Definitely. The chargeback is an underutilized feature of credit cards. A couple of things about chargebacks:
1. In my experience, you don't need to provide any documentation unless the merchant disputes your chargeback. So you should keep documentation, receipts, screen shots, notes, but not worry about filling out a detailed initial incident report.
2. Some people have claimed that you risk running afoul of your credit card if you use this feature too often. I'd say I use it twice per year and I've never been hassled.
3. Morally, I think you're just obligated to make a single attempt to rectify a misunderstanding with a merchant.
4. My credit cards let me fill out a report online, which makes this extremely convenient.
Despite all the hate for American Express's laughably weak passwords, they make incredibly easy to dispute a charge. There's literally a button by every transaction on listed in your account, just begging for you to click it.
actually amex are also the best for chargebacks from a merchant's perspective. they have an online interface you can log-in to and instantly see inquiries, fraud and chargebacks, and respond immediately.
they're also excellent about managing chargebacks, like when a chargeback comes through and you've already given a refund. this is so frustrating with Visa -- they'll actually still process the chargeback and ding you $20, even though you've already given the money back.
It's funny I just noticed this the other day on my account -- they even tell you when you try to log in that your password must be 8 chars. Might as well tell you that all passwords must begin with A.
Sketchy like Greyhound? Any company that I have to do a chargeback with permanently gets labeled a sketchy company in my mind. The ones I can remember though are big brand name companies.
I cancelled a subscription to XM and they kept billing me. I called to recancel and get a refund, but neither happened. So I did a chargeback.
That's typical of the experience that would lead me to file a chargeback. If I was billed for a service that I didn't receive and my first attempt to go through customer service fails then I immediately ask my credit card for a chargeback.
As an added bonus I believe there is a fine to the company for each charge back. I'm not entirely true if this is correct, or if its only partially correct however even the thought makes me smile when I think about how frustrated the company had just made me feel.
It's even better. In addition to the chargeback fees, there are steep fines for chargebacks exceeding some percentage of merchant's transaction total plus the risk of losing the merchant account altogether.
Specifically, my merchant account charges $30 per chargeback and they say there's trouble if more than 1% of your transactions are disputed, regardless of the outcome.
Also it's a huge pain in the ass to dispute, even when the merchant is obviously right. Most small merchants fear chargebacks, not so sure about big companies though.
1. In my experience, you don't need to provide any documentation unless the merchant disputes your chargeback. So you should keep documentation, receipts, screen shots, notes, but not worry about filling out a detailed initial incident report.
2. Some people have claimed that you risk running afoul of your credit card if you use this feature too often. I'd say I use it twice per year and I've never been hassled.
3. Morally, I think you're just obligated to make a single attempt to rectify a misunderstanding with a merchant.
4. My credit cards let me fill out a report online, which makes this extremely convenient.