Tracking shows delivered but the customer swears it never arrived. Who wins?

Delivery confirmation to the address the cardholder provided is strong evidence and wins many of these, especially with signature or photo proof. Without a signature, issuers sometimes side with the cardholder anyway, which is why high-value shipments justify signature requirements as standard policy.

When does the chargeback clock start for an item that never shipped?

For non-receipt claims the timeframe runs from the date the goods or services were due, not the purchase date, with an outer limit of 540 days from the central site business date. A preorder promised for next spring carries live dispute risk until well after that promised date passes.

Mastercard · Consumer Disputes

Reason code 4855: Goods or Services Not Provided

The classic non-receipt chargeback, legacy code 4855 covered claims that the cardholder paid for goods or services that never arrived or were never rendered. Mastercard consolidated it into 4853 (Cardholder Dispute), where non-receipt continues as a dispute condition with the same substance. The dispute clock for these claims runs from the date the goods or services were due, not the transaction date, which extends risk on preorders and delayed fulfillment.

Issuer filing window

typically 120 days from the delivery due date rather than the transaction date, up to a 540-day outer limit

Merchant response window

typically 45 days to respond via second presentment

Why 4855 chargebacks happen

The order was never shipped due to inventory failure, a dropshipping supplier collapse, or an order lost between systems.
Delivery failed or the package was lost in transit, and the customer disputed instead of waiting out a carrier investigation.
The package shows delivered but the customer says it never arrived, a growing porch-piracy pattern in card-not-present retail.
A service, booking, or event was paid for and then not delivered, or the business interrupted service before the paid term ended.
A preorder or crowdfunded product blew past its promised delivery date, and customers began disputing as the window closed.

How to fight a 4855 chargeback

Submit carrier tracking showing delivery to the address provided at checkout, with signature confirmation where you have it.
For delivered-but-denied claims, add corroboration: GPS delivery coordinates, photo confirmation from the carrier, and a matching delivery address history.
For services, provide appointment records, attendance logs, access credentials issued, or work product delivered.
If delivery was late but completed before the chargeback was filed, document the delivery date; receipt before filing generally defeats a non-receipt claim.
Show any customer agreement to a revised delivery date for preorders, which resets the timeline the dispute is measured against.

How to prevent 4855 chargebacks

Require signature confirmation above a value threshold, and use tracking with delivery photos as standard on all shipments.
Communicate delays proactively with revised dates and a one-click cancel option, converting future chargebacks into cheap refunds.
Verify address quality at checkout with validation APIs to eliminate undeliverable-address losses.
Do not capture payment until fulfillment for made-to-order or long-lead products, keeping the presentment and delivery clocks aligned.
Set carrier claim workflows so lost-package cases are refunded to the customer immediately while you recover from the carrier separately.

Frequently asked questions

Tracking shows delivered but the customer swears it never arrived. Who wins?: Delivery confirmation to the address the cardholder provided is strong evidence and wins many of these, especially with signature or photo proof. Without a signature, issuers sometimes side with the cardholder anyway, which is why high-value shipments justify signature requirements as standard policy.
When does the chargeback clock start for an item that never shipped?: For non-receipt claims the timeframe runs from the date the goods or services were due, not the purchase date, with an outer limit of 540 days from the central site business date. A preorder promised for next spring carries live dispute risk until well after that promised date passes.

Related Mastercard codes