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The amount reconciliation
| Record | What it should show | Question to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Quote or product page | Price and included items | What did the customer see before paying? |
| Checkout or order confirmation | Subtotal, tax, shipping, fee, discount, total | What amount was agreed? |
| Receipt or invoice | Final itemization and payment reference | Does it match the order? |
| Authorization/capture record | Authorized and captured amount | Was the correct amount actually processed? |
| Change or adjustment | Customer approval and timestamp | If the amount changed, why? |
Find the mismatch before you challenge
Explain with records
- Tax or shipping line. The customer can see how the total became higher than the item price.
- Approved order change. A dated customer request can explain a legitimate adjustment.
- Separate authorization and capture. It can distinguish a temporary hold from the final charge.
Do not rely on
- A bare receipt. It shows what you charged, not necessarily what was agreed.
- A policy with no order link. A general fee policy does not prove acceptance in this transaction.
- A rounded total. The reviewer should not have to calculate missing components.
State the arithmetic in the response
For example: “The customer agreed to $68.00: $55.00 item price, $8.00 shipping, and $5.00 tax, shown on Exhibit A. The $68.00 capture appears on Exhibit B. There was no second capture.” Replace that example with the figures in the disputed transaction and point to the exact page or exhibit.
If the issue is actually two legitimate purchases, use the duplicate-charge guide. If the customer says they paid using another tender, see paid by other means.
