When you accept credit card payments, your client may dispute the charge or not recognize it with their bank. In these cases, the client can ask their bank to reverse the charge, which is called a payment dispute or chargeback.

The banks that issues the client's credit card is responsible for managing the dispute process, and determining the appropriate outcome. In some instances where a client has transacted through the HoneyBook payment system, HoneyBook's Disputes Resolution Team can help you present your case to the bank.

When a client initiates a dispute:

The bank needs to recover funds for the client as soon as the dispute is started, the disputed amount (plus a $10 dispute fee) will be taken from your linked bank account. This is done by your client's bank, and the funds will be held until the dispute is resolved. Resolutions can take 60–90 days. If the dispute is resolved in your favor, all the held funds will be returned to you.

If the bank can't take the funds from your account for any reason, future client payments will be used to settle the dispute. Again, if the dispute is resolved in your favor, all funds will be returned to you.

Based on the details of the dispute provided by the bank, HoneyBook will reach out to you to get more information about the situation. The email you receive will include all the known information about the dispute, as well as what information the client's bank needs from you.

HoneyBook's goal is to support you in dealing with the dispute. The information you provide will help in contesting the dispute. HoneyBook may contact you again if there's a chance the bank needs more information.

If you want to challenge the dispute, you'll need to respond with any relevant documents you have that can verify the purchase and the products/services provided. The bank will look for evidence about the transaction to prove its validity, like receipts, invoices, email conversations, proof of delivery, photos, etc.

The documents you submit should directly contradict the client's claims. For example, just a signed receipt won't be enough to challenge a dispute where the client claims they didn't receive the goods. The bank would need to see proof of delivery as well. The more evidence you provide, the better.

In the dispute email you receive, carefully read the details of the dispute, paying attention to what your client is claiming (including the reason and the amount disputed). This will help you identify which transaction is being disputed and which supporting evidence to submit. To submit your evidence, respond using the form in the email.

Once you've sent in your evidence, HoneyBook will pass the information to your client's bank.

Once you submit your information, HoneyBook forwards it to your client's bank. The bank will review the case, and it may take 60-90 days for them to determine an outcome. HoneyBook will notify you by email as soon as the bank reaches a decision.

If the bank resolves the case in your client's favor, your client will receive the funds back on their credit card. When the bank makes a decision, it's final. Here are the potential dispute outcomes:

Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!