Dispute / Chargeback · decode any status
"Pre-Arbitration"
The dispute escalated past the first round. The cardholder rejected the merchant's evidence, and the case heads to arbitration where the card network makes a binding decision.
Where you see this phrase
Merchant chargeback dashboards. Cardholders rarely see this label directly.
Other dispute / chargeback phrases
The cardholder formally challenged the charge.
“Chargeback Filed”
The cardholder formally disputed the charge through their bank. The bank pulls the funds back from the merchant pending investigation. Different from a refund — disputes are adversarial; refunds are mutual.
“Representment Submitted”
The merchant has responded to a chargeback with evidence (delivery proof, signed receipts, refund history) arguing the charge is valid. The card network now decides.
“Reversal”
The transaction was undone — either an authorisation reversal (before settlement) or a dispute won by the cardholder (after settlement). Funds return to the card.
Other stages of the payment lifecycle
The same transaction passes through several stages — each with its own phrase library.