What it means
The cardholder says what they bought was defective, or wasn't as described before they paid. On Stripe the dispute shows the reason Product unacceptable, with codes such as Visa 13.3 (Not as Described or Defective), Visa 13.5 (Misrepresentation), Mastercard 4853 or American Express C31.
Mastercard 4853 covers a lot: not as described, defective, and also services not provided and some recurring-payment claims. Read the cardholder's claim on the dispute in your Stripe Dashboard to see which one it is.
Why software, course and membership customers file it
- The course or software didn't meet their expectations, and they disputed instead of asking for a refund.
- A feature they expected wasn't there, or worked differently.
- They had a technical problem and didn't think support would help.
- Your refund window had passed, so they went to their bank.
What wins it
Show that you described the product accurately, that it worked, and that you handled any complaint fairly:
| Evidence | Stripe field |
|---|---|
| The product as presented before purchase: the description, or screenshots of the checkout or sales page | product_description, uncategorized_file |
| Logins and use after the purchase, with time and IP | access_activity_log |
| Your replies to their complaint, or a note that they never contacted you | customer_communication |
| Your refund policy and how the customer saw it before paying | refund_policy, refund_policy_disclosure |
| Anything else that answers the claim, such as how much they used | uncategorized_text, uncategorized_file |
What makes the case for software and courses:
- Use contradicts "unusable". A customer who completed 12 of 15 lessons, or used the product for weeks, got what was described.
- The description matches. Quote what the checkout page promised, and show that's what they got.
- They never asked for help. If there's no complaint before the dispute, say so: you weren't given a chance to fix it.
- Your offer to help. If they did complain, show your reply and what you offered.
Stripe notes that issuers may or may not weigh your refund policy for this reason, but that it's generally worth including.
What doesn't work, and when to accept
- Generic marketing copy. Send the description the customer actually saw at checkout.
- Ignoring a real defect. If the product was broken for them and support didn't resolve it, refund it.
Accept when the customer reported a real problem you didn't fix, or when they barely used the product and your description is vague.
How Flatfight handles it
Flatfight adds your product description and refund policy (read from your website and reviewed by you), the customer's usage after the purchase, and their support messages if your inbox is connected, with the ones that help your case suggested and any that could hurt it flagged, so nothing surprises you.
FAQ
The customer used most of the course. Do I still have to refund?
Not necessarily. Heavy use is strong evidence that the product was as described. If your policy limits refunds after a certain amount of use, include that clause.
Should I include customer messages if they complained?
Yes, if your replies were helpful. Showing that you responded and offered a fix is often what wins these disputes.