What is Retrieval?

A retrieval can be requested by the cardholder’s bank for up to 18 months from the sale date, therefore it is crucial that you keep your receipts for this time frame. When a copy of the transaction receipt is requested, you will receive a Retrieval Request notice. When a retrieval is requested, you must supply a legible copy of the sales draft along with any supporting documentation such as a credit draft, if one was issued. During the retrieval process, the disputed amount remains in your deposit account.

 

How Retrieval Requests Work

The retrieval request process starts just like a chargeback.  The customer calls their issuing bank about an unknown transaction and asks for additional information on the charge.

 

Retrieval Request Process

The rest of the process looks like this:

• The issuing bank notifies the merchant’s bank that a retrieval request has been made
• The acquiring bank reaches out to the merchant to get more information on the transaction in question
• The merchant sends all transaction data back to their bank. This can include receipts, invoices, tracking numbers, shipment information and any other data they might have on the transaction
• The acquiring bank then passes that data onto the issuer, who sends it on to the cardholder

Merchants should be thorough when responding to retrieval requests, as these are often the first step toward a true chargeback dispute.