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The panel Fight Club: The Chargeback Wars, was hosted by Justt and featured a forward-looking discussion on how merchants can better defend themselves against disputes. The session was moderated by Davide Villa, Director at Edgar, Dunn & Company, who was joined by three leading voices in the industry:
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Rob Shannon, VP of Sales at Justt
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Julie Mingus, Director of Treasury at Cinemark
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Jerry Krayzman, Director of Global Payments at SurveyMonkey
Together, the panel explored the operational, technological, and regulatory challenges of managing chargebacks in 2025 and beyond.
Why Chargebacks Are a Bigger Deal Than Ever
The conversation opened with a reflection on how rapidly the chargeback environment is shifting. Industry forecasts project a 24% increase in global chargeback volume between 2025 and 2028. This trend is already putting pressure on merchants' technology budgets, operational teams, and dispute-related fees.
One panelist emphasized the importance of understanding upcoming changes to the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). With the industry currently in an advisory phase (through October 1st), it was suggested that merchants begin monitoring their TC40 and TC15 reports now to stay compliant and avoid penalties.
From Refund Policy to Customer Retention
The panel then moved into practical, real-world approaches to chargeback prevention and management.
A panelist shared how a multi-channel fraud detection strategy—spanning online, in-person, and recurring transactions—helps reduce dispute volume and enables faster responses. The importance of clear refund and return policies was also highlighted, particularly in reducing confusion and minimizing unnecessary escalations.
Another contributor provided insight from a subscription model perspective, explaining how the use of dispute alert systems enables teams to engage customers proactively. In many cases, disputes are resolved before escalating to chargebacks, often resulting in a retained customer. It was noted that human interaction in real time continues to play a crucial role in dispute resolution and customer loyalty.
Are We Ready for What’s Next?
As the panel neared its conclusion, a forward-looking audience question brought up the topic of Agentic Commerce. This concept imagines a future where AI agents initiate transactions on behalf of users.
Davide Villa acknowledged this as a significant unknown in the dispute space. The panel agreed that while the technology is advancing quickly, regulatory frameworks and network protocols have not yet caught up. This gap could expose merchants to greater uncertainty and potentially more chargebacks as AI-driven commerce becomes more common.
Key Takeaway: Chargebacks Must Become Strategic
One consistent message emerged from the discussion: chargebacks can no longer be treated as a routine operational cost.
Whether a business operates in retail, travel, or SaaS, the growing complexity of disputes demands a strategic, data-driven, and proactive approach. Merchants who take chargebacks seriously by investing in better systems, smarter policies, and stronger customer engagement, will be better positioned to succeed in the years ahead.
