation related to the sale, including:
Signed contracts and invoices
Proof of delivery or service completion
Communication logs (emails/texts) with the customer
Your signed terms and conditions or refund policy
Submit evidence in your processor's portal: Open Merchant Hub > Disputes and click the button for your payment provider. The portal opens in a new browser tab:
For businesses processing with Sola: click Open Sola, which links to portal.solapayments.com/login.
For businesses processing with Fiserv: click Open CardPointe, which links to cardpointe.com/account. This is the secure portal where Fiserv gathers your data to present to the customer's bank.
All dispute handling — uploading evidence and responding — happens in that portal, outside Mallow.
Proactive Prevention
The best way to manage disputes is to stop them before they start:
Clear Billing Descriptors: Ensure the name that appears on a customer’s bank statement is easily recognizable as your business.
Informative Invoices: Follow all invoicing best practices, including proper branding, including merchant and client information, thorough descriptions, and accurate pricing.
Accessible Policies: Clearly display your return, refund, and cancellation policies on your website and invoices.
Proactive Communication: Most disputes arise from confusion. Resolving an issue directly with a customer is always faster and cheaper than a bank-led chargeback.
Robust Documentation: Always have signed contracts and detailed invoices for every client.