Fashion returns disputes: how UK Shopify stores handle fit, size and refund cases

A £68.00 dress goes out on Friday, comes back the following Friday in a bag with no note, and a fortnight later the bank writes to say the buyer says it was "not as described". You have the order, the return tracking and a size chart that nobody opened. What happens next depends on what you can show.

Fashion returns disputes are chargebacks and inquiries that grow out of clothing, footwear and accessories sold online, usually over size, fit, colour, condition or a refund that has not arrived. This guide shows UK Shopify merchants how to prevent fashion returns disputes, build the evidence that decides them, answer each reason on the notice and keep returns generous without giving profit away, with templates, worked sums and a day-by-day plan.

Last updated: 9 October 2026. Written by the ChargeFix team.

The 30-second answer (TL;DR)

• Fashion returns disputes mostly come from four places: the item does not fit, it does not look like the photos, the refund has not arrived, or the parcel never reached the buyer. Each needs different evidence, so read the reason on the notice before you gather anything.
• Prevention beats winning in fashion returns disputes. A size guide with real measurements, model details, fabric and fit notes, and honest photos stop many fashion returns disputes before the order ships.
• Refund speed matters as much as refund size. UK rules give most distance buyers 14 days to cancel and a refund due within 14 days of you getting the goods back or evidence of return. A slow refund is the easiest way to create a "credit not processed" dispute.
• Keep return tracking, a dated inspection photo and the refund confirmation for every return. Those three items settle most fashion chargebacks that reach the bank.
• Shopify gives you 7 to 21 days to respond, according to its help centre, and the card review can take up to 75 days after you submit. Winning does not remove the dispute from your chargeback rate, so prevention protects your standing too.
• Offer exchanges first where you can, because fewer refunds mean fewer fashion returns disputes. An exchange keeps the sale, avoids a refund and removes the usual reason to go to the bank.
• General information, not legal advice. Where the sources we reviewed do not cover something, such as hygiene exceptions or who bears the risk of a lost return, the post says so.

From dispute to decision

Stage	What happens	What you do	What you keep
Order	Buyer chooses size and colour	Show measurements, fit notes and photos	Page captures with dates
Delivery	Parcel arrives or does not	Track and record proof	Carrier proof of delivery
Return request	Buyer asks to send it back	Give a label, a window and the refund timing	The request and your reply
Return received	Item arrives	Photograph it the same day, check condition	Dated inspection photos
Refund	You refund in full or in part	Refund quickly, explain any deduction	Refund confirmation
Dispute notice	Bank or Shopify tells you	Note the reason and the due date	The notice
Response	You submit evidence	Answer the stated reason with the strongest proof first	A dated copy of the response

What causes fashion returns disputes?

Fashion returns disputes start when the buyer's expectation and the delivered item differ, or when the return and refund process leaves the buyer in doubt. Fit, colour and fabric are common causes, and a slow or unclear refund turns an ordinary return into a bank dispute.

Clothing has features that make fashion returns disputes more likely than in many categories, and fashion chargebacks follow. Sizing is subjective, brands run differently, photographs can mislead, and buyers often order several sizes to choose at home. A good return process is part of the product.

Cause	What the buyer says	What it looks like on the notice
Fit	"It did not fit"	Usually a return and refund matter, sometimes "not as described"
Colour or fabric	"It looks different from the photos"	Not as described
Condition	"It arrived marked or damaged"	Defective or damaged
Refund delay	"I sent it back and have no refund"	Credit not processed
Delivery	"It never arrived"	Item not received
Unrecognised charge	"I did not place this order"	Fraud

For the general rules on how disputes work, read our Shopify chargebacks UK guide. This post covers what is specific to clothing and footwear.

One point on tone. Most buyers who ask for a refund on a dress that does not fit are not doing anything wrong. They are using a right the law gives them. Treat the first contact as customer service and the dispute as the exception. Never write to a buyer as if they were dishonest, and never describe a return as fraud in a dispute response unless the notice itself is a fraud reason and your evidence is about the order, not about the person.

How do you prevent fashion returns disputes with a size guide before the order ships?

Give the buyer the information to choose correctly: a size guide with measurements, the model's height and the size they wear, fabric and stretch, fit notes such as "runs small", and photos in natural light. Clear information reduces returns and gives you proof of what the buyer was told.

Prevention is the cheapest part of managing fashion returns disputes, and clothing chargebacks drop when the page is honest. Most of what you need is on the product page.

Product page element	What to include	Why it helps
Size guide	Measurements in centimetres for each size, how to measure	Lets the buyer check against a garment they own
Model details	Height and the size they wear	Gives a reference for fit
Fit note	"True to size", "runs small", "relaxed fit"	Sets expectation
Fabric	Composition and stretch	Explains feel and drape
Colour	Photos in daylight, a note that screens differ	Reduces colour complaints
Care label	Washing and ironing instructions	Reduces "damaged" claims after washing
Delivery and returns	Link to your policy	Shows the terms

Use this checklist when you publish or update a fashion product:

• Does the size guide give measurements, not just letters?
• Are the model's height and worn size shown?
• Does the fit note say how the item runs?
• Are the fabric and stretch described?
• Are there photos in natural light, including a close-up of the fabric?
• Does the page link to your returns policy?
• Have I saved a dated capture of the page?

That last item is the one merchants forget. If a buyer says the page promised something it did not, you want a dated capture of the page as it was on the order date. Page changes over time, and memory is not evidence. A screenshot with the date takes seconds and settles an argument about what you said.

Colour deserves its own care. Screens vary, and a coral that looks warm in one photograph can look pink in another. Show the item in natural light, add a plain-background photo, and state the colour name consistently across the page, the packing slip and the email. If your product title says "sage" and your photo shows something closer to khaki, expect fashion returns disputes about colour.

How should your returns policy handle fashion returns disputes?

Your policy should say how long buyers have, how to return, who pays the return, how quickly you refund and what condition the item must be in. UK law gives most distance buyers a 14-day cancellation right, so a shorter window is not safe. A clear, dated policy is the base of any defence.

For the full template, see our terms and conditions template and shipping and delivery policy template. The fashion-specific parts are below.

Policy point	What UK rules say	What to write
Cancellation window	14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013	At least 14 days from receipt, stated plainly
Refund timing	Within 14 days of getting the goods back or evidence of return	A shorter promise, for example 5 working days from receipt
Return costs	The buyer pays only if told beforehand	State who pays before the order, in the checkout and the page
Risk	Passes to the buyer on delivery	Not covered for returns in transit in the sources we reviewed. Ask an adviser
Condition	The buyer must take reasonable care	Say what trying on looks like and what it does not
Exceptions	Some goods are excluded	Not verified in the extracts we reviewed. Check hygiene and made-to-measure rules with an adviser

A longer window than the law requires is a business choice. Many fashion stores offer 28 or 30 days. If you do, write the dates plainly and apply them evenly. A promise of "30 days" in the footer and "14 days" in the terms is the sort of contradiction a reviewer notices.

Two lines of policy settle many clothing returns disputes about condition:

1. Say what a reasonable try-on is. "Try the item on indoors over clean clothes. Keep tags attached. Items showing signs of wear, washing or perfume may be refunded in part."
2. Say how the refund is worked out. "If an item comes back used, we will tell you what we found, with photos, and refund the value after any reduction within the refund period."

We did not review the exact wording of the rule about reduced value after handling. For deductions and partial refunds, see our post on used or worn goods returns and ask an adviser before you rely on a deduction.

What evidence settles fashion returns disputes, including not as described cases?

Four items settle most of them: a dated capture of the product page, the order and delivery proof, a dated inspection photo of the returned item, and the refund record. Each answers a different reason on the notice. Collect them as the order moves, not when the dispute arrives.

The evidence in fashion returns disputes changes with the reason, so match the pack to the notice:

Reason on the notice	Strongest evidence	Supporting evidence
Not as described	Dated product page capture, size guide, fit note, photos	Order confirmation, messages with the buyer, return inspection photos
Credit not processed	Refund confirmation with date and amount	Return tracking, receipt date, your policy page
Item not received	Carrier proof of delivery to the order address	Tracking emails, address on the order
Defective or damaged	Dispatch photo, packing record, inspection photo on return	Carrier damage notes, messages
Fraud	Order data, AVS and IP details, delivery proof	3D Secure result, order history

Shopify's help centre says Shopify Payments auto-fills order, addresses, tracking, IP, refund records, order history and previous disputes on the response form. Screenshots are preferred, labelled, strongest first. So your job is mostly to add the fashion-specific proof the form cannot know: the page as the buyer saw it, the inspection photos and the refund record.

Start the pack with one paragraph in plain words and then the exhibits. Here is a template for a not as described dispute on clothing:

Order [NUMBER], £[AMOUNT], placed [DATE], paid by [CARD TYPE].

Reason shown: not as described.

The product page on the order date described the item as [FABRIC], size [SIZE], with a fit note of "[FIT NOTE]". The size guide listed [MEASUREMENT] for this size, and the model details showed [HEIGHT] wearing size [SIZE] (exhibit 1, page captured [DATE]).

The item was dispatched on [DATE] with tracking [NUMBER], delivered on [DATE] (exhibit 2). The buyer contacted us on [DATE] to say [SUMMARY OF CLAIM]. We offered [EXCHANGE / RETURN] on [DATE] (exhibit 3). [If returned: the item arrived on [DATE] and our inspection photos show [CONDITION] (exhibit 4).] [If refunded: we refunded £[AMOUNT] on [DATE] (exhibit 5).]

Keep claims to what the exhibits show. If the buyer says the colour is wrong and your photos show the colour, say "the product page showed the colour as in exhibit 1" and stop. Do not add comments about the buyer.

How should you take inspection photos of a return to protect yourself in fashion returns disputes?

Photograph every returned garment the day it arrives, before you handle it more than necessary: the item as it came, labels and tags, any marks, and the packaging. Use a plain background, good light and a date visible in the frame or in the file record. Consistency matters more than quality.

A return that is not photographed is a return you cannot describe later, and in clothing returns disputes that is a weak position. Because fashion returns disputes often turn on condition, the dated photo is your main evidence on the item itself.

Use this checklist for every return:

• Photograph the sealed or unopened return parcel with the label.
• Photograph the item laid flat, front and back.
• Photograph tags, labels and any hygiene seal.
• Photograph any marks, odours noted in writing, stretching or damage.
• Photograph the same garment's size label so the record shows what came back.
• Note the date and time received and who inspected it.
• Save the photos under the order number.

A short inspection note helps. Here is one you can keep in the order timeline:

RETURN INSPECTION
Order: [NUMBER]
Received: [DATE], [TIME]
Inspected by: [NAME]
Tags attached: [YES / NO]
Condition: [UNWORN / TRIED ON / MARKED / DAMAGED]
Marks or odour: [DESCRIPTION]
Photos saved: [NUMBER] in [FOLDER]
Decision: [FULL REFUND / PARTIAL REFUND / EXCHANGE]
Refund sent: [DATE]

Do the inspection the same day, since clothing returns disputes often turn on condition. The 14-day refund clock does not wait for your backlog. A buyer who posts a return on Monday 12 October 2026 has given evidence of return that day, and the latest refund date under the 14-day rule is Monday 26 October 2026. A partial refund sent after that date invites a dispute for the whole amount.

For used items, wear, perfume and hygiene-sensitive goods, our post on used or worn goods returns covers how to explain a deduction and respond if the buyer disputes it.

What should you do about a credit not processed claim when the refund has not arrived?

Check what you sent and when. If you refunded, send the buyer the confirmation, the amount and the date, and explain that banks can take several working days to show it. If you have not refunded and the return arrived, refund now. A refund delay is the simplest fashion returns dispute to avoid.

"Credit not processed" is the reason that turns a good return process into a bank dispute, and it is the cleanest of all fashion returns disputes to prevent. The buyer sent the item back, saw nothing, and asked the bank. You can almost always prevent it.

1. Refund as soon as the return is inspected, and no later than 14 days after receipt or evidence of return.
2. Email the buyer the moment you refund, with the amount, the date and the account it went to.
3. Say that banks can take several working days to show a refund, and give a date after which they should contact you.
4. If the refund fails or is returned by the bank, tell the buyer the same day.
5. Keep the confirmation and the email.

Here is a short message to send on refund day:

Hi [FIRST NAME],

We received your return of order [NUMBER] on [DATE] and have refunded £[AMOUNT] to the card you paid with. It was sent today, [DATE].

Your bank may take a few working days to show it. If you cannot see it by [DATE], reply to this email and we will help straight away.

[YOUR NAME]
[STORE NAME]

If a dispute arrives anyway, the response is easy: the refund record, the date of receipt, the email and your policy. Our guide to the January returns and refund disputes covers what to do when returns pile up and refund dates slip.

What we did not review: how a refund you issue after a dispute is opened interacts with the dispute. That is not covered in the sources we reviewed, so ask your payment provider before you refund a disputed order.

Why do exchanges reduce fashion returns disputes?

An exchange keeps the sale and gives the unhappy buyer a route that does not involve the bank. A buyer who wants a different size usually wants the item, not a refund. Offering the exchange first reduces refunds, reduces disputes and often keeps the customer.

Many fit problems behind fashion returns disputes are solved by a size swap. If your checkout and returns page push towards refunds, you create the very situation that ends at a card company.

Option	What the buyer does	What you do	Dispute risk
Exchange for another size	Requests a swap	Send the new size on receipt of the return, or earlier	Lowest
Store credit	Accepts credit	Issue credit and record the buyer's agreement	Low, if agreed in writing
Refund to original payment	Requests a refund	Refund within your promise and the 14-day rule	Low, if quick and clear
Partial refund after wear	Receives a reduction	Explain with photos and figures	Higher, so document everything

Store credit needs care. A buyer has a right to a refund in many cases, and credit offered in place of a refund should be the buyer's choice, not a default. Record the agreement in writing. We did not review the rules on when credit can replace a refund, so ask an adviser if you plan to push credit as the main route.

Send the replacement size early where margins allow. Shipping the new size on the day the return is booked, rather than on receipt, makes the exchange feel generous and reduces waiting. Some stores take a card pre-authorisation or ask the buyer to return the first item within a window. Decide what suits your margin and write it down.

Can you stop bracketing without upsetting good customers?

Bracketing means ordering several sizes to keep one and return the rest. It is a common and legitimate shopping habit, so a fair policy lets it happen while removing the worst cost: free returns on everything. Options include paid returns, returns credit or exchange-first, stated before the order.

You can tell good customers what you will do and what you will not without insulting them, and bracketing rules are the most debated part of fashion returns disputes.

Approach	How it works	Trade-off
Paid returns	Buyer pays return postage, stated before the order	Reduces returns, may lower conversion
Free exchange, paid refund	Exchanges are free, refunds cost a small fee	Encourages exchanges
Free returns for loyal customers	Free returns after a first order	Rewards repeat buyers
Better fit information	Measurements, fit photos, reviews	Reduces the need to bracket
Do nothing	Free returns on all orders	Highest return cost

UK rules say the buyer pays return costs only if you told them beforehand. So any paid-returns policy must be visible before the order: on the product page, in the basket and in the checkout, and in the confirmation. Do not add a return charge after the order, and do not bury it.

We have not reviewed data on how common bracketing is among UK fashion shoppers, so we do not give figures. Check your own order data: orders with two or more sizes of the same item in the basket, and the return rate of those orders against others.

How do shoe, accessory and outerwear returns differ?

The same principles apply to footwear and accessory fashion returns disputes, but the evidence differs: shoes show wear on soles, accessories can be damaged by clasp or strap use, and outerwear can be worn outdoors and returned with weather marks. Photograph soles, linings, fastenings and tags. Say in your policy what indoor trying looks like.

Category	Typical issue	Photograph on return	Policy line
Footwear	Soles marked, creases from outdoor use	Soles, insoles, uppers, box	"Try on indoors on a clean surface"
Outerwear	Weather marks, creased lining	Linings, collars, zips, tags	"Keep tags attached; unworn outdoors"
Accessories	Scratches, tarnish, clasp damage	Hardware, straps, closures	"Items must be returned in original condition"
Swimwear and underwear	Hygiene seal broken	Seal, liner, tags	Check hygiene exceptions with an adviser
Knitwear	Pilling, stretching, odour	Surface, cuffs, neckline	"Items showing wear may be refunded in part"

Footwear is the category where a soles photograph often decides the case. A pair that has clearly been worn outdoors differs from a pair tried on a carpet. Take a close-up of the sole with a ruler or coin for scale and keep it.

For items sold as hygiene-sensitive, such as swimwear, the exception rules matter. They were not verified in the extracts we reviewed, so we do not say when a refund can be refused. Ask an adviser, and state the exception on the product page, in the basket and in the order confirmation if it applies.

Which reasons do banks look at for fashion returns disputes?

In fashion chargebacks, banks and card companies read the reason on the notice and the evidence you attach to it, not your whole story. A clear answer to the stated reason, supported by dated documents, usually does better than a long account of how the buyer behaved.

We did not review the internal procedures of card companies or issuers, so what follows is a practical reading from Shopify's help centre and the general chargeback process described by UK Finance and MoneyHelper.

What a reviewer likely checks	What helps you
Did the buyer try to resolve it with you?	Messages showing your replies and offers
Was the item described accurately?	Dated page capture, size guide, photos
Was the return received, and when?	Carrier tracking, your receipt record
Was the refund made, and when?	Refund confirmation with date and amount
Is the documentation clear and dated?	Labelled exhibits, strongest first

MoneyHelper describes chargeback as a voluntary card-scheme arrangement, usually claimed within 120 days. UK Finance describes the time limit as counted from the transaction or the expected delivery. So a fashion dispute can arrive months after the order, long after you have forgotten the details. Your files must make sense to someone who was not there.

Shopify's help centre says you have 7 to 21 days to respond, and the card review can take up to 75 days after you submit. Nothing can be added after the due date. If you submit nothing, Shopify's tools prepare a response. We did not verify whether a submitted response can be edited, so check completeness before you submit.

Quick rules for fashion returns disputes

Keep these near your desk. They sum up how to run fashion returns disputes with a short, repeatable routine.

1. Prevent first. Put measurements, model details, fit notes and daylight photos on every fashion page, and capture the page with a date.
2. Offer an exchange before a refund, and make the exchange easy.
3. Say who pays for returns before the order, never after.
4. Photograph every return the day it arrives and write the inspection note.
5. Refund inside your promise and inside 14 days of receipt or evidence of return, and email the buyer the moment you do.
6. Answer the reason on the notice first, with the strongest exhibit first, and keep the story short.
7. Log every dispute, including wins, because winning does not remove it from your chargeback rate.
8. Review fashion returns disputes monthly: by product, size and reason, so the pattern points to the fix.

If the notice says	First action
Not as described	Pull the dated page capture and the measurements
Credit not processed	Pull the refund record and the return receipt
Item not received	Pull the carrier proof of delivery
Defective or damaged	Pull the dispatch photo and the inspection photo
Fraud	Pull the order data and delivery proof

How much do fashion returns disputes cost? Two worked examples

Fashion returns disputes cost the lost sale, the £10 fee when you lose, your time and a place in your chargeback rate. A cheaper path in fashion returns disputes is usually better information and a faster refund. The two examples below show the sums with invented numbers, so run them with your own.

Both examples are illustrations with invented numbers. The arithmetic is checked.

Example 1: a better size guide. A store takes 600 orders a month at an average of £60.00. Fashion returns disputes about fit and item description run at 6 a month. Half are lost, and each lost case costs the £60.00 sale and the £10.00 fee, with the item not recovered. Each dispute takes one hour of time, valued at £25.00. After adding measurements, model details and fit notes, disputes fall to 3 a month, with the same loss rate.

Item	Before	After
Disputes a month	6	3
Lost cases (half)	3	1.5
Sale and fee lost per case	£70.00	£70.00
Loss from lost cases	3 × £70.00 = £210.00	1.5 × £70.00 = £105.00
Time cost (£25.00 an hour)	6 × £25.00 = £150.00	3 × £25.00 = £75.00
Total monthly cost	£360.00	£180.00

The saving is £180.00 a month, or £2,160.00 a year, on these invented numbers. The page improvements cost an afternoon.

Example 2: an exchange-first policy. A store receives 100 fit-related return requests a month, with an average item value of £50.00. Offering a free size exchange first convinces 40 of the 100 buyers to swap instead of refunding. The outbound postage for each exchange is £3.50.

Item	Calculation	Result
Sales kept as exchanges	40 × £50.00	£2,000.00
Extra outbound postage	40 × £3.50	£140.00
Net revenue kept	£2,000.00 minus £140.00	£1,860.00
Refunds avoided	40 requests	40 fewer refunds

The policy keeps £1,860.00 of revenue a month on these numbers, and removes 40 refund processes that could have become "credit not processed" disputes. The figures are assumptions. Your conversion to exchanges may be lower or higher, and you should include the cost of handling the exchange.

Day-by-day plan: set up a fashion returns disputes routine in a week

You can have a sound routine in a week, an hour or two a day. The plan covers the product page, the policy, the return inspection, the refund promise and the response templates.

Day	Task	Output
Day 1	Audit your five best-selling fashion pages against the checklist	A list of gaps
Day 2	Add measurements, model details, fit notes and daylight photos	Updated pages
Day 3	Capture each page with a date and save it	A page archive
Day 4	Rewrite your returns policy: window, costs, condition, refund timing	A dated policy
Day 5	Create the inspection checklist and the refund email	Two templates
Day 6	Create response templates for the four main reasons	Four templates
Day 7	Test the routine with an old order from start to finish	A tested routine

Our chargeback SOP for small teams shows how to give each step an owner and a backup. Add the inspection and refund steps to it, so they happen even when the person who usually handles returns is away.

What happens in sale and peak periods?

Returns spike after sales and holidays, and fashion returns disputes follow with a lag. Clothing returns disputes are the slow echo of a busy month. Refund dates slip, inspection backlogs build and "credit not processed" notices arrive weeks later. Plan staffing and a refund rule before the peak, not during it.

A sale such as Black Friday on Friday 27 November 2026 produces returns in the following weeks, and the chargeback window runs on for months. The risk is not the sale itself. It is the backlog.

Three measures help:

1. Set a rule that returns are inspected within two working days of arrival, even in a peak.
2. Prepare a holding message for buyers whose refunds will take longer, with a firm date.
3. Pause promotions that depend on faster returns than you can handle.

We did not review sector data on peak-season dispute rates, so we offer no figures. Compare your own January and December numbers year to year. Our January returns and refund disputes guide goes deeper on that month.

What's different for UK merchants

This section is general information, not legal advice.

• Cancellation: the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give most distance buyers 14 days to cancel, with a refund due within 14 days of getting the goods back or evidence of return.
• Return costs: the buyer pays return costs only if you told them beforehand.
• Risk: it passes to the buyer on delivery. Who bears the risk of a return lost in transit is not covered in the sources we reviewed, so ask an adviser.
• Exceptions: rules for hygiene-sensitive and made-to-measure goods were not verified in the extracts we reviewed. Ask an adviser before you refuse a return.
• Chargebacks: MoneyHelper describes chargeback as a voluntary card-scheme arrangement, usually claimed within 120 days.
• Section 75: for credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000, the card company is jointly liable with the merchant. UK Finance gives a six-year time limit, so keep records for longer than you think.
• Fees: on fashion returns disputes Shopify's UK fee for card chargebacks is £10, charged by your bank and returned if you win.
• Shopify Protect: it covers eligible US stores on Shop Pay orders and does not cover UK stores, so your evidence is your protection.
• Chargeback rate: fashion returns disputes count too, and winning does not remove a dispute from the rate, and Visa's fraud threshold of $7,500 a month can lose the liability shift. The Merchant Risk Council reports a VAMP threshold of 1.5% from 1 April 2026.
• Weekends and bank holidays: we did not verify how they affect due dates. Respond early.

Common mistakes in fashion returns disputes

1. Selling clothing with a size letter and no measurements.
2. Using one flattering photograph and no daylight or close-up shots.
3. Failing to capture the product page with a date.
4. Advertising a 30-day return window in the footer and a 14-day window in the terms.
5. Adding a return charge after the order, rather than before it.
6. Leaving returns unopened for a week, so refunds slip past the 14-day mark.
7. Refunding without emailing the buyer the date and the amount.
8. Sending a long account of the buyer's behaviour instead of a short answer to the stated reason.

FAQ

What are fashion returns disputes?

Fashion returns disputes are chargebacks and inquiries over clothing, footwear and accessories, usually about fit, colour, condition, delivery or a refund the buyer has not seen. Each reason needs different evidence, so read the notice first and match the pack to it.

How do I stop fashion returns disputes?

Prevent them with measurements, model details, fit notes, daylight photos and a dated capture of each page. Offer an exchange first, refund quickly, email the buyer the date and amount, and photograph every return. Most disputes grow from unclear information or a slow refund.

What evidence wins a not as described dispute on clothing?

A dated capture of the product page, the size guide, the fit note, the order confirmation, delivery proof, your messages with the buyer and any inspection photos. Answer the stated reason in the first lines and put the strongest exhibit first. Keep the account short and factual.

How long do I have to refund a fashion return?

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you must refund most distance buyers within 14 days of getting the goods back or evidence of return. Many stores promise sooner. A refund sent late, or in part with no explanation, is a common cause of a credit not processed dispute.

Can I charge for returns on clothing?

You can, if you told the buyer before the order. UK rules say the buyer pays return costs only if told beforehand, so put the charge on the product page, in the basket and in the confirmation. A charge added after the order invites a dispute.

What if a returned garment is worn or marked?

Photograph it the day it arrives, write the inspection note and tell the buyer what you found, with photos, before you reduce the refund. We did not review the exact rule on reduced value after handling, so ask an adviser. Our post on used or worn goods returns covers the process.

Should I offer store credit instead of a refund?

Only if the buyer chooses it, and record the choice in writing. A buyer may have a right to a refund, and credit forced on them is a common source of complaints. We did not review the rules on when credit can replace a refund, so ask an adviser.

What if the buyer says they never got the refund?

Send the refund confirmation, the date, the amount and the card or account it went to, and explain that banks can take several working days to show it. If you have not refunded and the return arrived, refund now. Keep the email in the order timeline.

Do fashion returns disputes count against my chargeback rate?

Yes. Winning does not remove a dispute from the rate, so prevention protects your standing as well as your margin. Visa's fraud threshold of $7,500 a month can lose the liability shift, and the Merchant Risk Council reports a VAMP threshold of 1.5% from 1 April 2026.

Does Shopify Protect cover fashion returns disputes in the UK?

No. Shopify Protect is for eligible US stores on Shop Pay orders, and it does not cover UK stores. Your protection against fashion returns disputes is your page information, your returns process and your evidence. Shopify's help centre says Shopify is not liable for chargebacks, so you respond with evidence.

Start free trial

ChargeFix helps Shopify merchants turn order, delivery and return evidence into a clear response, so your time goes to the customer, not the paperwork. Start free trial and handle fashion returns disputes with the same checked routine every time.

Sources

• Shopify Help Center: Chargebacks and inquiries
• UK Finance: Chargeback and Section 75
• legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, explanatory note
• Stripe, Best practices for preventing fraud: further reading on stopping disputes before they start
• Adyen, Manage disputes: further reading on how another payment provider handles disputes