Q: I just got my first chargeback. What do I actually do, in order?

Q: I just got my first chargeback. What do I actually do, in order?

A: Don't panic, and don't refund out of reflex. Work this sequence:

— Day 0: Read the reason code. A chargeback (a buyer-disputed transaction reversed by their bank) always carries a code like 10.4 (fraud) or 13.1 (not received). The code tells you what evidence wins.
— Day 1: Pull your proof. Order timestamp, IP, delivery/confirmation, the customer's own login or usage logs, your terms screen at checkout.
— Day 2: Decide fight or accept. If it's true fraud, accept and refund — fighting wastes your win-rate. If it's 'friendly fraud' (real buyer denying a real purchase), fight it.
— Before the deadline (usually 7-21 days): Submit a representment packet matching evidence to the code. One clean PDF beats ten screenshots.
— After: Log it. Patterns across chargebacks are your real signal.

Short version: code first, evidence second, fight only what you can prove.

Still stuck? Drop your case in the comments.