Start here: the 80/20 checklist
If you do these well, most chargeback problems calm down fast.
1) Make support easy to reach. Phone + chat + email beats “form-only” support.
Reply within 24 hours. Try to fully fix the issue within 48 hours.
Put your support info everywhere: order receipt, welcome email, thank-you page, site footer, and in the box (if you ship).
Make sure the contact info in your ClickBank account matches your website.
2) Make refunds simple. A fast, fair refund is usually cheaper than a bank dispute.
When it makes sense, offer simple options: 80% refund (no return) or 100% refund (with return).
Make cancel/refund steps easy to find and easy to finish.
Friendly reminder: if a customer says their doctor told them not to use a supplement, it’s best to resolve it quickly (often a full refund)
3) Set clear expectations. Clarity up front prevents frustration later.
State shipping times on the thank-you page and in the welcome email.
Keep marketing claims aligned with what the product can really do.
4) Watch affiliates and your funnel. Most spikes come from one affiliate or one step.
Check chargebacks by affiliate (weekly if you’re scaling).
If an affiliate drives lots of disputes, lower CPA, restrict, or remove them.
Look for the upsell/rebill step that causes confusion. Make it clearer or remove it.
Bottom line: Customers will get their money back one way or another. Make it easier to work with you than to call their bank.
Simple numbers (and when to act)
Chargeback rate (CBR) = chargebacks / sales × 100.
Look at the last 7–14 days. (If you have under ~100 sales, the % can swing a lot—still investigate, just don’t panic.)
Green: under 1.5% → keep going.
Yellow: 1.5%–1.9% → investigate and tighten up.
Red: 2%+ → take action within 48 hours.
If you hit Yellow (same week)
Find the source: top affiliate(s), product ID(s), and the funnel step where complaints start.
Pick 1–2 quick fixes: clearer shipping/billing text, faster refunds/cancels, more support coverage.
Re-check in 7 days and note what changed.
If you hit Red (do within 48 hours)
Restrict/pause the affiliate(s) driving disputes.
Fix the risky step (often an upsell or rebill). Clarify terms or remove the step.
Speed up refunds/cancels and make support easier to reach.
Watch daily for 7 days to confirm improvement.
What ClickBank may need to do if chargebacks stay above 2%
No one likes restrictions. But when chargebacks stay high for too long, ClickBank may need to step in to protect card-brand compliance and the broader platform.
Why this matters (real risk)
Card brand rules: Visa, Mastercard, and other card brands set strict chargeback limits for payment platforms. If an account group stays over those limits, ClickBank has to take protective steps. Ongoing issues can affect your ability to keep processing payments and may lead to account restrictions or termination.
Regulatory + consumer protection risk: BBB complaints and patterns of customer harm can trigger attention from the FTC, state attorneys general, and other consumer protection agencies. These can lead to investigations and serious legal exposure. As a platform, ClickBank has to ensure sellers follow compliant business practices.
These risks don’t just affect one seller—they can impact the whole merchant community and platform operations.
If rates stay high: a common remediation path
Depending on the situation, ClickBank may require some or all of the steps below (especially when an account group stays above 2% for an extended period):
Written remediation plan (due date provided): A clear list of fixes, when each fix will go live, and the target date to get back under 2%.
Pause on onboarding new products: New products may be paused until existing products and processes are stable.
Full-refunds only: Partial refunds may be removed for the account group; refund requests must be handled as full refunds.
Immediate Refunds mode (for very high rates): If a plan is not received/accepted by the deadline, accounts above a higher threshold (example: over 3%) may be moved into “Immediate Refunds” mode after a short notice period.
Compliance deadline: The account group may be required to achieve and maintain under 2% for a defined time period (example: a full calendar month).
Ongoing checks (audits)
If restrictions are applied, ClickBank may run regular checks to confirm the fixes are in place. Reversing fixes or trying to work around requirements can lead to fast account action, including suspension or termination.
How ClickBank can help (if you want it)
Answer questions about the data and what’s driving chargebacks.
Share best practices for reducing chargebacks.
Review your remediation plan and give feedback.
Update Special Instructions to add refund-flex options (80% no-return or 100% with return).
Set up faster communication options (for example, a dedicated Slack channel) when needed.
Tiny “keep a log” template
What happened? (CBR up / complaints about ___)
What did we change? (affiliate removed / upsell updated / refund flow simplified)
What happened after? (next 7 days)
For more information, please visit our other resources in the Knowledge Base:
That’s it—simple, consistent actions beat complex plans!