A Saskatoon outdoor gear store files its evidence for a C$420 chargeback on day eleven and then does what most owners do: it checks the Shopify admin every morning. Day twenty, nothing. Day forty, nothing. Day sixty, still "Under review", and the owner starts to wonder whether the file was lost. It was not. The Shopify dispute decision time for a chargeback runs up to 75 days, and a good part of it is the card network and the bank doing their work on their own schedule. Knowing the Shopify dispute decision time, what each status means and what to do with the wait turns a stressful stretch into a plan. This guide gives the numbers Shopify publishes, the points where the pages we found are silent, a cash flow method for the weeks in between and a calendar you can copy.
Quick answer: For a chargeback, Shopify allows up to 75 days. For an inquiry it says 65 to 75 days and sometimes more. Decisions are final, with no appeals. If you win, the amount and the fee come back to you. If a customer disputes a won chargeback again, the new dispute gets a new deadline. While you wait, the money and the C$15 fee stay out of your payouts, so plan your cash around the longer end of the range.
This guide is for you if:
- You filed evidence on a Shopify Payments dispute and want to know how long the wait is.
- You need to plan cash flow around money that is held while a dispute is open.
- You want to know what you can and cannot do while a dispute is under review.
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. Suggestions that are ours are marked as ours. This guide is general information and not legal advice, and where a source does not say, this guide says so rather than guess.
TL;DR
- A chargeback can take up to 75 days. An inquiry runs 65 to 75 days, with no firm top.
- Decisions are final. There is no appeal.
- A won chargeback returns the amount and the fee. A lost one does not.
- A re-disputed won chargeback gets a new deadline.
- Plan cash for the longer end, and keep your own dates.
Do this today
- Write the date you filed and add 75 days. That is the outer date.
- Mark day 30 and day 60 in your calendar to check the status.
- Work out what the open disputes hold back from your payouts.
- Keep every file you submitted in one folder.
- Do not refund while a chargeback is open. Shopify does not allow it.
The Shopify dispute decision time in one table
| Stage | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Dispute opens | The bank pulls the amount and Shopify takes the fee | Immediately |
| Response window | You file evidence | Typically 7 to 21 days |
| Due date | Shopify Payments sends a response with the data it holds | The due date |
| Review | The card network and bank consider the case | Up to 75 days for a chargeback |
| Inquiry review | The bank considers the inquiry | 65 to 75 days, open ended |
| Decision | Won or lost; final | No appeals |
| Funds | Amount and fee return on a win | After the decision |
How long is the Shopify dispute decision timeline for a chargeback?
Shopify gives 75 days as the ceiling for a chargeback review. The clock does not start when you file. It starts as the dispute moves through the card network, and the evidence you file sits inside it. Many cases take less than the maximum, but Shopify publishes the maximum, and that is the Shopify dispute decision time to plan around.
| Item | What Shopify says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Review length | Up to 75 days | Plan cash for the long end |
| Decision | Final, no appeals | Your evidence is your one chance |
| Win | Amount and fee returned | The money comes back |
| Loss | Amount and fee are not returned | The fee is a sunk cost |
| Re-dispute of a won case | New deadline | You file again |
Why does Shopify dispute decision time vary so much?
The pages we found do not explain the variation, and we will not guess. What they do say is that the range is up to 75 days. The practical reading is that you should treat any single case as unpredictable inside that range and judge the pattern across several cases, not one.
Does filing early shorten the Shopify dispute decision time?
We found nothing saying it does. Filing early protects you from a failed upload and leaves room to fix a file, and that is reason enough. Do not expect a faster answer because you filed on day two instead of day twelve.
How long is the Shopify dispute decision time for an inquiry in Canada?
Shopify puts an inquiry at 65 to 75 days. An inquiry is an early stage question from the bank. It withdraws nothing from your payouts, but it can escalate into a chargeback. A full refund ends an inquiry, and a partial refund does not prevent a chargeback. Our inquiry vs chargeback guide covers the difference.
| Feature | Inquiry | Chargeback |
|---|---|---|
| Money withdrawn | No | Yes, with the fee |
| Typical decision time | 65 to 75 days, open ended | Up to 75 days |
| Can a refund end it | A full refund can | No refund is possible |
| Can it escalate | Yes | Already escalated |
The word "longer" matters. An inquiry is the one case where the published range has no firm top, so do not assume 75 days is the ceiling.
What does the wait mean for your cash flow?
On a chargeback, the amount and the fee leave your balance on day zero and may not return for up to 75 days, or ever. That is a loan to the dispute process that you did not choose, and it lasts as long as the Shopify dispute decision time. Work out how much of your cash is tied up.
Cash tied up by open disputes (adapt to your case)
Open chargebacks:
Order A C$420.00 with the C$15 fee = C$435.00
Order B C$185.00 with fee 15.00 = C$200.00
Order C C$95.00 fee included = C$110.00
Total held back = 435 + 200 + 110 = C$745.00
Share of a typical month's payouts (C$6,000) = 745 / 6000 = 12.4%
| Held back as a share of payouts | Reading |
|---|---|
| Under 5% | Normal; absorb it |
| 5% to 15% | Plan a buffer for rent, stock and ads |
| Over 15% | Slow the spend; chase prevention |
The percentages are our rule of thumb, not Shopify's. Their purpose is to give you a number to compare month to month.
What happens to your payouts while disputes are open?
Shopify says a chargeback withdraws the amount and the fee immediately from the next available payout. If your balance cannot cover it, the account can go negative, which our negative balance guide explains. The money stays out until the decision.
What can you do while the dispute is under review?
Within the Shopify dispute decision timeline you can prepare for each outcome, keep records and work on prevention. You cannot add evidence after the due date, and you cannot refund while a chargeback is open.
| Allowed or not | Action |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | Add evidence after the due date |
| Not allowed | Refund an open chargeback |
| Allowed | Write to Shopify Support when a status seems off past the due date |
| Allowed | Keep records and a decision log |
| Allowed | Fix the cause so it does not repeat |
Shopify tells merchants to contact Support when a dispute shows Lost or Under review past the due date and the status seems incorrect. Have the dispute number and your evidence list ready.
Message to Shopify Support (adapt to your case)
Subject: Dispute [number], order #[number]: status check
The dispute shows "[status]" and was filed on [date]. The due date was
[date]. Evidence was submitted on [date] (list attached).
Could you confirm the current status and whether any further step is
needed on our side?
How should you spend the Shopify dispute decision time?
Spend the Shopify dispute decision time on the work that reduces the next dispute. A calendar helps.
| Day | Action | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Note the due date and the 75 day outer date | Both written down |
| Before the due date | File evidence | Confirmation in admin |
| Day 14 | Review why it happened | Cause noted |
| Day 30 | Check the status | Noted |
| Day 45 | Fix one prevention step | Done |
| Day 60 | Check the status again | Noted |
| Day 75 | Outer date; write to Support if the status seems off | Noted |
| After | Log the outcome | Logged |
Our deadline guide covers the response window before the wait begins.
What happens at the end of the wait?
If you win, the amount and the fee return. If you lose, they do not. Decisions are final, and Shopify offers no appeal. A win can still be disputed again, and in that case the new dispute gets a new deadline.
| Outcome | What happens | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| Won | Amount and fee returned | Log what worked |
| Lost | Neither returned | Log what failed; look for a prevention fix |
| Won, then re-disputed | New deadline | File again, using your saved files |
A re-dispute is why you keep every file. The new case may be a different claim, so rank the evidence again, but the saved files give you a head start. Our evidence order guide shows how.
What if the Shopify dispute decision time ends in a loss that looks wrong?
Shopify says decisions are final. Look at what you can control: whether the status shows what you expect, and whether a missing file explains the result. Raise a status that seems incorrect with Shopify Support, quoting the dispute number. We found nothing saying Support can reverse a decision. Treat the loss as a lesson and log it.
What does a Shopify dispute decision time worked example look like in C$?
Return to the Saskatoon gear order, C$420.00, filed day eleven, status "Under review" on day sixty.
| Item | Amount or date |
|---|---|
| Order | C$420.00 |
| Fee | C$15.00 |
| Held back | C$435.00 |
| Filed | Day 11 |
| Outer date | Day 75 |
| Days left on day 60 | 15 |
Expected value of waiting (illustrative figures)
Held back = C$435.00
Chance of a win = c = 0.50 (illustrative)
Expected return = 0.50 x 435 = C$217.50
If the owner earns 2% a month on cash used for stock:
Cost of 75 days held = 435 x 0.02 x 2.5 = C$21.75
Net expected result = 217.50 minus 21.75 = about C$195.75
We found no published Canadian win rates, so the percentage and the 2% return are illustrative. The Shopify dispute decision time has a cost, and the exercise shows that, and that it is small beside the amount held back.
How should you read the status while you wait?
The statuses we found named in Shopify's pages are "Under review" and "Lost", and the pages point merchants to Support when either seems incorrect past the due date. We did not find a full status glossary, so the table below sticks to what those pages say and adds our own reading, marked as ours.
| Status or situation | What it tells you | Your move |
|---|---|---|
| Open, before the due date | You can still file | File, ideally a day early |
| Under review, before the outer date | The case is inside the normal Shopify dispute decision time | Wait; check on day 30 and day 60 |
| Under review after the deadline and it looks wrong | Shopify says to contact Support | Write once with the dispute number |
| Lost | The decision is final | Log it and look for the cause |
| Won | Amount and fee return | Log what worked |
Our own reading, not Shopify's: a long "Under review" is the normal state for most of the 75 days. Silence is not a sign of trouble. It is the process working.
How do you keep your own Shopify dispute decision time log?
Shopify will not remind you of the outer date, so write it down. A log turns a vague wait into dates you can act on.
Decision log (adapt to your case)
Order: #[number]
Reason: [reason]
Amount + fee: C$[amount] + C$15.00 = C$[total]
Filed: [date]
Outer date: filed + 75 days = [date]
Check dates: day 30 = [date], day 60 = [date]
Status at check: [status]
Outcome: [won / lost / pending]
Lesson: [one line]
| Field | Why it earns a place |
|---|---|
| Amount plus fee | Shows the real cash tied up |
| Outer date | Tells you when to write to Support |
| Check dates | Stops daily refreshing |
| Lesson | Feeds prevention |
How much cash buffer does the wait call for?
Treat every open chargeback as money you may not see for 75 days, or at all. A buffer rule keeps a bad month from becoming a cash problem.
Buffer rule (adapt to your case)
Average new chargebacks per month = n
Average order value = v
Fee = C$15.00
Months held (75 days / 30) = 2.5
Buffer = n x (v + 15) x 2.5
Example: n = 3, v = C$140
Buffer = 3 x 155 x 2.5 = C$1,162.50
| Monthly chargebacks | Average order | Buffer (2.5 months) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C$100 | C$287.50 |
| 3 | C$140 | C$1,162.50 |
| 5 | C$200 | C$2,687.50 |
| 8 | C$90 | C$2,100.00 |
The buffer is a planning tool of ours, and it assumes every case runs the full 75 days and loses. Real cases will often tie up less, which is the point of using a worst case.
How do you treat disputed money in your books?
Ask your accountant, because treatment depends on your setup, and this guide is not tax advice. A common approach, which is ours to suggest and not a rule, is to track the held amount separately from sales so it does not look like spendable revenue.
| Item | Suggested tracking |
|---|---|
| Held amount | A separate line, not counted as available cash |
| Fee | Expensed when charged; Shopify returns it only on a win |
| Won case | Release the held line when the funds return |
| Lost case | Write off the held line and keep the fee as a cost |
Our fee guide covers the C$15 fee in more detail.
What do you say to the customer while the Shopify dispute decision timeline runs?
Less than you think during the Shopify dispute decision time. A dispute is between the cardholder, the bank and the card network, and what you write can end up in the file. If the customer contacts you, stay polite and factual.
Holding reply (adapt to your case)
Hi [name],
Thanks for getting in touch. Your bank's dispute on order #[number] is
being handled through the card process, and we have filed our records
with it. We cannot change the outcome from our side, but if you would
like to talk about the order itself, we are glad to help.
[Your name], [store name]
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Stay neutral | Argue about who is right |
| Offer help with the order | Promise a refund you cannot issue |
| Keep it short | Share details of your evidence |
| Save the exchange | Delete it |
A refund is not possible while a chargeback is open, so avoid wording that suggests otherwise. Our refund before chargeback guide explains the timing.
What should you fix while the Shopify dispute decision time runs?
The Shopify dispute decision time is a good moment to find the cause, because you have the case in front of you and nothing else to do with it. Use the Shopify dispute decision time well: pick one fix per case and finish it before the outer date.
| Reason | Cause to look for | Fix to make |
|---|---|---|
| Product not received | No delivery proof | Capture carrier records on day one |
| Fraudulent | Weak address checks | Review address match rules |
| Credit not processed | Refund left half done | Issue refunds from the Shopify admin |
| Product unacceptable | Listing unclear | Tighten photos and descriptions |
| General | Unclear charge name | Check the billing descriptor |
Our order confirmation and shipping email guide shows the cheapest fixes for several of these.
What patterns appear across several decisions?
One case teaches little. Ten cases teach a lot. Review your log monthly and look for the same cause appearing twice.
| Pattern | What it points to |
|---|---|
| Same reason three times | A process gap |
| Losses with a thin file | Evidence gathered too late |
| Wins with a delivery record | Third party proof works |
| Losses on one product | A listing problem |
| Many cases from one region | A delivery or language issue |
Note the patterns in one line each. If the same loss repeats, the fix is upstream of the dispute form.
What do three disputes with different timings look like side by side?
Real stores rarely have one dispute at a time. Take three open chargebacks at a Saskatoon store, all filed within a month. The figures are invented to show the method.
| Case | Amount | Filed | Outer date | Day 30 check | Day 60 check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A, not received | C$420.00 | 1 Sept | 15 Nov | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
| B, fraudulent | C$185.00 | 14 Sept | 28 Nov | 14 Oct | 13 Nov |
| C, general | C$95.00 | 28 Sept | 12 Dec | 28 Oct | 27 Nov |
Calendar for the month (adapt to your case)
1 Oct Check case A status
14 Oct Check case B status
28 Oct Check case C status
31 Oct Check case A again; compare with day 60
13 Nov Check case B again
15 Nov Case A outer date: write to Support if the status looks off
27 Nov Check case C again
28 Nov Case B outer date
12 Dec Case C outer date
A single page like this replaces daily refreshing. It also shows when cash is tied up: all three overlap through most of November, so the held total peaks then.
What should you ask yourself on day 60?
Day 60 is a good checkpoint because there are about two weeks left inside the published ceiling. Four questions are enough.
| Question | If the answer is no |
|---|---|
| Is the status still inside the normal range? | Plan to write to Support after the outer date |
| Do I have the dispute number and file list at hand? | Gather them now |
| Is the held cash planned for? | Adjust spending |
| Did I fix the cause? | Do it before the next case |
What if several disputes land in the same week?
A busy week can open four or five disputes at once, and each carries its own due date. Sort them by due date, not by amount, because a missed deadline costs the whole amount whatever its size. Then file the shortest window first. Keep one tracker row per case so the outer dates stay visible, and do not let a large case crowd out a small one with an earlier deadline.
| Order of work | Why |
|---|---|
| Earliest due date first | A missed date cannot be fixed |
| Then the largest amount | It carries the most cash |
| Then cases with thin files | They need the most time |
| Last, the easy wins | They take the least effort |
What does Shopify Support need from you?
Support works faster when your message is complete. Gather four items before you write, and send one message, not several.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Dispute number | Identifies the case |
| Order number | Links it to the sale |
| Filing date and a list of files | Shows what was submitted |
| The status and why it looks wrong | States the question |
Keep the tone factual. Shopify Support did not cause the dispute, and a short, clear message gets a clearer answer than a long one.
How does ChargeFix help with Shopify dispute decision time?
Shopify dispute decision time belongs to Shopify, not you, but the work around it is your own: filing before the deadline and keeping track of what is open. ChargeFix handles that part.
- Dispute fetched. ChargeFix fetches the chargeback when it opens, so the amount and due date are on one list.
- Records read. It reads the order, tracking, refund and message data.
- Evidence scored. It flags what is present and what is missing, with a plain verdict: worth fighting, improve the evidence first or weak evidence.
- Letter from facts. The response is drafted only from verified facts, so the file does not claim anything your records do not show.
- 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 shorten the review, change a decision or promise a win. 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 the Shopify dispute decision time look like 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 case in your payout currency |
| Response window | Typically 7 to 21 days | Plan for the shortest |
| Review | A ceiling of 75 days for a chargeback | Plan cash for the long end |
| Decisions | Final | Treat the file as your one chance |
| Complaints | Shopify Payments (Canada) acknowledges within 5 business days and decides in writing within 45 days | Raise a complaint with your processor first |
| Oversight | The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada supervises the Code of Conduct but does not decide individual disputes | A complaint does not move a due date |
| Shopify Protect | US stores only | It does not cover Canadian stores |
Time zones. Canada has six time zones. A due date can fall on a different calendar day in the Atlantic provinces than on the west coast. Treat the date in your admin as authoritative and file a day early.
Cross-border. A buyer in the United States may use a card issued there. Our cross-border guide covers the extra steps.
Where to complain. Shopify Payments (Canada) acknowledges a complaint within 5 business days and gives a final written decision within 45 days. A complaint about a dispute does not change the due date or the decision.
What are the 10 mistakes to avoid when waiting on a Shopify dispute decision?
- Expecting an answer in two weeks. The range is up to 75 days.
- Assuming 75 days is the cap for inquiries. The range there is open ended.
- Spending the held money. It may not come back, whatever the Shopify dispute decision time turns out to be.
- Refunding an open chargeback. Shopify does not allow it.
- Trying to add evidence late. The form closes on the due date.
- Chasing Support daily. Check on day 30 and day 60 and write once if it looks wrong.
- Deleting files after filing. A re-dispute needs them.
- Treating a loss as appealable. Decisions are final.
- Ignoring the pattern. Several losses in a row point to a prevention fix.
- Forgetting time zones. File a day early.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Shopify dispute decision time last?
Shopify gives 75 days as the ceiling for a chargeback. For an inquiry, its figure is 65 to 75 days, and it adds that some run longer. Many cases may finish sooner, but the published figures are the maximums, so plan cash and expectations around the longer end of each range.
Can I appeal a Shopify dispute decision?
No. Shopify says decisions are final and offers no appeal. That is why the evidence you file before the due date matters so much. Shopify Support is the place to raise a status that seems incorrect, though we found nothing saying it can reverse a decision.
What happens to my money during the review?
For a chargeback, Shopify withdraws the amount and the fee from your next available payout right away, and they stay out until the decision. On a win the amount and fee return. On a loss they do not. An inquiry withdraws nothing, but it can escalate into a chargeback.
Does early filing shorten the Shopify dispute decision time?
We found nothing saying so. Filing early protects you from a failed upload and leaves room to fix a file. It does not appear to shorten the review, so treat the 75 days as the plan regardless of when you filed.
Can I add evidence while the dispute is under review?
No. Shopify says nothing can be added after the due date. If you realise something is missing, you cannot attach it later. If a status seems incorrect past the due date, write to Shopify Support, and keep the missing item for any future dispute on the same order.
What if the customer disputes again after I win?
Shopify says a re-disputed won chargeback gets a new deadline. You file again, so keep every file you submitted. The new case may involve a different claim, so rank the evidence again, but your saved files and notes give you a head start.
Can I refund the customer while a chargeback is under review?
No. Shopify does not allow a refund on an open chargeback. If the dispute is still an inquiry, a full refund can end it. A partial refund does not prevent a chargeback, so check the status in your admin before you decide.
How much cash should I set aside for the Shopify dispute decision time?
Add the order amount and the C$15 fee for every open chargeback and compare the total with a typical month of payouts. Under about 5% is easy to absorb. Above 15%, slow your spending. These thresholds are our rule of thumb, not Shopify's.
When should I contact Shopify Support about a dispute?
Shopify says to contact Support when Lost or Under review appears past the due date and seems incorrect. Have the dispute number, the order number and the list of files you submitted ready. One clear message on day 60 or after the outer date is usually enough.
How does ChargeFix help with Shopify dispute decision time?
ChargeFix cannot shorten the review or change a decision, but it fetches the dispute, reads your order and tracking data, scores the evidence and drafts the letter from verified facts, so the file is ready before the deadline. In Manual mode, the default, you review and file each response.
Start free trial with ChargeFix
You now have the numbers Shopify publishes, a cash method for the wait, a calendar and a checklist of what to do and not do. What most stores lack is a filed, well built response before the deadline, because that is the one part of the Shopify dispute decision time you can influence. ChargeFix fetches the dispute, reads your Shopify order data, shows what is missing and writes the response from verified facts, then leaves the filing to you in Manual mode, with Auto mode there for cases that fit your rules.
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 plan around Shopify dispute decision time in Canada, with the evidence already filed? 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
01Dispute process
02Dispute process
03Chargeback guides
04Chargeback guides
05Dispute process
06Fees and money