Retrieval Request
What Is a Retrieval Request? Definition and How It Works
Definition
A retrieval request is a formal request from a card issuer to an acquiring bank for supporting documentation on a transaction, typically a copy of the transaction receipt or invoice, issued when a cardholder queries a charge or when the issuer requires evidence before deciding whether to file a chargeback.
How it works
A retrieval request (also called a copy request or retrieval) is initiated by the issuing bank when a cardholder contacts them to query a transaction they do not recognise, partially recognise, or wish to dispute. Rather than immediately filing a chargeback, the issuer requests documentation from the acquiring bank to review the transaction details. The acquirer passes this request to the merchant, who must respond within the scheme-mandated deadline, typically 10-20 days depending on the scheme and market.
The documentation typically requested includes: the transaction receipt or authorisation slip; a description of the goods or services provided; the merchant's name and descriptor as it appeared on the transaction; proof of cardholder authentication (if applicable); and for CNP transactions, any additional evidence of cardholder identity or consent. For some transaction types the issuer may request shipping confirmation, a copy of the order, or a signed delivery receipt.
Responding to a retrieval request does not guarantee that a chargeback will not be filed. A retrieval is a pre-chargeback information-gathering step. If the issuer reviews the documentation and the cardholder still disputes the transaction, a chargeback can follow. However, prompt and complete retrieval responses significantly increase the probability that the issuer will resolve the query in the merchant's favour without escalating to a formal chargeback.
Failure to respond to a retrieval request within the deadline results in an automatic chargeback under a specific reason code (non-receipt of retrieval response). This is one of the most avoidable chargeback types, it is not a fraud or dispute chargeback but an administrative failure. Merchants must have processes to monitor retrieval request notifications and respond within deadline.
Why it matters
A well-responded retrieval request that provides clear evidence can resolve the cardholder query at the issuer level before a chargeback is filed. Failing to respond within the scheme deadline results in an automatic chargeback for non-receipt of documents, an entirely preventable loss requiring no issuer-side judgement. The same evidence that would be submitted in a chargeback representment is often more effective at the retrieval stage before the cardholder has formally disputed the transaction. Retrieval requests arrive through the acquirer's dispute management system; merchants must have operational processes to detect and action retrieval notifications promptly. Retrievals are not chargebacks and do not directly impact chargeback rate metrics, but they are a leading indicator of chargeback risk for specific transaction types.
With PXP
PXP's dispute management platform surfaces retrieval requests in the same workflow as chargebacks, with deadline tracking and evidence submission capabilities. Merchants receive notifications for retrieval requests and can respond directly through PXP's interface without separate acquirer portal access.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a retrieval request and a chargeback?
A retrieval request is a pre-dispute information request, the issuer is asking for documentation to review a cardholder query before deciding whether to file a chargeback. No funds are moved at the retrieval stage. A chargeback is a formal dispute that reverses the transaction amount, funds are debited from the merchant's account immediately. Retrievals can be resolved in the merchant's favour before escalating to a chargeback. Chargebacks require a separate representment process to recover funds. The retrieval is a warning and an opportunity; the chargeback is the financial event.
What documentation should merchants provide in response to a retrieval request?
Standard retrieval response documentation: the transaction authorisation record (showing date, amount, card last four, and authorisation code); a description of the goods or services provided; the merchant descriptor as it appeared on the transaction; for CNP transactions, order confirmation email, IP address, device details, and any fraud screening results; for physical goods, proof of dispatch and delivery confirmation; for subscription charges, the original sign-up consent record and prior successful billing history. Providing all relevant documentation in the initial response avoids follow-up requests.
How long does a merchant have to respond to a retrieval request?
Response deadlines vary by scheme and market but are typically 10-30 days from the date the retrieval request was issued. Visa's standard retrieval response window is 20 days; Mastercard's is 30 days. Missing the deadline results in an automatic chargeback under the non-receipt of retrieval response reason code. Merchants should aim to respond well before the deadline, responding on day 15 of a 20-day window leaves no buffer for delivery confirmation or additional evidence gathering.
Do retrieval requests count against the merchant's chargeback ratio?
Retrieval requests themselves do not count against chargeback ratio metrics. Only formal chargebacks count toward the Visa and Mastercard chargeback ratio thresholds. However retrieval requests are a leading indicator: a spike in retrieval requests on a specific product, promotion, or billing descriptor often predicts a corresponding spike in chargebacks 2-4 weeks later. Merchants should monitor retrieval request volumes by transaction type and investigate patterns before they convert to formal chargebacks.
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