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Visa 13.1 - Merchandise/Services Not Received

TL;DR
  • The customer paid and never got the goods or the service
  • The clock starts at expected delivery, not at the sale. 120 days from expected delivery for physical goods and services, 120 from the transaction for digital
  • You win with signed delivery confirmation or carrier tracking showing delivery to the address on the order
  • Digital goods are the hard case. There's no carrier to point at, so log access timestamps and IP from day one

Used when the cardholder paid for merchandise or services that were never received.

When This Code Applies​

  • Physical goods never delivered
  • Digital goods not accessible
  • Services not performed
  • Order cancelled but not refunded
  • Merchant went out of business before delivery

Cardholder Requirements​

Before filing, cardholder must:

  1. Wait for expected delivery date - Can't file too early
  2. Attempt to contact merchant - Good faith effort
  3. Allow reasonable time - For delayed delivery
  4. Not receive the goods/services - Or substantial portion

Time Frames​

ScenarioDispute Window
Physical goods120 days from expected delivery date
Services120 days from expected service date
Digital goods120 days from transaction date
Cancelled order120 days from cancellation

Calculating Expected Delivery​

  • Merchant-stated delivery date, OR
  • Reasonable shipping time if not stated, OR
  • 15 days from transaction if no information

Representment Options​

1. Goods/Services Were Delivered​

Requirements:

  • Proof merchandise was delivered
  • Proof services were rendered
  • Delivery to correct address

Evidence:

  • Signed delivery confirmation
  • Carrier tracking showing delivered
  • Proof of service completion
  • Customer signature on work order

2. Delivery Confirmation​

For physical goods:

  • Tracking number with delivery status
  • Signature confirmation (if obtained)
  • Photo proof of delivery
  • GPS coordinates of delivery

For digital goods:

  • Download logs
  • Access timestamps
  • Email delivery confirmation
  • Account usage after purchase

3. Refund Was Issued​

When merchant already provided credit:

  • Refund transaction details
  • Date refund processed
  • Refund confirmation email

4. Cardholder Picked Up Goods​

For in-store pickup:

  • Signed pickup receipt
  • ID verification records
  • Store security footage (if available)
  • Pickup confirmation email

5. Services Were Rendered​

For service businesses:

  • Service completion documentation
  • Work orders signed by customer
  • Before/after photos
  • Appointment records with outcomes

Required Documentation​

For Delivery Claims​

Evidence TypeStrength
Signed delivery + correct addressStrong
Tracking delivered + correct addressMedium-Strong
Tracking delivered + different addressWeak
No trackingVery Weak

For Service Claims​

Evidence TypeStrength
Signed service completionStrong
Work order + photosMedium-Strong
Appointment record onlyWeak
No documentationVery Weak

Representment Time Frames​

StageWindow
Response to chargeback30 days
Pre-arbitration30 days
Arbitration45 days

Prevention Strategies​

Shipping Best Practices​

  1. Always use tracking - Every shipment
  2. Require signature - For high-value orders
  3. Ship to verified address - AVS match preferred
  4. Send shipping notifications - With tracking links
  5. Insure valuable items - Carrier liability

Delivery Confirmation​

  1. Photo proof - Where carrier supports
  2. GPS confirmation - Delivery location
  3. Recipient name - Who signed
  4. Date/time stamps - When delivered

For Digital Goods​

  1. Instant delivery - Reduce wait time
  2. Download logging - IP, timestamp, device
  3. Access confirmation - Email with details
  4. Multiple delivery methods - Email + account

For Services​

  1. Completion documentation - Always get signature
  2. Before/after evidence - Photos, videos
  3. Appointment confirmations - Written records
  4. Follow-up communication - "How did we do?"

Win Rate Expectations​

Evidence TypeExpected Win Rate
Signed delivery + AVS match70-85%
Tracking delivered only50-65%
Digital access logs55-70%
Service completion signed65-80%
No delivery proofUnder 20%

Common Mistakes​

  1. No tracking - Can't prove delivery without it
  2. Wrong address - Shipped to different address
  3. Missing signature - High value without confirmation
  4. Late response - Missing 30-day window
  5. Insufficient logs - Digital goods with no access proof

Partial Delivery​

When only some items delivered:

  • Document what was delivered
  • Provide tracking for delivered items
  • Explain missing items (backorder, etc.)
  • Offer partial refund if appropriate
  • 13.3 - Not as Described
  • 13.7 - Cancelled Merchandise

Next Steps​

Got this chargeback?

  1. Pull tracking info → Was it delivered? Get carrier confirmation
  2. Check signature → Do you have signed proof of delivery?
  3. Gather evidence → Representment Workflow
  4. Respond within 30 days

Prevent future 13.1 chargebacks:

  1. Always use tracking on shipments
  2. Require signature for orders over $100
  3. Send proactive shipping updates with tracking links
  4. Set up dispute alerts to catch early

See Also​

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