How do refunds and chargebacks work?
Deposit refunds are your call, issued from Stripe. Chargebacks go through Stripe's dispute flow.
Two different things, easy to mix up.
Refunds (your call)
If you decide to give a deposit back—the client couldn't make it, you canceled the appointment, whatever the reason—you issue the refund from Stripe.
- Open Dashboard → Billing → Manage in Stripe → Payments.
- Find the charge for that booking.
- Click Refund. Full or partial.
- Stripe returns the money to the original card within 5-10 business days.
Booked's 2.75% deposit fee is refunded proportionally on partial refunds and fully on full refunds.
Chargebacks (bank's call)
A chargeback is when the customer disputes the charge with their card issuer instead of asking you. Stripe emails you when one is filed and you have 7 days to respond with evidence.
| You should | You should not |
|---|---|
| Attach the booking confirmation email | Ignore the email |
| Attach any messages showing the appointment happened | Refund separately (creates a double loss) |
| Attach a signed release or in-shop policy note if you have one | Argue with the customer while the dispute is open |
Preventing both
- Take deposits from repeat problem clients (tag them and require full payment upfront).
- Send SMS reminders the day before.
- Note "arrived and served" on every booking so your evidence trail exists.