How to Respond to a Retrieval Request in 24 Hours

A retrieval request is a formal inquiry from a cardholder’s issuing bank to a merchant’s acquiring bank, seeking transaction details such as date, amount, and merchant name before deciding whether to escalate the case to a chargeback.

This guide covers what retrieval requests are and how they differ from chargebacks, the immediate steps and documentation required for a compliant response, the financial and operational consequences of missing your response window, process automation and staff training strategies, and how 2Accept supports merchants through every stage of dispute resolution.

Retrieval requests function as a preliminary investigation; issuers use them to verify transaction legitimacy before initiating a formal dispute. Understanding this distinction helps merchants treat each request as an opportunity to resolve concerns early rather than face costlier chargeback proceedings.

A compliant response requires gathering transaction receipts, shipping confirmations, and customer communication records, then submitting them in the format your processor specifies. Merchants typically have 5 to 20 days depending on the card network and processor, so acting within 24 hours creates a significant buffer against missed deadlines.

Failing to respond carries steep consequences. Unanswered retrieval requests often convert directly into chargebacks, triggering fees that range from $10 to $50 per incident and pushing merchants closer to excessive chargeback monitoring programs with penalties reaching $200,000 per month.

Automation tools and structured team training reduce response times and improve consistency. Merchants using automated dispute workflows see measurable reductions in chargeback volume, while cross-trained support, risk, and finance teams catch issues before they escalate.

2Accept provides high-risk merchants with specialized compliance services, fraud prevention tools, and expert guidance designed to keep response times short and protect revenue.

What Is a Retrieval Request and Why Might You Receive One?

A retrieval request is a formal inquiry from a cardholder’s issuing bank to a merchant’s acquiring bank, seeking additional transaction details before deciding whether to escalate a dispute. The sections below cover common triggers for these requests and how they differ from chargebacks.

What Are Common Reasons Merchants Get Retrieval Requests?

Common reasons merchants get retrieval requests include cardholder confusion, suspected fraud, and billing discrepancies. A cardholder may not recognize a charge on their statement due to an unclear merchant descriptor, prompting the issuing bank to request transaction documentation. Other frequent triggers include:

• The cardholder disputes the transaction amount or currency.
• A family member made the purchase without the primary cardholder’s knowledge.
• The cardholder claims goods or services were never received.
• The issuing bank flags the transaction as potentially unauthorized.

According to J.P. Morgan’s developer documentation, a retrieval request serves as a preliminary step that allows card issuers to gather additional information about a transaction before deciding whether to initiate a formal chargeback. Treating each request as an early warning signal, rather than a minor administrative task, gives merchants the best chance of resolving disputes before they escalate.

How Does a Retrieval Request Differ From a Chargeback?

A retrieval request differs from a chargeback in both severity and financial impact. A retrieval request is an information-gathering inquiry; a chargeback is a forced reversal of funds from the merchant’s account. When a retrieval request goes unanswered or the response is inadequate, the issuing bank may proceed directly to a chargeback.

The practical distinctions are significant. Retrieval requests carry modest fees, typically $5 to $15, while chargebacks cost $10 to $50 or more and include the lost transaction amount. Chargebacks also accumulate against a merchant’s dispute ratio, which can trigger monitoring programs. According to a Sift Q4 2025 report, worldwide chargeback losses are expected to climb from $33.79 billion in 2025 to $41.69 billion in 2028. For merchants operating in high-risk sectors, every unresolved retrieval request that converts to a chargeback compounds that exposure.

Understanding this escalation path makes rapid, thorough responses to retrieval requests one of the most cost-effective fraud prevention steps a merchant can take.

What Steps Should You Take Immediately Upon Receiving a Retrieval Request?

The steps you should take immediately upon receiving a retrieval request are to identify the transaction, gather supporting documentation, and prepare a complete response. Acting quickly protects your merchant account and prevents escalation to a formal chargeback.

What Critical Information Do You Need to Gather First?

The critical information you need to gather first includes the core transaction details that the issuing bank is requesting. Start by locating these essential data points:

• Transaction date, time, and amount charged
• Cardholder name and last four digits of the card number
• Authorization code and transaction ID
• Merchant descriptor as it appears on the cardholder’s statement
• Reason code specified on the retrieval request

According to Verisave, retrieval request fees should cost $5 to $15, though some processors charge $25 to $40 for emailing a receipt copy. Responding accurately the first time avoids paying these fees repeatedly while preventing the dispute from escalating. Cross-referencing the reason code against your records immediately reveals whether the transaction is legitimate or requires a refund.

What Documentation Is Typically Required for a Response?

The documentation typically required for a response includes transaction receipts, proof of delivery, and any customer communication records. Specifically, you should prepare:

• Signed sales receipts or terminal transaction records
• Shipping confirmation with tracking numbers and delivery proof
• Customer correspondence, including emails, chat logs, or phone records
• Product or service descriptions matching the original order
• AVS and CVV verification results from the authorization

Each document should clearly display the merchant name, transaction date, merchant location or website, and a description of goods or services provided. Incomplete submissions are among the most common errors merchants make, often leading to automatic chargebacks that cost significantly more than the retrieval request itself.

For merchants handling high volumes, maintaining a pre-organized evidence folder for each transaction eliminates the scramble when requests arrive. With documentation assembled, the next step is formatting your response for compliance.

How Can You Organize Your Response for Maximum Clarity and Compliance?

You can organize your response for maximum clarity and compliance by following a structured format and meeting every card network documentation requirement. The sections below cover the ideal response format and essential compliance steps.

What Format Should Your Response Take?

Your response should take a clear, structured format that presents transaction evidence in a logical sequence the issuing bank can review quickly. Leading with a cover summary that states the merchant name, transaction date, amount, and reason code gives reviewers immediate context. After the summary, organize supporting documents in this order:

• Transaction receipt showing merchant name, location, date, and description of goods or services.
• Proof of cardholder authorization, such as a signed receipt, AVS match, or CVV verification.
• Delivery confirmation or proof of service fulfillment.
• Any relevant customer communication, including emails or support logs.

Each document should be legible and labeled. Treating retrieval responses like a brief evidence file, rather than a loose collection of attachments, significantly improves the likelihood of resolution before a chargeback escalates.

How Can You Ensure All Compliance Requirements Are Met?

You can ensure all compliance requirements are met by verifying your response against card network timelines, documentation standards, and data security rules. According to Chargeflow, merchants typically have 7 to 10 days to respond to a retrieval request, though timeframes vary by card network and reason code.

Key compliance steps include:

• Confirming the specific deadline from your payment processor before preparing documents.
• Including all required receipt elements: merchant name and location, transaction date, website URL, and a description of goods or services.
• Reviewing the response for completeness and accuracy before submission; incomplete information is one of the most common errors that leads to automatic chargeback escalation.
• Ensuring all cardholder data handling complies with PCI DSS standards during the documentation process.

Missing a deadline or submitting partial documentation often triggers the very chargeback the retrieval was designed to prevent. Building a pre-flight checklist that maps each reason code to its required evidence eliminates guesswork and keeps response quality consistent across your team.

With a compliant, well-organized response in place, understanding the consequences of missed deadlines reinforces why speed matters.

What Are the Consequences of Not Responding to a Retrieval Request Within 24 Hours?

The consequences of not responding to a retrieval request within 24 hours include automatic chargeback escalation, increased fees, and potential merchant account restrictions. The sections below cover account-level impacts and broader financial or legal risks.

How Can Failure to Respond Impact Your Merchant Account?

Failure to respond to a retrieval request can impact your merchant account by triggering an automatic chargeback, raising your dispute ratio, and placing your account into a card network monitoring program. Once a retrieval request converts to a chargeback, each dispute adds to your monthly ratio. Exceeding network thresholds puts merchants into programs like Visa’s Acquirer Monitoring Program or Mastercard’s Excessive Chargeback Merchant designation.

According to Chargebacks911, merchants enrolled in excessive chargeback programs may need to submit a chargeback reduction plan costing $50 to $300 per filing, with failure-to-file penalties exceeding $1,000 per day. These penalties compound quickly, and for smaller merchants, even a single missed retrieval request can start a chain reaction that threatens processing privileges entirely. Staying compliant with PCI DSS standards for cardholder data handling also becomes harder to demonstrate when response records show gaps.

What Are the Potential Financial or Legal Risks?

The potential financial or legal risks of missing a retrieval request deadline include chargeback fees, lost transaction revenue, monitoring program penalties, and increased liability exposure. Chargeback fees typically range from $10 to $50 per dispute, though high-risk merchants may face fees of $25 to $40 or higher. Beyond per-dispute costs, the original transaction amount is also reversed, creating a double loss.

Legal exposure grows when unresolved disputes signal poor data handling practices. Merchants that store, process, or transmit cardholder data must comply with PCI DSS requirements. Repeated failures to respond to retrieval requests can draw scrutiny from acquirers and regulators, potentially resulting in account termination or placement on the MATCH list, which effectively blacklists a business from obtaining new processing accounts. Proactively responding to every retrieval request is one of the most cost-effective risk mitigation strategies available. With consequences this severe, building a streamlined response process becomes essential for long-term account stability.

How Can You Streamline the Retrieval Request Response Process for Future Requests?

You can streamline the retrieval request response process by implementing automation tools and investing in targeted staff training. These two strategies reduce response times, improve accuracy, and prevent retrieval requests from escalating into chargebacks.

What Systems or Tools Can Help Automate or Simplify This Process?

Systems and tools that can help automate or simplify this process include dispute management platforms, CRM integrations with transaction logging, and AI-powered evidence gathering solutions. According to a 2024 Zone Network analysis, automation transforms payment dispute resolution from a time-consuming manual process into a streamlined, efficient system that resolves disputes faster and more consistently.

Key automation capabilities to prioritize include:

• Alert systems that notify your team immediately when a retrieval request arrives.
• Pre-built response templates matched to specific reason codes.
• Centralized document repositories that pull transaction receipts, shipping confirmations, and customer communications automatically.
• CRM-to-payment-gateway integrations that compile evidence packages without manual searching.

Merchants using automated responses recorded a 33% reduction in chargeback cases, which makes automation one of the highest-ROI investments for any business handling recurring disputes.

How Can Staff Training Improve Retrieval Request Outcomes?

Staff training improves retrieval request outcomes by ensuring every team member can locate evidence quickly, follow consistent response workflows, and make fast, accurate decisions under tight deadlines. Without cross-functional training, disputes become a bottleneck where time is wasted and critical documentation gets overlooked. High-risk merchants often face even tighter margins when handling disputes, which is why 2Accept pairs every client with a dedicated payment expert who provides personalized guidance on fraud and chargeback management rather than leaving businesses to navigate complex processes alone.

Effective training should cover role-specific skills:

• Support teams need to know how to identify refund requests likely to escalate, when to issue a refund versus escalate internally, and how to use CRM notes to build evidence.
• Finance or disputes teams need response templates for different reason codes, along with clear guidance on where to find key data such as order IDs, customer IP addresses, and delivery confirmations.
• Risk and operations teams need to understand fraud filter scoring, the differences between hard declines and soft declines, and how to monitor chargeback alert systems.

Teams should receive initial onboarding followed by quarterly refreshers, with regular simulations to reinforce learning and expose gaps. With trained staff and the right tools in place, responding to retrieval requests becomes a repeatable, efficient process rather than a scramble against the clock.

How Can 2Accept’s Humanized Payment Solutions Support Fast Retrieval Request Responses?

2Accept’s humanized payment solutions support fast retrieval request responses through specialized compliance tools, dedicated fraud management expertise, and white-glove service built for high-risk merchants.

What Specialized Compliance and Fraud Tools Does 2Accept Offer for High-Risk Merchants?

2Accept offers specialized compliance and fraud tools for high-risk merchants that include dedicated chargeback management, fraud prevention systems, and personalized support from a dedicated payment expert. These tools address the unique vulnerabilities high-risk businesses face, where chargeback fees can reach $25 to $40 or higher per dispute.

According to a 2024 Chargebacks911 report, 72% of merchants reported an increase in friendly fraud chargebacks, making proactive dispute tools essential. 2Accept pairs every merchant with a dedicated payment expert, not a chatbot, to provide white-glove service and fraud management support. For high-risk industries often rejected by processors like Stripe or Square, this combination of compliance services, fraud screening, and human-first support keeps merchants below card network thresholds and protects revenue. Unlike traditional processors that take weeks or months to onboard merchants, 2Accept gets high-risk businesses set up to sell in just 48 hours with ongoing personal phone support to address disputes as they arise.

What Are the Key Takeaways About How to Respond to a Retrieval Request in 24 Hours We Covered?

The key takeaways about how to respond to a retrieval request in 24 hours are:

• Retrieval requests are preliminary information requests from issuing banks that, if ignored, escalate into formal chargebacks with steeper fees and account consequences.
• Gather transaction receipts, shipping confirmations, customer communications, and AVS/CVV verification records immediately upon receiving a request.
• Format your response clearly and completely, including merchant name, transaction date, description of goods or services, and delivery proof.
• Automate documentation storage and alert systems so your team can assemble evidence within hours, not days.
• Train support, risk, and finance teams on dispute workflows so responses are fast and consistent.

2Accept specializes in helping high-risk merchants with dedicated payment experts and compliance services, getting businesses set up to sell in just 48 hours.