Shopify Inquiry vs Chargeback in Canada: Which Costs You Money and What to Do

Two Canadian stores get a dispute notice on the same Monday. A Saskatoon tea shop sees C$68 gone from its next payout, plus a C$15 fee, before it has opened the email. A Fredericton bookshop sees nothing leave its account at all, and lets the notice sit for a week because nothing seems to be wrong. Both are right to feel the way they do, and both are about to make a mistake, because one has a chargeback and the other has an inquiry. Knowing how a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback differs decides whether you have a cheap exit or none, whether money is already gone and what you may still do. This guide sets the two side by side: what each takes, how long each runs, when a refund helps, when it is impossible and how to act in the first 48 hours of either.

Quick answer: Per Shopify's pages, an inquiry is a first request for details that takes nothing from your payouts at the start, though it can grow into a full chargeback. A chargeback withdraws the amount and the C$15 or US$15 fee immediately from your next available payout, and both come back only if you win. A full refund ends an inquiry. A partial refund does not prevent a chargeback, and no refund is possible while a chargeback is open. An inquiry review takes 65 to 75 days or longer, and a chargeback review up to 75 days, with a final decision either way.

This guide is for you if:

• You sell on Shopify in Canada with Shopify Payments and have just received a dispute notice.
• You are not sure whether you have an inquiry or a chargeback, or what the difference means for your cash.
• You want a rule for when to refund, when to file and when to do both.

Last updated: 24 October 2026

Disclosure: ChargeFix publishes this guide and sells an app that helps with Shopify Payments disputes. The Shopify rules come from Shopify's Help Center, listed at the end. This guide is general information and not legal advice. Where a source does not say, this guide says so rather than guess.

TL;DR

• An inquiry takes no money at first. A chargeback takes the amount and the fee right away.
• Refunding in full ends an inquiry. It cannot be done once a chargeback is open.
• A partial refund does not stop an inquiry from becoming a chargeback.
• Both come with a due date, usually 7 to 21 days out. Read the date on each.
• The evidence you build for one works for the other, so build it once.
• The Shopify inquiry vs chargeback type decides your options, so read it first.

Do this today

1. Open each active dispute and write down whether it is an inquiry or a chargeback.
2. For each inquiry, decide within 48 hours: refund in full, or build a file.
3. For each chargeback, check which payout lost the amount and fee.
4. Move inquiries to the top of your list, because they are the only ones with a refund exit.
5. Save a dated copy of the order, the messages and the tracking before you do anything else.

Shopify inquiry vs chargeback: the process in one table

Step	Inquiry	Chargeback
1. Notice arrives	Nothing leaves your payouts	Amount and fee leave your next available payout
2. Your first decision	Refund in full, or build a response	Build a response or accept the loss
3. Time to respond	Typically 7 to 21 days	Typically 7 to 21 days
4. Card company review	65 to 75 days or longer	Up to 75 days
5. Risk	It can turn into a chargeback	The decision is final
6. If you win	The case closes	Amount and fee come back in your next payout

What is the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback difference?

Both start when a customer questions a charge with their bank or card company. Shopify's page treats them as two stages of the same problem, and the stage decides what happens to your money.

	Inquiry	Chargeback
What it is	An early request for information about a charge	A formal dispute of the charge
Money taken	None withdrawn	The amount and the fee, immediately
Where it is taken from	Not applicable	Your next available payout
Fee	None taken	C$15 or US$15 for Canadian stores
Can it escalate	Yes, to a full chargeback	Not applicable; it is the full dispute
Refund allowed	Yes; a full refund ends it	No; Shopify does not allow one while it is open
Review time	65 to 75 days or more	Up to 75 days
Decision	Final	Final, no appeals

The most useful fact in the table is the refund row. An inquiry gives you a refund exit: a window in which one action closes the case at no extra cost. A chargeback gives you no such window. Everything else in the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback comparison flows from that.

How do you tell which one you have?

Read the dispute in your Shopify admin. The type is shown on the dispute itself, together with the reason and the due date. We did not find a page that lists the exact wording on screen, so check the label on your own account rather than trust a screenshot from another store. If your payout shows a withdrawal for the amount and a C$15 or US$15 fee, you have a chargeback. If no money has moved, you probably have an inquiry, but confirm on the dispute page before acting on that guess. Reading the type correctly is the first step in any inquiry vs chargeback decision.

Sign	Points to
Amount and fee withdrawn from a payout	Chargeback
No withdrawal, dispute type says inquiry	Inquiry
No withdrawal, type unclear	Check the dispute page or ask Shopify Support
Refund button still works on the order	Likely an inquiry
Refund blocked	Chargeback

When does money leave your account in a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback?

With a chargeback, immediately, and from your next available payout. Shopify's page says the amount and the fee are withdrawn, and both are returned if you win. With an inquiry, nothing is withdrawn at the start. The inquiry vs chargeback gap shows up in your cash flow, not just your records.

Cash view of one C$68 order (illustrative)

Inquiry opens:
  Payout this week:       C$1,200.00
  Withdrawn:              C$0.00
  Payout received:        C$1,200.00

Chargeback opens (same order):
  Payout this week:       C$1,200.00
  Withdrawn:              C$68.00 + C$15.00 fee = C$83.00
  Payout received:        C$1,117.00

If you win:               C$83.00 returned in a later payout
If you lose:              C$83.00 stays with the card company

Notice the shape. A chargeback does not cost you C$68 in a vacuum. It costs C$83 up front, plus the goods you already shipped, and you wait up to 75 days to learn whether any of it returns. Our negative balance guide covers what happens when a payout is too small to absorb the withdrawal.

Why does the fee matter in a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback?

Because the fee is only charged on one side. Shopify says the fee for Canadian stores is C$15 or US$15, and it comes back only on a win. On a C$20 order the fee is three quarters of the order value. Our chargeback fee guide works through the currencies and the maths.

Why does the inquiry vs chargeback stage matter for ending the case?

Because a full refund ends it. Shopify's resolve page says so plainly: a full refund resolves an inquiry. That one action turns a dispute that could cost the amount, the fee and weeks of waiting into a refund of the amount alone.

Inquiry decision, C$68 order (illustrative)

Refund now:
  Cost = C$68.00 (order value returned). No fee. Case ends.

Build a response and fight, assuming the case later becomes a
chargeback if the inquiry escalates:
  Chance of winning = c = 0.55 (illustrative)
  Expected loss = (1 minus c) x (68 + 15) = 0.45 x 83 = C$37.35
  Add your time: 30 minutes, call it C$15 -> C$52.35

Refund now:                        C$68.00
Fight at c = 0.55:                 C$52.35 expected
Fighting is cheaper whenever c is above about 0.36

The numbers are illustrative, and we found no published Canadian win rate to ground them. The principle holds across a wide range: if you think the customer is right, refund the inquiry at once and keep the fee in your pocket. If you think you are right and have proof, build a file and fight, knowing that a loss would cost the fee as well.

When should you refund in an inquiry vs chargeback case?

Refund when the complaint is fair and the proof is thin. Fight when the proof is strong and the complaint is not. Use the table as a starting rule.

Situation	Move	Why
Parcel lost, tracking shows no delivery	Refund in full	You cannot prove delivery and the fee would be wasted
Wrong item sent	Refund in full	The complaint is fair
Delivered, door photo and customer emails	Build a file	Strong direct proof
Customer wants to return after the window, policy clear	Build a file, or offer store credit by agreement	The policy is your argument
Order looks fraudulent but you shipped	Build a file, using addresses, IP and history	Fraud claims turn on records
Duplicate charge you caused	Refund the duplicate	Your own error
Customer unreachable, claim vague	Build a file	A refund is not owed

If you do owe a refund, issue it from the Shopify admin. Our lost parcel guide has the rule of thumb for the hardest category.

What if you are not sure?

Take the 48 hour rule. Spend the first two days collecting the direct proof and reading the customer's messages. If at the end of two days you have nothing that answers the claim, refund. If you have a delivery photo or a signed record, fight. Under the 48 hour rule, never use the full response window to decide, because the longer an inquiry sits, the more likely it is to escalate.

Does a partial refund help with a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback case?

No. Shopify's page says a partial refund does not prevent a full chargeback. The customer questioned the whole charge, and a partial refund leaves the remainder open. The pages we read do not say how a partial refund is netted against a later chargeback, so ask Shopify Support before assuming you will not lose the refunded part twice.

Refund type	Effect on an inquiry	Effect on a chargeback
Full refund	Ends the inquiry	Not possible while it is open
Partial refund	Does not stop it escalating	Not possible while it is open
No refund	Inquiry stays open	Chargeback stays open

If you want to offer a goodwill gesture, wait. A partial refund on an open inquiry buys nothing under Shopify's rules as we read them, and it may muddy the record. In an inquiry vs chargeback fight, offer a full refund or none.

What happens if an inquiry becomes a chargeback?

Shopify's page says an inquiry can escalate. When it does, money moves: the amount and the fee are withdrawn, and the new chargeback shows its own due date. We found nothing in the pages we read on how that date is set, so read it on the dispute and treat it as a fresh clock.

Event	What to do
Inquiry escalates	Read the new type and due date; treat it as a new clock
You had already built a file	Reuse it; update only what changed
You had not	Start from day zero; the file you needed in the inquiry is the file you need now
Money withdrawn	Check the payout and note the amount and fee
A refund seemed available a day ago	It no longer is; Shopify does not allow one while a chargeback is open

The best defence against surprise is to build the file during the inquiry, so that an escalation finds you ready. Evidence collected on day two is still valid on day sixty.

What should you write to the customer during an inquiry?

In an inquiry vs chargeback fork, the inquiry side often calls for a short, factual message, not a dispute. The customer may not know the bank dispute has started, and a friendly reply can end the issue before it escalates. Keep a copy of every message, because messages are evidence.

Message to a customer during an inquiry (adapt to your case)

Subject: Your order #[number]

Hi [name],

We noticed a question about your order #[number] for C$[amount],
placed on [date]. Our records show it was delivered on [date] to
[address]. If something is not right, reply to this email and we will
sort it out the same day.

If you would like a full refund, tell us and we will issue it.

[Your name], [store]

Do	Do not
State the order, date, amount and delivery in one paragraph	Accuse the customer of fraud
Offer a clear next step	Promise a partial refund as a goodwill gesture
Save the reply as a PDF	Rely on a phone call with no record
Reply within one business day	Wait for the customer to contact you

Our customer emails guide shows how to save messages so they are usable as evidence.

How does the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback choice change by dispute reason?

The reason on the dispute shapes what a good response looks like, but the inquiry vs chargeback fork works the same way for every reason: if it is an inquiry, you still have the refund exit, and if it is a chargeback, you do not. Use the table to see what to do first for each reason. Our guides on each reason go deeper.

Reason	If it is an inquiry	If it is a chargeback
Product not received	Check tracking at once; refund if delivery cannot be shown	File delivery proof; refund is not available
Fraudulent	Compare addresses, IP and history; fight if they hold up	File the same records
Credit not processed	Issue the refund you owe from the admin	File the refund record and return tracking
Product unacceptable	Offer a full refund or return if the complaint is fair	File the listing, photos and messages
Subscription canceled	Check cancellation records; refund if you missed one	File cancellation policy and emails
Duplicate	Refund the extra charge if you caused it	File order records showing two purchases
General	Work out the claim from the order and messages	File the itemized receipt and checkout confirmation

Notice that for several of these reasons, the inquiry stage is the place where a refund you owe can be issued cheaply. That is the practical meaning of the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback gap for a store that makes occasional mistakes.

What does the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback choice look like in three stores?

The three stores below are invented to show the inquiry vs chargeback pattern. The figures are illustrative.

Store	Order	Type	Records	Sensible move
Saskatoon tea shop	C$68	Chargeback	Tracking says delivered; no photo	File what it has; the refund is no longer possible
Fredericton bookshop	C$42	Inquiry	Parcel marked "returned to sender"	Refund in full today; the fee is avoided
Nanaimo candle maker	C$130	Inquiry	Door photo and a thank you email	Reply to the customer, build the file, fight if it escalates

The tea shop's choices are narrow because the type is already a chargeback. The bookshop avoids a fee with one refund. The candle maker has a strong file and can afford to wait, but should still build the file now, because an inquiry can escalate at any point.

Three outcomes compared (illustrative figures)

Tea shop, chargeback, C$68 + C$15 fee, file sent, c = 0.45:
  Expected loss = (1 minus 0.45) x 83 = C$45.65

Bookshop, inquiry, C$42, refund in full today:
  Loss = C$42.00, no fee, case ended

Bookshop, inquiry, C$42, ignored until it escalates, then lost:
  Loss = 42 + 15 = C$57.00

Difference the inquiry stage was worth = C$15.00

The last line is the one to remember. On a small order, the inquiry vs chargeback difference comes down to the fee, and the fee is a large share of the order. Ignoring an inquiry you intend to refund anyway wastes the refund exit and is the most avoidable way to lose C$15.

How should you track every inquiry and chargeback?

A single list beats memory. Add a column for the type, because for an inquiry vs chargeback the type decides which options are still open.

Dispute log (one row per case)

Opened:        [date]            Type: inquiry / chargeback
Order:         [#number]         Reason: [as shown]
Amount:        C$[amount]        Fee taken: yes / no
Due date:      [date]            Cutoff: [due date minus 2 days]
Decision:      refund / file / accept   Decided on: [date]
Files ready:   direct proof [ ]  messages [ ]  policy [ ]  context [ ]
Escalated:     yes / no          New due date: [date]
Outcome:       [won / lost / refunded / pending]

Habit	How	Why
Daily glance at the list	Two minutes each morning	An inquiry is the case that rewards a fast look
Sort inquiries first	Put them at the top	They are the only ones with a refund exit
Record the escalation date	In the "Escalated" field	The new clock starts there
Review lost cases monthly	A fifteen minute slot	Find the records that were missing

What evidence works for both sides of the inquiry vs chargeback split?

The same file answers an inquiry and a chargeback. Build it once, in the order Shopify suggests: direct proof, acknowledgment, policy, context. So the evidence for an inquiry vs chargeback is one job, not two.

Layer	Examples	Why it counts
Direct proof	Tracking and delivery confirmation, door photo, signature, refund record	Answers the claim head on
Acknowledgment	Customer emails, support tickets, replies	Shows the buyer engaged
Policy	Dated shipping, return or cancellation policy	The terms in force
Context	Listing at purchase, checkout screenshots, prior orders by the same buyer	Fills in the picture

Files go in as PDF, JPEG or PNG, 2 MB each and 4 MB combined, one per evidence type, with no links. Shopify Payments includes some data on its own where available: product details, customer name and email, addresses, IP address, fulfilment and tracking details, refunds, prior undisputed orders and policies depending on the dispute type. You add the rest. Our evidence template gives a fill-in list.

How long does an inquiry vs chargeback review run?

Longer than most merchants expect. Shopify's page gives these ranges.

Stage	Inquiry	Chargeback
Time you have to respond	7 to 21 days, typically	7 to 21 days, typically
Card company review	Roughly 65 to 75 days, sometimes beyond	Up to 75 days after you submit
Result	Final	Final
If the customer withdraws	Resolution can take 30 to 90 days, then 5 to 10 business days for the bank to process	Same

Plan for the longer figure, because the inquiry vs chargeback timeline is long on the card company's side. An inquiry that opens in January may still be open in April. During that time you cannot refund once it turns into a chargeback, so a decision you delay becomes a decision you cannot make. Our Shopify chargeback deadline guide covers how to run the response clock.

What about a customer who says they cancelled it?

Submit your evidence anyway. Shopify's resolve page says to file evidence even if the customer tells you they cancelled the dispute. A withdrawal needs a letter from the customer's bank on official letterhead with the case number, the original charge date and amount, your store name, a confirmation that the chargeback was cancelled and a confirmation that the funds were re-debited. A bank statement screenshot is not enough. Shopify also says it cannot request early resolution for American Express disputes or Visa disputes with a Fraudulent reason code.

How does ChargeFix help with the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback decision?

The inquiry vs chargeback decision depends on two things: what the customer claims and what your records show. ChargeFix is built for Shopify Payments disputes and reads both.

1. Dispute fetched. ChargeFix fetches the dispute when it opens, so the type, amount and due date are on one list.
2. Records read. It reads the order, addresses, fulfilment and tracking data and the refund history.
3. Evidence scored. It flags what is present and what is missing, and gives a plain verdict: worth fighting, improve the evidence first or weak evidence. That verdict is the quick input to a refund or fight decision.
4. Letter from facts. The response is drafted only from verified facts, so it will not claim a delivery your records do not show.
5. Your choice of mode. ChargeFix prepares each response in Manual mode, which is the default. You review and file it, or let Auto mode handle them. Auto mode is on Starter plans and above, off until you turn it on and confirm.

ChargeFix handles Shopify Payments disputes only. It cannot promise a win, because the card company decides, and it does not issue refunds for you; you refund from the Shopify admin. It stores minimal data: case ID, amount, reason, status, dates and shop settings. The free plan includes 2 filings a month, and every paid plan starts with a 14 day free trial.

What does a dated plan look like for an inquiry vs chargeback?

When	Inquiry	Chargeback
Hour 0	Confirm the type and write the due date	Confirm the type, note the withdrawal and the due date
Hour 24	Read the customer's claim and your records	Same
Hour 48	Decide: refund, or build a file	Decide: build a file or accept
Day 3	Pull direct proof if fighting	Pull direct proof
Day 4	Pull messages, policy copies and context	Same
Day 5	Draft the response; file by your cutoff	Same
Day 6	Fix any rejected upload	Same
Day 7	Due date for the shortest window	Same
Up to 75 days or longer	Card company decides	Card company decides

The plan is the same after hour 48 because the evidence is the same. The difference is the refund option, and the plan makes you use it, or rule it out, in the first two days.

What is different about a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback in Canada?

Topic	What applies in Canada	What to do
Fee	C$15 or US$15 by payout currency, returned only on a win	Cost each chargeback in your payout currency
Window to respond	7 to 21 days, typically	Plan for the shortest
Card company decision	Up to 75 days for a chargeback; 65 to 75 days or more for an inquiry	Plan cash flow for the long end
Delivery proof	Canada Post confirmation online for 45 days after delivery	Download it the day you see the dispute
Shopify Protect	US stores only	It does not cover Canadian stores
Complaints	Shopify Payments (Canada) acknowledges within 5 business days, decides in writing within 45 days	Raise a complaint with your processor first

Payout currency. The inquiry vs chargeback rules are the same for a Canadian store; the money is in C$ or US$. A Canadian store paid out in US dollars pays the fee as US$15. Cost your cases in the currency you are paid.

Cross-border buyers. A buyer in the United States on a Canadian store opens the same kind of dispute with its own dates. Our cross-border guide covers the evidence side.

Where to complain. Shopify Payments (Canada) acknowledges a complaint within 5 business days and gives a final written decision within 45 days. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada supervises the Code of Conduct for the Credit and Debit Card Industry in Canada but does not decide individual disputes. A complaint does not move a due date.

What are the 10 mistakes to avoid when a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback case lands?

1. Ignoring an inquiry because no money moved. It can escalate.
2. Waiting to decide on a refund. The exit disappears when a chargeback starts.
3. Offering a partial refund. It does not stop a chargeback.
4. Refunding an order you can defend. If you have a door photo and emails, fight.
5. Fighting an order you owe. The fee is lost on a defeat.
6. Not reading the type on the dispute. The label decides your options.
7. Skipping messages to the customer. A friendly reply may end it.
8. Building the file only after it escalates. Build it during the inquiry.
9. Trusting a cancellation promise. File your evidence anyway.
10. Forgetting the due date. It is usually 7 to 21 days out, and nothing can be added afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback?

An inquiry is a first request about a charge and takes no money from your payouts at first. A chargeback is a formal dispute that withdraws the amount plus the fee (C$15 or US$15) immediately. An inquiry can escalate to a chargeback, and a full refund ends an inquiry only.

Does an inquiry cost me a fee?

Nothing is withdrawn while it is an inquiry, so no fee is taken at that stage. If it escalates to a chargeback, Shopify withdraws the amount and the fee, and they come back only if you win. Read the type on the dispute to see which stage you are in.

Can I refund an inquiry?

Yes. Shopify says an inquiry closes when you refund it in full. A partial refund will not stop a chargeback, so offer a full refund or none. Issue it from the Shopify admin. Once a chargeback is open, Shopify does not allow a refund at all.

Can I refund after a chargeback starts?

No. Shopify does not allow a refund while a chargeback is open. Your options are to file evidence or accept the loss, in which case the fee is not refunded. The customer can ask their bank for a withdrawal letter, but that process runs 30 to 90 days.

How long does an inquiry last?

Shopify says the card company takes 65 to 75 days, sometimes more, to review an inquiry, after the typical 7 to 21 days you get to respond. The decision is final. Plan your cash and your records for the long end, and do not leave an inquiry unread while you wait.

Should I refund or fight, inquiry vs chargeback?

Refund when the complaint is fair or your proof is thin, because the refund ends the case without a fee. Fight when you hold strong direct proof such as a door photo or customer emails. Use the first 48 hours to collect proof, then decide.

Can an inquiry turn into a chargeback?

Yes. Shopify's page says an inquiry can grow into a chargeback. At that point money is withdrawn and a refund is no longer possible. We found nothing on how the new response date is set, so read the date on the new dispute.

What if the customer says they cancelled it?

In an inquiry vs chargeback case alike, file your evidence anyway. A withdrawal needs a letter on bank letterhead with specific details, a screenshot of a statement is not enough, and resolution runs 30 to 90 days. Shopify cannot request early resolution for American Express disputes or Visa disputes with a Fraudulent code.

Does the same evidence work for an inquiry vs chargeback?

Yes. Direct proof, acknowledgment, policy and context answer an inquiry and a chargeback alike. Files go in as PDF, JPEG or PNG, 2 MB each and 4 MB combined, one per evidence type. Build the file during the inquiry so it is ready if the case escalates.

How does ChargeFix help with a Shopify inquiry vs chargeback?

ChargeFix fetches the dispute, reads your order, tracking and refund data, flags what is missing and gives a verdict that helps you choose between a refund and a fight. It drafts the letter from verified facts. It cannot promise a win. In Manual mode, the default, you review and file each one.

Start free trial with ChargeFix

You now have a way to tell the two apart, a 48 hour rule for the refund decision, a customer message template and a dated plan for the Shopify inquiry vs chargeback fork. What most stores lack is the time to read the dispute type and pull the proof within two days. ChargeFix reads your Shopify order data, shows what is missing, writes the letter from verified facts and leaves the filing to you in Manual mode, with Auto mode there for the cases your own rules cover.

The free plan includes 2 filings every month, and every paid plan starts with a 14 day free trial. There is no cut of what you win, and no contract.

Ready to handle every Shopify inquiry vs chargeback in Canada with the records you already have? Start free trial

Sources

• Shopify Help Center, "Responding to chargebacks and inquiries"
• Shopify Help Center, "Resolving a chargeback or inquiry"
• Shopify Payments (Canada), "Code of Conduct complaint handling"
• ChargeFix, "chargefix.pro"
• Stripe, Dispute evidence best practices: further reading on how to format convincing evidence
• Adyen, Manage disputes: further reading on how another payment provider handles disputes