Personalised goods chargebacks: how UK Shopify stores handle made-to-order disputes

The mug says "Happy Birthday Becky". The customer typed "Beckie". Nobody on your side spotted it, the gift went out, and now the buyer wants a full refund for an item that nobody else can use. A few weeks later the bank writes to say the cardholder disputes the charge as "not as described".

Personalised goods chargebacks are card disputes over items made or engraved to a customer's instructions, such as printed gifts, custom jewellery, made-to-measure products and other made-to-order goods, usually because the cardholder says the item had an error, was late, was not what they approved or cannot be returned. This guide shows UK Shopify merchants how to prevent personalised goods chargebacks, prove what the customer asked for and approved, set lead times and cancellation rules and respond to each reason on the notice, 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)

• Personalised goods chargebacks usually turn on one question: what did the customer ask for, and did they see it before it was made? A record of the exact words, the preview and the customer's sign-off is the strongest evidence you can hold.
• To prevent personalised goods chargebacks, use a customisation form with limits, a live preview where you can, and a confirmation step such as "I have checked the spelling". For text-heavy or high-value items, send a proof and wait for approval before production.
• State the lead time on the product page and in the confirmation, and log when production starts. Late-delivery disputes and cancellation disputes both depend on those dates.
• Do not assume personalised items cannot be returned. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give most distance buyers 14 days to cancel, and exceptions exist for some goods. We did not verify the wording for personalised and made-to-measure goods in the extracts we reviewed, so ask an adviser before you refuse.
• Decide in advance who pays for errors. A store mistake should be remade or refunded quickly. A customer typo is harder, so set the policy before the first one arrives.
• Shopify gives you 7 to 21 days to respond, and the card review can take up to 75 days after you submit. Winning does not remove a dispute from your chargeback rate.
• General information, not legal advice. Where the sources we reviewed do not cover something, the post says so.

From dispute to decision

Stage	What happens	What you do	What you keep
Product page	Buyer reads the options and timings	State limits, timings and the return position	Dated page capture
Order	Buyer enters their personalisation	Save the exact text and options	Order data, form fields
Approval	Buyer confirms a preview or proof	Record the approval and the time	Preview image, approval message
Production	You make the item	Log the start date and photograph the finished item	Production record, photo
Delivery	Parcel arrives or does not	Track and save proof	Carrier proof of delivery
Complaint	Buyer says wrong, late or unwanted	Reply the same day, offer a route	Messages, offers
Dispute notice	Bank or Shopify tells you	Note the reason and due date	The notice
Response	You submit evidence	Answer the stated reason, strongest first	Dated copy of the response

What causes personalised goods chargebacks?

Personalised goods chargebacks come from errors in the personalisation, from disagreement about what was approved, from long waits and late delivery, from cancellation after production has started and from refund friction. Because the item is made for one person, the loss on a lost case is usually the whole sale.

A personalised item is hard to resell, which is why personalised goods chargebacks hurt. A standard mug can go back on the shelf. A mug that says "Beckie" cannot. That raises the cost of every dispute and makes prevention more valuable than recovery.

Cause	What the buyer says	What it looks like on the notice
Error in the text or design	"It has a mistake on it"	Not as described, or defective
Disagreement about what was ordered	"That is not what I asked for"	Not as described
Late delivery	"It arrived after the occasion"	Not as described, or item not received
Cancellation after production	"I cancelled and you made it anyway"	Cancelled or credit not processed
Delivery	"It never arrived"	Item not received
Refund	"I returned it and have no refund"	Credit not processed
Unrecognised charge	"I did not place this order"	Fraud

The general process is in our Shopify chargebacks UK guide. This post covers what is different when every item is made to order.

A word on tone. A buyer who finds a typo on a gift is upset, and personalised goods chargebacks often follow, and the event it was meant for may have passed. Treat the first contact as customer service. Do not argue about fault in the first message. Apologise for the disappointment, say what you will do and then look at the records.

How do you design a form with a spelling checkbox that prevents errors?

Keep the fields few and clear, set character limits, show an example, offer a live preview where you can and add a confirmation step such as a checkbox saying the buyer has checked the spelling. Save the exact text the customer entered, because that record is your evidence of what they asked for.

Prevention is the cheapest part of managing personalised goods chargebacks. The form is where most errors begin, and most personalised goods chargebacks start with an error.

Form element	What to include	Why it helps
Clear field labels	"Name to appear on the mug (max 20 characters)"	Reduces misreadings
Example text	A sample next to the field	Shows what a good entry looks like
Character limits	Matched to what fits	Avoids truncation disputes
Preview	A live or mock-up image	Lets the buyer see before paying
Font and layout choices	Named options	Avoids "not the style I wanted"
Spelling check box	"I have checked the spelling and details"	Records the buyer's responsibility
Notes field	Optional, for special requests	Captures requests you must read

On the confirmation step, wording matters. "I confirm the personalisation above is correct and I understand it is made to order" is clear. A confirmation hidden in the terms is weak. Put it next to the button, record the answer in the order and show it in the confirmation email.

Use this checklist when you build or review a personalisation form:

• Are the field labels clear, with limits and an example?
• Does the buyer see a preview before paying?
• Is there a confirmation step about spelling and details?
• Does the form save the exact text, fonts and options to the order?
• Does the confirmation email repeat the personalisation word for word?
• Does the page state the production and delivery time and the return position?
• Have I saved a dated capture of the page and the form?

Repeating the personalisation in the confirmation email is a small habit with a large payoff. A buyer who sees "Beckie" in the email and does nothing has had a chance to correct it. A buyer who emails back "sorry, it is Becky" has given you a chance to fix it before production.

When should you use proof and approval before production?

Send a proof for text-heavy, high-value or complex items, and wait for a written approval before you start production. A proof adds a day or two, but it moves responsibility for the details to the person who approved it, and it gives you a dated record.

Not every product needs a proof to avoid personalised goods chargebacks. A simple name on a mug can use a form and a preview. A wedding sign, a custom print or an engraved watch deserves a proof.

Item type	Suggested control	Why
Short name or initials	Form, preview and spelling checkbox	Low risk, low cost
Long text or poems	Proof sign-off	Typos are likelier
Engraved jewellery	Proof sign-off	Cannot be undone, high value
Custom artwork	Proof sign-off	Subjective, approval matters
Made-to-measure goods	Measurements confirmed in writing	Fit disputes are costly
Bulk or business orders	Proof sign-off	Large losses

A proof only helps if it is clear and the approval is recorded. Use this process:

1. Send the proof within one working day of the order, as an image in the email body, not an attachment alone.
2. State clearly what to check: spelling, dates, names, layout and colours.
3. Ask for a reply that says "Approved" or lists changes.
4. Do not start production until you have the approval.
5. Save the proof, the reply and the time.
6. If the buyer does not reply, send one reminder and say what happens next.

Here is a proof email you can adapt:

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thank you for your order [NUMBER]. Here is the proof of your [ITEM]:

[IMAGE]

Please check carefully:
- spelling of every name and word
- dates and numbers
- layout and colours

Reply "Approved" and we will start making it straight away, or tell us what to change. Because each item is made to order, we cannot change it after production starts.

Your delivery estimate: [DATE], based on approval by [DATE].

[YOUR NAME]
[STORE NAME]

Notice the last lines. Tell the buyer that production starts after approval, and tie the delivery date to the approval date. That protects you if the buyer takes a week to reply and then complains about lateness.

How should you set lead times so late-delivery disputes do not start?

State the production time and the delivery time separately, show a delivery estimate based on the order date, update it when approvals are slow and warn buyers before busy periods. A clear lead time is your evidence if a buyer says an item was late.

Late delivery is the second most common source of personalised goods chargebacks. The item is not in stock, so it cannot ship at once.

Lead time element	What to show	Where
Production time	"Made to order in 5 to 7 working days"	Product page and confirmation
Delivery time	Carrier service and typical days	Product page and confirmation
Total estimate	A date, not just a range	Confirmation email
Busy-period cut-off	"Order by Friday 4 December 2026 for Christmas delivery"	Banner and product page
Approval dependence	"Clock starts on approval"	Proof email

Dates matter for gifts, and late gifts drive personalised goods chargebacks. If you promise delivery before Christmas Day, which falls on Friday 25 December 2026, publish the last order date, apply it and warn buyers who order after it. A buyer who orders on the day after your cut-off and reads the banner has been told. A buyer who never saw the cut-off will say they were not.

Our shipping and delivery policy template covers how to word delivery estimates. For these goods, add the production time as a separate line.

If production is running late, tell the buyer before they ask. A short message with a new date and an apology prevents more disputes than any policy. Keep the message in the order timeline.

What production record should you keep for personalised goods chargebacks?

Record the date and time production starts, who made the item, the exact text and options used, and a photograph of the finished item next to the order sheet. These records answer error, cancellation and late-delivery claims, and they show what you made.

A production record takes a minute and is the item most stores lack when personalised goods chargebacks arrive. It is the personalised equivalent of a dispatch record.

Record	What to capture	Why it matters
Production start	Date, time and who	Answers cancellation and lateness claims
Text and options	A copy of the exact entries used	Shows what the buyer asked for
Approval	The proof and the buyer's reply	Shows what they signed off
Finished photo	The item beside the order sheet	Shows the item matched the order
Packing photo	The packed parcel with the label	Shows what was sent
Carrier and tracking	Service and number	Links to delivery proof

Here is a short record you can copy into the order timeline:

PRODUCTION RECORD
Order: [NUMBER]
Item: [PRODUCT, SIZE, COLOUR]
Personalisation (exact): [TEXT]
Proof sent: [DATE]   Approved: [DATE, TIME]
Production started: [DATE, TIME] by [NAME]
Finished photo saved: [YES / NO]
Packed: [DATE] by [NAME]
Carrier and service: [NAME / SERVICE]
Tracking: [NUMBER]

The finished photo is the one that settles "it is not what I ordered" in personalised goods chargebacks. Take it with the order sheet in the frame, and make sure the personalisation is readable. If the photo shows "Beckie" and the order sheet shows "Beckie", you made what was entered. If the order sheet shows "Becky" and the item shows "Beckie", the error is yours, and you should remake or refund at once.

What if a customer wants to cancel or change a made-to-order item?

Set a cancellation point before the order and apply it evenly. Many stores allow free changes until production starts, and treat later requests case by case. State the position on the page, in the confirmation and in the proof email, and log the time of every request.

Cancellation is where the law and the practice need care in personalised goods chargebacks. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give most distance buyers a 14-day cancellation right, and there are exceptions for some goods. We did not verify the wording for personalised and made-to-measure goods in the extracts we reviewed, so we do not say when you can refuse. Ask an adviser, and do not rely on a footer line that says "personalised items cannot be returned".

Situation	Safe position	Risk
Cancel before production starts	Cancel and refund	Low
Cancel after production, item has a store error	Remake or refund	Low if quick
Cancel after production, no error, item unwanted	Check with an adviser whether you can refuse	Medium to high
Change request before production	Accept and update the order	Low
Change request after production	Explain, offer a remake at a fair cost if you choose	Medium

Here is a reply template for a cancellation request:

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thanks for getting in touch about order [NUMBER].

[If production has not started:] We have not started making it, so I have cancelled the order and refunded £[AMOUNT] to the card you paid with. You may need a few working days to see it.

[If production has started:] We started making it on [DATE]. Because each item is made to order, I would like to talk through the options with you. Please reply and I will help straight away.

[YOUR NAME]
[STORE NAME]

Refund timing still runs. If a buyer has a right to cancel and returns the goods, the refund is due within 14 days of you getting them back or evidence of return. Do not leave a request unanswered because the position is uncertain. A silent merchant is the easiest one to dispute.

Who pays for errors, and how do you reply to a mistake?

If the error is yours, remake or refund at once, at your cost. If the error is in what the customer entered, check your records, be kind and decide in line with your policy. Either way, reply within one working day, because a slow reply is what sends most buyers to their bank.

Errors in personalised goods chargebacks split into two kinds, and you should know which you have before you reply.

Kind of error	How to tell	Suggested response
Store error	The item differs from the order sheet or approved proof	Apologise, remake or refund quickly
Customer entry error	The item matches the text the customer entered and approved	Be kind, state the record, offer a fair route
Approved proof error	The customer approved a proof that contained the error	Show the approval, offer a fair route
Unclear instruction	The notes field was ambiguous	Admit the gap, remake or refund if reasonable

For personalised goods chargebacks, whether you owe a remedy for a customer's own typo depends on your terms and on rules we did not review. The remedies for items that are faulty or not as ordered were not covered in the sources we reviewed, so ask an adviser. Many stores choose to offer a discounted remake or a goodwill refund for customer typos, because it is cheaper than a dispute. That is a business choice, not a legal conclusion.

Here is a reply for a store error:

Hi [FIRST NAME],

I am so sorry. Our records show you asked for "[TEXT]" and we made "[WHAT WAS MADE]", which is our mistake.

We will [REMAKE IT AND SEND IT BY [SERVICE] ON [DATE] / REFUND £[AMOUNT] TODAY], at no cost to you. [If remaking:] Please keep the first item or return it using the label attached, whichever you prefer.

Again, I am sorry for the disappointment.

[YOUR NAME]
[STORE NAME]

And one for a customer entry error:

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thank you for letting us know, and I am sorry the gift did not turn out as you hoped.

Our records show the text entered at checkout was "[TEXT]" and the proof you approved on [DATE] showed the same. I would still like to help. We can [OFFER 1] or [OFFER 2]. Please tell me which you would prefer.

[YOUR NAME]
[STORE NAME]

Notice that the second message states the record without blame. If the buyer disputes anyway, you have the record, the approval and a kind offer, which is the combination that does best.

What evidence answers each reason in personalised goods chargebacks?

Match the pack to the reason in personalised goods chargebacks. Error and not as described claims need the saved text, the proof approval and the finished photo. Lateness needs the dated timings and the production record. Item not received needs delivery proof. Credit not processed needs the refund record. Put the strongest exhibit first.

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. The personalisation proof is yours to add.

Reason on the notice	Strongest evidence	Supporting evidence
Not as described (error)	Saved order text, proof and approval, finished photo	Dated product page and form, messages
Not as described (disagreement)	Product page, preview image, confirmation email	Approval message
Late or not received	Dated timings, production record, carrier proof	Tracking emails, messages about delays
Cancelled	Cancellation policy, timestamp of the request and production start	Messages
Credit not processed	Refund confirmation with date and amount	Return tracking, policy
Fraud	3D Secure result, order data, delivery proof	AVS and IP details, order history

Here is a template summary for a not as described dispute among personalised goods chargebacks:

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

Reason shown: not as described.

At checkout the cardholder entered the personalisation "[TEXT]" and ticked the confirmation "I have checked the spelling and details" (exhibit 1, order data). The confirmation email repeated the text word for word (exhibit 2). [A proof was sent on [DATE] and approved on [DATE] at [TIME] (exhibit 3).]

The item was made on [DATE] to the entered text, and the finished photograph shows the order sheet beside it (exhibit 4). It was delivered on [DATE] to the address on the order (exhibit 5). The cardholder contacted us on [DATE]. We replied on [DATE] and offered [REMAKE / REFUND / OTHER] (exhibit 6).

Keep your response to personalised goods chargebacks to what the exhibits show. If the error was yours, say so in your messages to the buyer and settle it. A response that defends your own mistake looks poor to a reviewer, and the buyer will have the same evidence.

Can you refuse a return on a personalised item?

Do not assume you can. UK rules give most distance buyers 14 days to cancel, and there are exceptions for some goods. We did not verify how the exceptions apply to personalised and made-to-measure items, so check with an adviser. State your position clearly before the order, and treat store errors and faulty items separately.

This is where merchants often go wrong in personalised goods chargebacks. They write "personalised items are non-refundable" in the footer and treat it as law. It may not be, and a card reviewer may not accept it. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give most distance buyers a 14-day cancellation right, with a refund within 14 days of getting the goods back or evidence of return. The buyer pays return costs only if told beforehand.

A statement that reads as a flat refusal also invites disputes, and personalised goods chargebacks follow. Compare two lines:

1. "Personalised items cannot be returned." A flat refusal, which may not match the law and reads as unfriendly.
2. "Each item is made to order. Tell us within [NUMBER] days if anything is wrong and we will remake or refund. If you change your mind, contact us before production starts and we will cancel for you." A clear promise, with a route.

The second line costs nothing and answers the likeliest dispute before it starts. Our terms and conditions template shows how to word a returns section that reduces personalised goods chargebacks. Add the personalised-goods lines to it, once an adviser has checked them.

Which delivery proof fits a personalised parcel?

Use tracking for low-value items and a signature or photo for higher-value ones, and keep the proof. A personalised item that is lost is a total loss in personalised goods chargebacks, because it cannot be resold. Royal Mail captures a photo on delivery for Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 where no signature is needed.

Proof	What it shows	Notes
Tracking scan to the address	The parcel was delivered to a location	Weakest if the buyer says it never arrived
Photo on delivery	A photo of the parcel at the address	Royal Mail captures a photo on delivery for Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 where no signature is needed
Digital signature	A signature or name from the recipient	Evri offers a Digital Signature add-on, at 60p when we checked, and the price may change
DPD proof options	Not verified	We have not verified DPD's proof options

Our guide to proof of delivery for Shopify chargebacks explains what each kind of proof shows. Compensation limits for lost parcels differ by service and were not covered in the sources we reviewed, so read the terms before you rely on them.

How much do personalised goods chargebacks cost? Two worked examples

Personalised goods chargebacks cost the lost sale, the £10 fee when you lose, the item itself and your time. A proof step or a prompt remake costs far less than personalised goods chargebacks. The examples below use invented numbers, so run them with your own.

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

Example 1: a proof and approval step. A store sends 300 engraved items a year at an average of £85.00. Without a proof step, error disputes run at 6 a year and 4 are lost. With a proof step, they fall to 2 a year and 1 is lost. A lost case costs the £85.00 sale and the £10.00 fee, and the item cannot be resold. Each dispute takes an hour, valued at £25.00. The proof step takes 2 minutes an order, at the same hourly value.

Item	Without proof	With proof
Disputes a year	6	2
Cases lost	4	1
Cost per lost case	£95.00	£95.00
Loss from lost cases	4 × £95.00 = £380.00	1 × £95.00 = £95.00
Dispute handling	6 × £25.00 = £150.00	2 × £25.00 = £50.00
Proof step	£0.00	300 × 2 minutes = 600 minutes = 10 hours, 10 × £25.00 = £250.00
Total a year	£530.00	£395.00

The proof step saves £135.00 a year on these invented numbers. The result depends on the inputs, as it does in any sum about personalised goods chargebacks. The break-even is about £385.00 of dispute savings spread over 300 orders, or £1.28 an order, which is about 3 minutes at £25.00 an hour. For low-value items with short text, a form and a checkbox may be a better choice than a full proof.

Example 2: remake, refund or ignore. A store makes a £60.00 item with an engraving error of its own. The materials cost £12.00, a remake takes half an hour at £25.00 an hour, and postage is £4.50. If it ignores the buyer and the dispute is lost, it loses the £60.00 sale, the £10.00 fee and an hour of time.

Option	Calculation	Cost
Remake and reship	£12.00 + (0.5 × £25.00) + £4.50 = £12.00 + £12.50 + £4.50	£29.00, and you keep the £60.00 sale
Refund at once	£60.00 refund + £12.00 materials	£72.00
Ignore, dispute lost	£60.00 + £10.00 + (1 × £25.00)	£95.00

In personalised goods chargebacks, a prompt remake costs £29.00 and keeps the sale. A refund costs £72.00 and a lost dispute costs £95.00. The figures are assumptions, but the order is usually the same: fix it fast.

Day-by-day plan: set up a personalised goods chargebacks routine in a week

You can have a sound routine for personalised goods chargebacks in a week, an hour or two a day. The plan covers the form, the proof process, lead times, the production record and the reply templates.

Day	Task	Output
Day 1	Audit your personalisation forms against the checklist	A list of gaps
Day 2	Add limits, examples, a preview and a spelling checkbox	Updated forms
Day 3	Choose which products need a proof, and write the proof email	A proof rule and a template
Day 4	Set and publish lead times and a busy-period cut-off	Updated pages and banner
Day 5	Create the production record and the finished photo step	A production template
Day 6	Write the replies for store errors, customer errors and cancellations	Three templates
Day 7	Test the routine on 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 proof and production steps to it, so they happen even when the usual person is away.

Quick rules for personalised goods chargebacks

Keep these near your desk. They sum up how to run personalised goods chargebacks and made-to-order disputes with a short, repeatable routine.

1. Save the exact text and options the customer entered, and repeat them in the confirmation email.
2. Use a spelling checkbox on every form, and a proof and approval for text-heavy or high-value items.
3. State the production time, the delivery time and the cut-off dates, and log when production starts.
4. Take a finished photo beside the order sheet before packing.
5. Reply to every error report within one working day, and fix store errors fast.
6. Do not rely on "personalised items cannot be returned". Check the position with an adviser.
7. Refund inside your promise and inside 14 days of receipt or evidence of return, and email the buyer the date and amount.
8. Log every dispute, including wins, because winning does not remove it from your chargeback rate.

If the notice says	First action
Not as described	Pull the saved text, the proof approval and the finished photo
Late or not received	Pull the timings, the production record and the carrier proof
Cancelled	Pull the policy and the timestamps
Credit not processed	Pull the refund record
Fraud	Pull the 3D Secure result and the delivery proof

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. The buyer pays return costs only if told beforehand, and risk passes to the buyer on delivery.
• Exceptions for personalised and made-to-measure goods: not verified in the extracts we reviewed. Ask an adviser before you refuse a cancellation or return.
• Remedies for faulty or wrongly made items: not covered in the sources we reviewed. Ask an adviser.
• Personalised goods 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.
• Fees: on personalised goods chargebacks Shopify's UK fee for card chargebacks is £10, charged by your bank and returned if you win.
• Chargeback rate: winning does not remove a dispute from the rate. 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.
• Shopify Protect: it covers eligible US stores on Shop Pay orders and does not cover UK stores.
• Weekends and bank holidays: we did not verify how they affect due dates. Respond early.

Common mistakes in personalised goods chargebacks

1. Letting personalised goods chargebacks run on without saving the exact text the customer entered, so you cannot show what they asked for.
2. Burying the spelling confirmation in the terms rather than next to the button.
3. Starting production before a proof is approved.
4. Promising delivery dates that ignore production time.
5. Not logging when production started, so you cannot answer a cancellation claim.
6. Writing "personalised items cannot be returned" and treating it as law.
7. Arguing about fault before apologising for the disappointment.
8. Refunding without emailing the buyer the date and the amount.

FAQ

What are personalised goods chargebacks?

Personalised goods chargebacks are card disputes over items made to a customer's instructions, usually because the cardholder says the item had an error, was late, was not what they approved or cannot be returned. Match your evidence to the reason on the notice and keep your account factual.

How do I stop personalised goods chargebacks?

Use a clear form with limits and a preview, add a spelling checkbox, repeat the personalisation in the confirmation email and send a proof for text-heavy or high-value items. State production times, log production start, photograph the finished item and reply to errors within a day.

What evidence wins a not as described dispute on a personalised item?

The saved order text, the confirmation email, any proof and approval, a finished photo beside the order sheet, delivery proof and your messages with the buyer. Answer the stated reason in the first lines and put the strongest exhibit first. If the error was yours, settle it quickly.

Can I refuse to refund a personalised item?

Do not assume you can. UK rules give most distance buyers 14 days to cancel, and the exceptions for personalised and made-to-measure goods were not verified in the extracts we reviewed. Ask an adviser, and state your position before the order. A flat refusal in the footer may not hold.

Who pays if the customer made a typo?

That depends on your terms and on rules we did not review, so ask an adviser. Check the record first: what was entered, whether a proof was approved and what the page said. Many stores offer a discounted remake or a goodwill refund, because it costs less than a dispute.

Do I need to send a proof for every personalised order?

No. Short names and initials can use a form, a preview and a spelling checkbox. Send a proof for long text, engraved jewellery, custom artwork and high-value orders, and wait for written approval before you start production. Record the approval and the time.

How should I handle a request to cancel after production starts?

Reply the same day, say when production started and discuss the options kindly. Check the position with an adviser before you refuse, because exceptions to the cancellation right were not verified in the extracts we reviewed. Keep the timestamps and your messages.

How long do I have to refund a personalised return?

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, most distance buyers must be refunded within 14 days of you getting the goods back or evidence of return. Many stores promise sooner. A refund sent late is a common cause of a credit not processed dispute.

Do personalised goods chargebacks count against my chargeback rate?

Yes. Winning does not remove a dispute from the rate, so every case counts even when you win it. The Merchant Risk Council reports a VAMP threshold of 1.5% from 1 April 2026, and Visa's fraud threshold of $7,500 a month can lose the liability shift. Prevention protects both your margin and your standing.

Does Shopify Protect cover personalised goods chargebacks in the UK?

No. Shopify Protect is for eligible US stores on Shop Pay orders and does not cover UK stores. Shopify's help centre says Shopify is not liable for chargebacks, so you respond with evidence. Your protection is your form, your approvals and your production records.

Start free trial

ChargeFix helps Shopify merchants turn order, approval and delivery evidence into a clear response, so your time goes to the customer, not the paperwork. Start free trial and handle personalised goods chargebacks 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