SHOPIFY · MODULE 03 OF 08 | breadcrumb: Home > Learn > Shopify > Modules > 03 Payments, checkout and chargebacks
Module 03: Shopify payments, payouts on hold and chargebacks
Shopify payouts go on hold, and chargebacks get lost, for ordinary reasons: a detail skipped at setup, a payment rate nobody checked, a dispute nobody answered in time. This lesson covers each one.
Quick answer
On Basic, Shopify Payments charges 2.9% + 30¢ per standard online card order; other providers add a 2% Shopify fee. Shopify payouts can go on hold for missing details, product eligibility or verification. Chargebacks usually allow 7 to 21 days to respond, with a $15 US fee returned if you win (Shopify, read Oct 20, 2026).
Lesson 3 of 8 in our free Shopify guide. Read it in about 10 minutes, then work through the checklist at the end.
Most new stores take months to find steady sales, and some never do. Inventory, platform fees, freight and ad spend are paid by you.
What do payments cost on Shopify?
Shopify Payments standard online rates: Basic 2.9% + 30¢, Grow 2.7% + 30¢, Advanced 2.5% + 30¢, Plus 2.25% + 30¢. The pricing page lists higher rates for some card types (Basic 3.5% + 30¢, Grow 3.3% + 30¢, Advanced 3.1% + 30¢, Plus 2.95% + 30¢), and international cards add 1%. With another provider, Shopify adds 2% (Basic), 1% (Grow), 0.6% (Advanced) or 0.2% (Plus) on top of that provider's fee (shopify.com/pricing, read Oct 20, 2026).
Fee per order = order total × rate + $0.30. A $60 order on Basic: $60 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $2.04.
The provider fee is where small stores lose the most without noticing (illustrative · sample figures). A Basic store selling $20,000 a month online through another provider that charges 2.9% + 30¢ pays that provider about $580 plus the per-order fee, then pays Shopify 2% on top, another $400 a month. Through Shopify Payments at standard card rates, the $400 disappears. If you need another provider for your product type or country, keep it; just know the full cost and check whether Grow, at 1%, would cost less overall.
Why do Shopify payouts go on hold?
Shopify's Help Center lists: information requirements, incorrect bank account details or product eligibility issues; a business type or model not supported; sanctions related to location; creditor or legal action; and Shopify's banking partners needing more information to verify the business. Reserves can also temporarily hold funds from your sales to cover disputes and refunds. Only the store owner can resolve a hold: check the admin banner and the owner's email, provide what is asked and reply directly to Shopify's email after checking it is genuine (read Oct 20, 2026). Payouts stop "until the reason for the hold is resolved"; Shopify gives no standard length.
To make a hold less likely, and shorter if one happens:
- Complete every business and bank detail before your first sale, and update them the day anything changes.
- Use a payout bank account in the business's name that matches the details you gave Shopify.
- Make sure what you sell is eligible for Shopify Payments before you list it.
- Keep dispute levels low with accurate product pages, honest delivery times and tracking on every order.
- Have the owner's inbox checked every business day, so a request for information is answered the same day.
- Keep enough cash to cover a few weeks of costs, because orders keep shipping while funds are held.
How do you answer a chargeback?
- 01Note the deadline
the day the dispute arrives (usually 7 to 21 days).
- 02Gather evidence:
order details, tracking and delivery confirmation, customer messages, the policy shown at checkout, photos for higher-value items.
- 03Submit before the deadline.
If you win, the disputed amount and the $15 fee are returned. The card company review can take up to 75 days (Shopify Help Center, read Oct 20, 2026).
- 04Fix the cause:
unclear product descriptions, late shipping or a confusing billing name.
The evidence that matters depends on why the customer disputed. Match your response to the reason:
| Dispute reason | Evidence that usually helps |
|---|---|
| Customer says they did not make the purchase | Order details that match the cardholder's billing and shipping address, past orders from the same customer, delivery confirmation |
| Customer says the item never arrived | Tracking showing delivery to the order address, signature or photo proof on higher-value orders, messages about delivery |
| Customer says the item was not as described | The product page as it appeared when they bought, photos of the item shipped, your return policy and any offer to return or exchange |
| Customer says they canceled or returned it | Your cancellation and return policy as shown at checkout, return tracking or proof the item never came back |
Keep each piece of evidence in one place per order, so answering a dispute takes minutes, not an afternoon.
Context: a chargeback costs merchants an average of $128 in fees and internal costs, not counting the goods lost (Mastercard, page updated Jun 8, 2026).
Key takeaways
- Know your full payment cost per order, including any provider fee.
- Most payout holds are avoidable with complete, current details.
- Every dispute has a deadline; put it on a calendar the day it arrives.
Do this now
- Work out your fee per order at your average order value.
- Confirm business and bank details are complete.
- Make sure the owner's email reaches someone who reads it daily.
- Set a recurring check for new disputes.
- Save tracking and delivery proof for every order.
Problems and fixes at this stage
| Problem (buyer's words) | Cause | Fix | Relay Module or service | How to measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "We keep losing chargebacks." | Evidence late or missing | Dispute calendar, evidence packs | Returns Relay (Relay Modules from $750) | Disputes won rate |
| "Payouts were held and we found out late." | Owner email unread; details incomplete | Alerts, complete details, cash plan | Profit and Cash Pulse | Days to resolve a hold |
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What is Shopify's fee per transaction?
With Shopify Payments on Basic, 2.9% + 30¢ per standard online card order; some card types cost more, and international cards add 1%. Rates fall on higher plans (shopify.com/pricing, read Oct 20, 2026). A $60 order on Basic costs $2.04 in card fees.
Why does Shopify charge 2% on my orders?
That is the fee for using a payment provider other than Shopify Payments on Basic. It is 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus, and it comes on top of what your provider charges (Shopify pricing, read Oct 20, 2026). Moving card payments to Shopify Payments removes it, if your products and country are eligible.
How long do Shopify payout holds last?
Shopify gives no standard length: payouts stop until the reason for the hold is resolved (Shopify Help Center, read Oct 20, 2026). Respond quickly and completely to what Shopify asks, from the owner's account, and keep a note of what you sent and when. Plan cash as if a hold could happen during your busiest month.
What is the Shopify chargeback fee?
$15 in the US, returned with the disputed amount if you win (Shopify Help Center, read Oct 20, 2026). The larger cost is usually the goods and the time: Mastercard puts the average cost of a chargeback at $128 in fees and internal costs, not counting the goods lost (page updated Jun 8, 2026).
Can I prevent chargebacks entirely?
No, but you can lower them: accurate product pages, honest delivery times, tracking on every order, a recognizable billing name and fast replies. Many disputes start as a question the customer could not get answered, so a reply within one business day prevents more of them than any tool.
Should I refund instead of fighting a dispute?
Sometimes. If the customer has a fair point, a refund before a dispute avoids the fee and the time. Once a dispute is filed, answer it with evidence or accept it; do not refund separately as well, or you may pay twice. Shopify submits your response on the due date even if you add no evidence.
Sources6 sources
- 01shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 02help.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 03help.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 04mastercard.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 05help.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 06help.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
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