Should I threaten a chargeback immediately?

Usually not in the first message. State clearly that you will ask your card issuer to review the charge if the issue is not resolved by your date; do not make threats you will not follow through on.

What if the merchant stops replying?

Save the unanswered messages with their dates, send one final notice, then go to your card issuer. The silence is part of your evidence.

Is a card dispute still possible if the merchant already refused?

Yes, as long as you are inside your issuer’s deadline. For US credit cards that is 60 days from the statement showing the charge, so start the clock the day you see the charge, not the day you are refused.

Refund dispute guide

Refund denied by merchant: what to do next

Escalate after the merchant said no.

Updated October 18, 2026 · General information, not legal advice

Key facts

Your first move: Reply in writing to the exact reason the merchant gave, with one document that answers it.
US credit card: Written billing-error notice within 60 days of the statement showing the charge.
UK credit card: Section 75 covers purchases from £100 up to £30,000 if goods or services are not as promised.
UK chargeback: Voluntary card scheme; claims are generally made within 120 days of the purchase.

Copy a letter Open workspace

01
Quote the reason, then answer it
Copy the merchant’s stated reason into your reply (“outside the return window”, “no record of the order”) and answer that point with a date, a photo, or a document.
02
Attach the one document that settles it
Lead with the proof that matches the reason: the order email, the listing as it read when you bought, the delivery record, or the cancellation confirmation.
03
Set a date and name your next step
Ask for a specific remedy by a calendar date and say that you will otherwise ask your card issuer to review the charge.

Letter generator

Reply to a refund denial: fill in your details and copy

Use the first template for your reply, the second if the merchant stays silent, and the third as your card issuer summary.

01Reply to a denial

Hello, thank you for your reply of [date of the refusal]. You declined the refund for order [order number] because [reason the merchant gave].

That does not match what happened: [what went wrong in one sentence]. I have attached the order confirmation and [the document that answers the reason].

Please refund [amount] to my original payment method by [date you expect a decision]. If I do not hear back by then, I will ask my card issuer to review the charge.

02Final notice after silence

Hello, I wrote on [date of first message] and [date of second message] about a refund of [amount] for order [order number] and have not had a decision since your refusal.

This is my final request. Please confirm the refund by [final date]. After that date I will dispute the charge with my card issuer and provide this correspondence as evidence.

03Card issuer dispute summary

I am disputing a charge of [amount] from [merchant] for order [order number], purchased on [purchase date].

Problem: [what went wrong in one sentence]. I asked the merchant for a refund on [date of first message]; they refused on [date of the refusal] and gave the reason: [reason the merchant gave].

Enclosed: order confirmation, the merchant’s refusal, and proof relating to the problem. I request that the charge be reversed.

Need the letter tailored to your exact timeline, plus an escalation message and a bank dispute summary? Build the full package in the workspace.

How this works

A denial is not the end of the case. Read the reason the merchant gave, answer that reason with proof in one dated message, and keep your card dispute deadline in view: in the US, a written billing-error notice to a credit card issuer is due within 60 days of the statement that shows the charge.

Common denial reasons and how to answer them

Match your reply to the reason you were given. A reply that answers the reason is much harder to wave away than a repeat of the original complaint.

“Outside the return window”: show the date you first reported the problem, or that the fault was there on delivery. In the UK, faulty goods can be rejected for a full refund within 30 days of delivery, whatever shorter window the shop sets.
“No record of your order”: send the confirmation email and the statement line showing the merchant name and amount.
“Final sale, no refunds”: a no-refunds notice does not stop you from asking your card issuer to review a charge for goods that never arrived or were not as described. Say what failed.
“Delivered according to tracking”: ask for proof of delivery with a photo or location, and say plainly that you did not receive it.
“Item was used”: send photos taken on arrival that show the defect existed before any use.

Where a denied refund can go

Work through these in order. Each step is stronger because of the previous one.

One written reply to the merchant that answers the stated reason, with a deadline.
A dispute with your card issuer. US credit cards: written notice to the billing-error address on your statement within 60 days. UK: ask your card provider about section 75 (credit cards, £100 to £30,000) or chargeback.
A report to a consumer authority if the merchant is unresponsive: in the US the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general; in the EU your national European Consumer Centre.

Before you send, and when to escalate

Before you send

Reply in the same email thread so the whole history travels with your message.
Use the merchant name, amount, and date exactly as they appear on your statement.
Ask for one outcome and give a calendar date, not “soon”.
Keep your card dispute deadline in a calendar the day you receive the denial.

Escalate when

The merchant repeats policy text that does not address the evidence you sent.
No reply by the date you set in your message.
The refusal gives no explanation of what evidence would change the decision.

Common questions

Should I threaten a chargeback immediately?: Usually not in the first message. State clearly that you will ask your card issuer to review the charge if the issue is not resolved by your date; do not make threats you will not follow through on.
What if the merchant stops replying?: Save the unanswered messages with their dates, send one final notice, then go to your card issuer. The silence is part of your evidence.
Is a card dispute still possible if the merchant already refused?: Yes, as long as you are inside your issuer’s deadline. For US credit cards that is 60 days from the statement showing the charge, so start the clock the day you see the charge, not the day you are refused.

Sources

Rules change. Check the current official text before relying on a deadline.