Denial with source
“Based on [policy/source] and [verified request fact], this request is not eligible for a refund under [policy section]. If you believe we missed evidence, send [allowed evidence] by [review path/date].”
STOP PUBLISHING guardrail
REFUND-DENIAL-APPEAL-CARD-READY: Do not publish, index, email, or let an AI assistant answer refund-denial or appeal questions unless a human can point to the exact order, policy version, denial reason, evidence received, exception owner, payment/chargeback status, next-review path, and approved customer wording. Mark missing facts as NEEDS OWNER REVIEW.
Refund denial and appeal source card
| Field | Source to verify | Safe wording note |
|---|---|---|
| Order / invoice / account ID | [Order system, invoice, subscription, service ticket, CRM account] | Never answer from a customer memory or screenshot alone. |
| Policy version in force | [Refund policy URL, terms version, receipt copy, contract, program rules] | Use the policy that applied at purchase or service date, not a newer page. |
| Denial reason | [Outside window, used service, excluded product, missing proof, non-refundable fee, duplicate request] | Explain only verified reasons. Avoid blame or legal conclusions. |
| Evidence reviewed | [Photos, logs, shipping scans, usage records, support ticket, inspection notes] | Name evidence categories without exposing private details. |
| Appeal / reconsideration path | [Reviewer, form, deadline, allowed documents, one-time exception process] | Do not promise the appeal will change the outcome. |
| Payment / chargeback status | [Processor, chargeback portal, accounting notes, bank timeline] | Route chargeback or reversal language to owner/accounting review. |
| Alternative option | [Store credit, repair, replacement, exchange, partial credit, no alternative] | Only mention options actually approved for this customer/request type. |
| Do-not-say list | [Unsupported phrases AI must not repeat] | Examples: “refund approved,” “appeal guaranteed,” “chargeback will fail,” “credit issued,” “policy exception granted.” |
Customer-safe denial / appeal snippets
Needs review
“We cannot confirm the refund outcome from the information available here. We are routing this to [owner/reviewer] to verify [missing source] before giving a final answer.”
Appeal received
“We received your reconsideration request and will review [evidence type] against [policy/source]. This review does not guarantee a refund, credit, or policy exception.”
Alternative offered
“A refund is not approved based on [source]. The approved alternative available for this request is [store credit/replacement/repair/no alternative], subject to [condition].”
AI audit prompt
You are auditing refund-denial or appeal wording for a small business website, help center, chatbot, support macro, or AI-search answer. Use only the source card below. Do not invent refund approval, appeal outcomes, chargeback results, store credits, policy exceptions, legal conclusions, payment reversals, deadlines, or customer blame.
Return:
1. Safe customer-facing answer under 120 words.
2. Claims that need source proof.
3. Missing fields that require NEEDS OWNER REVIEW.
4. Payment, legal, chargeback, and customer-trust stop risks.
5. Follow-up questions for the owner/support/accounting reviewer.
Source card:
[Paste refund denial and appeal source card here]Where this fits
This resource is a free companion to SEO After AI. It is for ecommerce, SaaS, local-service, agencies, and support-led businesses that want answer engines and AI assistants to quote verified refund policy facts instead of inventing denial, appeal, or chargeback promises.