Mastercard 4855 chargeback (goods or services not provided): what evidence wins
By Zevron · 2 min read · Updated
What a 4855 dispute claims
Mastercard 4855 covers goods or services that were never provided. For a subscription box it is usually one shipment the customer says never arrived. For a software or membership business it is a service the customer says was unavailable or unused.
Because 4855 covers both, the winning evidence depends on what you sell. Pick the argument that matches your business.
You get one submission on Shopify Payments and Stripe. Gather everything first and submit before the due date shown in the dispute.
The argument for what you sell
Physical goods.
- The order shipped to the address the cardholder provided.
- The carrier recorded delivery at that address, with timestamp and scan location.
- The cardholder did not contact support about a missing package, or support resolved it.
Digital products and software.
- The account was active and available for the whole paid period.
- The cardholder logged in and used the product during that period (access log).
- Support never received a report that the product was unavailable.
Services and memberships.
- The service was available as agreed for the billed period.
- Attendance or booking records show the member used it.
- The member did not cancel under the agreement's terms before the charge.
The evidence that wins
| Evidence | For | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fulfillment record and carrier delivery scan | Physical goods | Delivery at the order’s address, with timestamp and location. |
| Access and login history | Digital products | The account was available and the cardholder used it, with dates, IPs and devices. |
| Attendance or booking records | Services, memberships | The member used the service in the billed period. |
| Support conversation | All | The customer never reported a problem, or you resolved it. |
Mistakes that lose winnable 4855 cases
- A tracking number with no delivery scan. “Label created” isn’t delivery.
- Delivery to an address other than the one on the order.
- For digital products, no usage evidence. It’s the strongest proof you have.
- Fighting a package that was returned to sender or lost. Refund it and fix the address problem.
The same dispute on other card networks
| Network | Code | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Visa | 13.1 | Merchandise/services not received |
| Mastercard | 4855 | Goods or services not provided |
| Amex | C08 | Goods/services not received |
Questions
What is Mastercard reason code 4855?
Goods or services not provided. The cardholder claims they never received what they paid for.
How do I win a 4855 chargeback?
For goods, show shipment to the address given and carrier delivery there. For digital products, show the account was active and used. For services, show attendance or booking records.
Is a tracking number enough?
No. The bank wants proof of delivery at the right address, not that a label was created.