Reason code · American Express
Amex C32: goods or services damaged or defective
C32 means the Card Member says the goods arrived damaged or defective, or the service was delivered in a defective state. Whether the goods came back to you changes which answers Amex accepts.
What C32 means
C32 means the Card Member says what they got was broken, damaged or defective. Amex’s guide lists three causes:
- Goods arrived, or services were delivered, damaged or defective, or in a state that makes the whole order unusable.
- The customer doesn’t understand your policy for damaged or defective goods.
- They were promised a refund for the damage and never got it.
What the customer told Amex
“It arrived smashed.” “It stopped working the first week.” “The job was done wrong.” Photos often come with the claim, so expect them.
Time limit
Processor guides list 120 days from the transaction date, or 120 days from the date the customer received the goods or services. Amex’s guide gives Card Members (Amex’s word for cardholders) up to 120 days for most disputes.
Your side of the clock is short. Amex’s own guide tells merchants to respond within 20 days. If you accept Amex through a processor such as Stripe or Square, the processor sets its own date, often a shorter one. The due date on your notice is the one that counts.
What proof matters
Amex lists several answers, and they depend on the facts:
- Proof the goods weren’t damaged or defective, when the goods weren’t returned to you.
- Proof you tried to repair or replace them, or offered a replacement service.
- Proof the customer didn’t follow your documented return policy, when the goods were returned.
- Proof they agreed to accept the goods as delivered, or that a refund already offsets the charge.
An offer to fix it counts
Many merchants don’t realize that a documented attempt to repair or replace is an answer Amex accepts in its own right. A dated message offering a replacement, and the customer’s refusal, can matter more than an argument about whose fault the damage was.
The other fork is the item itself. Did it come back? Amex’s guide splits its answers on that question, so check before you write a word.
The common mistake
Ignoring the complaint until it becomes a chargeback. Amex’s prevention advice is to resolve damage claims promptly and give return authorization where your policy allows. A quick replacement is cheaper than a lost dispute.
Dispute Daddy builds this for you
Upload the notice and your records. Dispute Daddy builds a response around the reason Amex actually gave, and you approve it before you submit. See how the method works.
