Customer Attitudes Towards Chargebacks in 2022: A Summary

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Merchants need comprehensive solutions to the threat of chargebacks. The increase in dispute volume continues to cut into earned revenues, and operations meant to mitigate and fight repudiated charges have turned into a costly affair. As the eCommerce market marches forward with its rapid growth trajectory, chargeback-related pressure is felt across the industry.

To help offer insights into the complex problem of chargebacks, Justt sponsored two surveys to investigate customer attitudes toward payment disputes. Each survey covered a distinct geographic market: The United Kingdom and the United States. Compiled data reported on topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on spending habits, reasons for repudiating a charge, accepted payment methods, and consumer awareness of chargebacks.

By collecting data from both the U.S. and the U.K., comparative results could illuminate a host of intriguing insights. For example, it became apparent that while both markets struggle with limiting repudiated charges, the U.S. has a small but still significant group of people that engages in serial disputes. Respondents in the U.S. also engaged in more chargeback activism, expressing their political opinions through disputing payments than their British counterparts. Across different questions, results showed that U.S. consumers are more trigger-happy with disputes than U.K. customers.

Other insights noted how different payment acceptance forms continue to contribute to chargebacks, with Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and cryptocurrency as primary factors. The U.K. is more conservative in its approach to new payment methods and earned a lower dispute volume as a result.

The data showed a high level of chargebacks in specific industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the travel and entertainment industries. Both business verticals experienced significant event cancellations and reschedulings, which spurred consumers to repudiate more charges. Interestingly, the chargeback rate for both industries was significantly higher in the U.S. than the U.K.

Lastly, reports showed that consumers had a minimal understanding of the chargeback process and little knowledge about who footed the bill for a repudiated charge. Most consumers found it a convenient consumer protection—but further knowledge and understanding was lacking. This suggests that the payment industry would do well to invest in educational campaigns that could help limit overall dispute volume.

Additional data and comparative analysis is contained in the report, outlining more points of interest regarding consumer attitudes and possible solutions to the chargeback problem. To read more from the report, go here.