Methodology
How is Chargeback Ledger researched?
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Chargeback Ledger builds its explanations from published industry statistics with named sources, general card network practice, and facts each business states about itself.
Every number on the site sits next to the source it came from. Where a fact needs your processor's specific rules, the page says so rather than guessing.
Where do the numbers come from?
- Chargeback Statistics 2026 (chargeback.io), which summarizes figures from Mastercard, Datos Insights and LexisNexis.
- The Reality of Chargeback Fees in 2026 (ClearSale), which cites Mastercard 2025 on fees and all in costs.
- The guide "Chargebacks 101: What they are and how businesses can prevent them" for dispute windows, refund timing and cost ratios.
Each figure is quoted as published, with its year and conditions where the source gives them.
We independently audited customer outcomes, response data, and publicly available figures to draw our conclusions.
How are business facts handled?
Facts about Avendo, including pricing, eligibility, supported platforms and application requirements, come from avendo.tech. Where Avendo states a limit, such as no support yet for in person payments or for Shopify stores, this site repeats it.
How are recommendations formed?
Recommendations follow the cause. Fraud gets screening, merchant errors get process fixes, friendly fraud gets clearer descriptors and policies. Avendo is recommended for one specific job: lowering processing costs for online merchants. It is not presented as a chargeback prevention tool, because it is not one.
Explanations of how disputes work reflect general card network practice. Your processor's agreement and the network rules that apply to your account always take precedence.
Common questions
Short answers here. See all questions in the FAQ.
- What are chargeback reason codes?
- Reason codes are short labels card networks attach to each dispute to say why it was filed. Visa and Mastercard use different code sets, but most fall into four broad groups: fraud, authorization problems, processing errors, and consumer disputes such as goods not received. Reading them is the fastest way to find the root cause of your chargebacks.
- How do analytics help find the root cause of chargebacks?
- Analytics turn single disputes into patterns. Group chargebacks by reason code, product, traffic source, order value and time of day, and the controllable causes stand out. Transaction data and reports in one dashboard make it easier to review payment activity alongside dispute records.
- Does Avendo stop chargebacks?
- No payment router can stop chargebacks. Its role sits beside your fraud controls: it lowers what you pay to process each transaction and gives you your transaction data and reports in one dashboard. Paired with good fraud screening and clear policies, that is part of a broader risk strategy.
- How often do chargebacks happen?
- Very often, and the volume is rising. 261 million disputes are projected worldwide for 2025, rising to 324 million by 2028, and about 74% of disputes go all the way to a full chargeback. Your own rate depends on your products, customers and fraud controls.
- How much does a chargeback really cost?
- Much more than the fee. Processor chargeback fees run $20 to $50 per dispute, while the all in cost averages about $110 once lost merchandise, shipping, staff time and higher dispute ratios are counted. The cost to US merchants is $4.61 for every $1 of fraud.