Is a Stripe No Show Dispute Worth Fighting?
For most founders, it stands to reason that “No Show = No Refund” — but fighting this dispute is only worth it if you can prove the customer acknowledged that specific policy before the transaction date. If you ask “should I fight stripe no show dispute”, first check your checkout checkboxes.
When It Is Worth Fighting
Section titled “When It Is Worth Fighting”- You have a signed contract or tick-box log showing agreement to the “No Show” policy.
- You have evidence the service was available at the agreed time/date.
- You have communication logs where the customer admits they missed it.
- The ticket value is high enough (> $100) to justify the risk. Is it worth fighting stripe chargeback no show for $20? Probably not.
When It’s Usually a Waste of Time
Section titled “When It’s Usually a Waste of Time”- Your “No Refund” policy is hidden in a footer link.
- You re-sold the slot (no loss incurred).
- The customer claims “cancellation” prior to the event (shifts reason code logic).
- You have no proof they saw the policy.
Cost vs Upside Reality Check
Section titled “Cost vs Upside Reality Check”| Factor | Reality |
|---|---|
| Dispute fee | Charged regardless of outcome ($15 or more) |
| Time cost | Evidence prep + waiting (often months) |
| Outcome control | Limited by bank decision (often defaults to “service not rendered”) |
| Hidden risk | Pattern behavior differs significantly from single disputes |
Why Stripe Treats Digital vs Physical Differently
Section titled “Why Stripe Treats Digital vs Physical Differently”“No Show” logic was built for hotels and airlines. If a plane flies with an empty seat, that revenue is lost forever. In the digital world (SaaS, courses, consulting), the “inventory” is often infinite or low-cost. Banks know this.
If you are selling a digital product or a Zoom call, banks are skeptical of “No Refund” policies for missed appointments. They view it as unjust enrichment—you kept the money AND didn’t provide the service. To win this, you must frame your inventory as perishable. “I blocked this hour. I could not sell it to anyone else. Therefore, the loss is real.”
If you cannot prove the opportunity cost of the missed appointment, the bank will often side with the customer who paid for something and got nothing. Your evidence must not just say “They didn’t show up.” It must say “They didn’t show up, and because of that, I lost the ability to sell that slot to someone else.”
Account Pattern Risk
Section titled “Account Pattern Risk”If you get many of these, your booking flow is likely setting the wrong expectations or your reminder emails are going to spam.
Check your risk level: Assess your Stripe Freeze Risk here.
What Founders Usually Do Instead
Section titled “What Founders Usually Do Instead”- Refund partially: Offer a 50% refund or a reschedule credit to avoid the dispute.
- Fight selectively: Only for high-ticket, perishable inventory where policy was signed.
- Accept and move on: If the slot wasn’t “costly” to keep open, just refund.
Related Reason Codes
Section titled “Related Reason Codes”The Rational Approach
This page explains common patterns seen across Stripe disputes.
If you’re deciding on a real dispute right now, DisputeCoach helps you sanity-check whether fighting is rational — before you burn time or risk.