Chargebacks & disputes: what to do

Requirements

• Available on: All plans
• Device access: Web & mobile browser
• Permission: Owner

A chargeback (also called a dispute) happens when a client asks their bank to reverse a card payment instead of contacting you for a refund. The bank pulls the funds back while it investigates. This is different from a refund you issue yourself.

What happens during a dispute

• The disputed amount is held (debited from your balance) while the client's bank reviews the case.
• You pay a dispute fee equal to what our payment processor charges for it — currently $15 (Stripe's current fee; it can change) — deducted from your balance by our processor, or collected with your later card fees. You never pay it twice.
• If you choose to contest the dispute, our payment processor charges an additional contest fee — currently $15. It may be taken from your balance when your response is submitted, or collected with your later card fees. You get it back (or are never charged it) only if the dispute is decided fully in your favor; if you lose or only partly win, you pay it.
• You're given a window to respond with evidence — for example, your service records, appointment confirmation, messages, and your posted policies.
• If the dispute is resolved in your favor, the held amount is returned to you; if it's resolved partly in your favor, part of it is returned. If it's resolved against you, the client keeps the refund — either way, the dispute fee itself is not returned, mirroring our processor's own fee.

When this applies: SalonHub360 collects the dispute fee and the contest fee starting on the date in the fee notice sent to your account owner — or from the day you sign up, if you joined after that date.

How to reduce chargebacks

• Keep a clear cancellation and refund policy and make it visible at booking — see Set cancellation & no-show fees.
• Use a recognizable business name so charges aren't mistaken for fraud on a statement.
• Keep accurate appointment and service records — they're your evidence if a dispute is filed.
• When a client is unhappy, offer a refund first. A dispute still holds the amount from your balance until it's resolved, so refunding avoids that hold — see Issue a refund (full or partial).

Note: Disputes apply to card payments processed through SalonHub360 Payments. Manual tenders you recorded yourself (cash, Zelle, Venmo, and the like) aren't subject to card-network chargebacks.

Tip: For a full breakdown of card costs, including the dispute fee, see Processing rates & fees explained.

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Related articles

• Issue a refund (full or partial)
• Processing rates & fees explained
• Set cancellation & no-show fees