Reebok reduces chargeback costs by 88% with VTEX’s partner payment optimizer

Challenge

Reebok had been experiencing high chargeback rates, where customers disputed orders placed via credit card. Despite having an anti-fraud system in place, the level of disputes had been significantly above the threshold accepted by credit card networks, resulting in financial losses and reputational damage for the brand. 

“We had always maintained excellent approval indicators but experienced a fraud incident that ‘contaminated’ Reebok, resulting in a significant increase in chargeback costs. We became aware of this incident with a two-month delay, and the delayed response of the previous anti-fraud system to control the situation resulted in significant financial losses for the company.”

Leandro Ianes, Ecommerce manager, Reebok

Through the consulting services provided by Tuna, a payment solutions platform, Reebok found an opportunity with VTEX to reduce chargeback rates. 

Why is chargeback such a concern?

Chargeback is a significant problem for merchants that accept credit card payments. When a customer disputes a transaction paid by credit card, the merchant is responsible for refunding the amount and may face additional costs such as processing fees, fines, and even, in more severe cases, disqualification from credit card networks. That is why credit card companies set acceptable chargeback thresholds to ensure that merchants do not incur excessive losses. If a merchant exceeds the chargeback limit, they may be enrolled in monitoring programs and, if indicators are not improved, face severe penalties.

Solution

In an effort to reduce Reebok’s high chargeback rate, Tuna provided consulting services focused on the client’s operations and identified an opportunity for improvement by changing the anti-fraud provider. 

To validate the hypothesis, Tuna conducted an A/B test by dividing traffic into two segments. In “Flow A”, orders continued to go through the same anti-fraud provider, while in “Flow B” transactions were verified by a different digital security tool, suggested and operated by Tuna’s consulting staff. 

“Initially, we implemented Tuna’s anti-fraud solution alongside the one we were already using. We compared the numbers, and Tuna’s solution yielded better results. Moreover, we noticed the chargeback curve returning to normal levels.”

Leandro Ianes, Ecommerce manager, Reebok

By the end of the test, the change in the security system resulted in an 88% reduction in Reebok’s chargeback rate, dropping to 0.5%—within the thresholds set by the credit card providers—and sparing the company from significant financial losses, fines, and even disqualification from the networks.

VTEX & Tuna

Due to the seamless integration capabilities with VTEX partners in the database, Reebok was able to connect to Tuna’s online payment optimizer with just a few clicks. All that was possible without having to write a single line of code. After a quick implementation, the consulting staff identified opportunities to optimize Reebok’s operations, aiming to reduce high chargeback rates and prevent potential penalties. 

“Just like Reebok, every ecommerce business has specific contexts that can be optimized, whether by changing providers or defining specific flows to achieve better results. At Tuna, you can test your operations and providers to find the ideal combination for your business model, and VTEX is a key partner in this process, making customer integration into our platform easier—allowing us to act swiftly in problem resolution.”

Alex Tabor, CEO, Tuna

It is  crucial to maintain a vigilant approach towards monitoring payment indicators, including chargeback rates, approval rates from payment providers, and other relevant metrics. These data points are key in identifying and addressing operational issues, since all payment indicators can be optimized, ensuring good financial returns while upholding a strong focus on ecommerce security. 

*DISCLAIMER: All information and numbers seen in the above text were provided and approved by Reebok (VTEX's customer).