C08
Amex Reason Code C08 and How to Answer It
C08 means the cardholder says the goods or services never showed up, or only part did. Here is what proof answers that claim.
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Amex reason code C08 is one of the codes you may see on a dispute notice. It means the Card Member says they did not get the goods or services they paid for, or got only part of them. Your answer depends on proof of what was delivered and when.
What is Amex reason code C08?
Reason code C08 stands for Goods/services not received or only partially received. It sits in the Card Member Disputes group, which covers claims about the purchase itself rather than fraud or a card processing error.
The claim is simple. The Card Member paid for something and says it never arrived. Or it arrived, but only part of the order did. If you sell physical goods, this is often about a package that never showed. If you sell services, it may be about work the Card Member says was never done.
If you are new to these notices, start with how to read a chargeback notice. The code tells you what the cardholder claims and what proof answers it.
Why cardholders file a C08 chargeback
Most C08 claims come from one of a few situations. The package was lost in shipping. It was delivered to the wrong address. Only part of the order shipped. Or the service was never finished.
Some claims are honest mistakes. The package arrived after the Card Member filed the dispute. A family member signed for it and the Card Member did not know. The charge looked odd because the business name on the statement does not match the store name.
Some claims are not honest. A person gets the goods, then files anyway. Your delivery proof is the answer to that too.
How Amex handles a C08 dispute
Amex works a dispute in steps. The disputed charge is first worked on with the Card Member before the merchant is contacted. Many cases end here.
If more information is needed, you receive either an Inquiry or a Chargeback. You get an Inquiry when the Card Member disputes a charge that cannot be resolved with the documents Amex already has on file. An Inquiry asks you for proof but has not yet taken the money.
A Chargeback is different. If the Card Member gives enough information, your account may be debited upfront. The money is gone until you answer.
If your reply settles the dispute on time, there is no Chargeback. That is the best outcome, so treat an Inquiry with the same care as a Chargeback.
What documentation you need to win a C08 chargeback
Your proof must show the goods or services were received. For goods that were not received, send proof of delivery with the delivery date and the full shipping address. A tracking page that shows only "delivered" is weak. One that shows the delivery address and a signature is strong.
For services, send whatever shows the work was done. Contracts, signed work orders, completion records, login records for a digital product, or emails where the Card Member confirms they got what they paid for.
Always include a copy of the charge record or credit record. A good reply explains the documents, addresses the specific dispute reason, and describes the steps taken to resolve it. Label each paper so the reader knows what it shows. Do not send a pile of files with no note about what each one proves.
How to respond to a C08 chargeback
The best way to respond is online through your Merchant Account. That is faster than mail and gives you a record of what you sent and when.
Match your proof to the claim. A delivery record answers a claim that goods never arrived. A completion record answers a claim that a service was never done. Proof that does not fit the claim does not help, no matter how thick the file is.
Answer by the date on the notice. Amex gives you a set window for each notice, and a late reply is treated the same as no reply.
What happens if you don't respond or respond late
If you do not reply in time, or you reply without the requested documents, the Chargeback stands. The money stays gone and the case is closed.
If you do reply, the outcome depends on what you sent. After a Chargeback, you can send supporting documents that might reverse it. The Chargeback is undone if your reply addresses the dispute successfully and arrives on time.
Keep a copy of everything you send. If the case moves to a later round, you will need those papers again. For what the next rounds look like, see what happens after you answer a chargeback.