Discover Reason Code RG: Non-Receipt of Goods or Services

What Discover reason code RG means

RG is Discover’s non-receipt code. The cardholder agrees they made the purchase but says the goods never arrived, or the service was never provided. It is the Discover counterpart of Visa 13.1 and Mastercard 4855.

RG covers physical goods that didn’t arrive, digital goods the cardholder says they couldn’t access, and services, events or bookings that didn’t happen.

Because it is a service dispute, not a fraud claim, 3-D Secure doesn’t protect you here. Delivery proof does.

Common causes

• “Delivered” packages taken from a porch or mailroom
• Shipments lost, delayed or stuck in transit
• Wrong or incomplete addresses entered at checkout
• Backorders or pre-orders that missed the promised date
• Digital purchases where the customer never found the download link or login email
• Friendly fraud: the order arrived and the cardholder claims it didn’t

Evidence that wins an RG dispute

1. Carrier tracking with delivery confirmation: the full tracking history, showing delivery to the shipping address on the order.
2. Address match: the shipping address matching the billing address, or matching an address the cardholder used on earlier undisputed orders.
3. Signature or delivery photo: for higher-value orders, a signature or the carrier’s photo or GPS proof of delivery.
4. Order and shipping confirmations: the emails you sent with the tracking link, showing the cardholder was kept informed.
5. Digital access records: account logins, downloads, license activations or course progress after purchase, tied to the cardholder’s email or IP.
6. Service records: booking confirmations, check-in logs, attendance or completion records.
7. Post-delivery contact: any message from the cardholder after delivery, such as a sizing question or a review, that shows they had the item.

For pre-orders and backorders, include the delivery timeframe disclosed at checkout and show you were still within it, or that you told the cardholder about the delay.

How to prevent RG chargebacks

• Send tracking proactively, and send a “delivered” notification the day it lands.
• Require signatures above a value threshold you set.
• Validate addresses at checkout.
• Show realistic delivery estimates for pre-orders and backorders, and email updates before the date slips.
• For digital products, send access details in a separate email and make re-sending them self-service.

Should you fight or accept?

Fight when tracking shows delivery to the address the cardholder gave you, especially with a signature, photo, or post-delivery contact. RG disputes with clean delivery proof are among the most winnable Discover codes.

Accept when tracking shows the package was lost or returned to sender, or nothing shipped and the promised date has passed. Refund or reship instead, and file a claim with the carrier where you can.

DisputeDash pulls tracking from ShipStation, Shippo and EasyPost and checks 1,200+ carriers automatically, so RG rebuttals go out with the full delivery history attached.