Does the customer have to return the item?

Yes, or try to. Visa also treats a merchant refusing the return or not giving return instructions as an attempted return.

How long does the bank have?

120 days from processing or receipt, or 60 days from the cardholder's first notice if it shows negotiations within 120 days, with a 540-day maximum.

Visa · Chargeback reason codes

Visa 13.3 chargeback: Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services explained

Checked October 31, 2026

Visa reason code 13.3, Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services, means the cardholder says what they received did not match the description, was damaged or defective, or was of disputed quality. They must try to resolve it with you and return the goods or try to, and the bank waits 15 days after the return. Win it by proving the item matched its description, with your rebuttal, or that no return was attempted.

Category: Consumer dispute
Time limit for the bank to file: 120 days from processing or receipt (or 60 days from first notice after negotiations), max 540 days
Time limit to respond: Your processor's deadline (on Stripe usually 7–21 days); under Visa rules the acquirer files a Dispute Response within 30 days of the dispute processing date
Typical evidence: Listing and specifications, photos, proof no return was attempted, offers of repair or refund
Can it be prevented?: Largely: accurate listings, inspection before shipping, quick complaint handling
Who usually wins: The merchant who proves the item matched the listing and rebuts the claim

What PlatformDTC does

For a "not as described" dispute, PlatformDTC's response includes the product description, delivery proof and the refund or return policy the customer saw at checkout, and states that the customer did not contact the store about a problem before disputing. With "Answer a chargeback automatically" switched on, it sends the response to the bank for you before the deadline.

What it means

The cardholder says the goods or services differ from what was described, were damaged or defective, or were of poor quality. The cardholder must attempt to return the goods. Visa counts a refused return, a refused return label, being told not to return, or a merchant who stopped responding as an attempted return.

Why customers file it

Overstated listings, unclear sizing, shipping damage, or a customer who wants a refund without following the return policy.

Evidence that wins

Under Visa rules every response can also show that you already refunded and the bank ignored it, that the dispute is invalid, or that the cardholder withdrew it.

Proof the item matched its description, including stated quality, with a written rebuttal of the claim
Checkout screenshots and product specifications
Proof the cardholder did not try to return the goods, or certification the return never arrived
Records of any repair, replacement or refund you offered

How to prevent it

Describe products accurately and disclose limits
Inspect goods before shipping
Answer complaints quickly and give clear return instructions

For developers

On Stripe the dispute object arrives with reason "product_unacceptable" and the card network's own code in payment_method_details.card.network_reason_code; listen for charge.dispute.created and read evidence_details.due_by for the deadline.

Consumer Dispute (category 13) disputes have a Dispute Response stage: the acquirer answers within 30 days, then the issuer may pre-arbitrate within 30 days of that response.

Frequently asked questions

Does the customer have to return the item?: Yes, or try to. Visa also treats a merchant refusing the return or not giving return instructions as an attempted return.
How long does the bank have?: 120 days from processing or receipt, or 60 days from the cardholder's first notice if it shows negotiations within 120 days, with a 540-day maximum.