ChargeGuard
Executive Summary
Vision Statement
To become the standard platform for food safety dispute resolution, empowering consumers while reducing fraudulent claims through verified documentation.
Problem Summary
Consumers face significant hurdles when disputing food safety issues through credit card companies. Banks often incorrectly claim Visa disputes don't cover food safety concerns, despite Visa's guidelines allowing disputes for "goods defective or not as described" (Visa Core Rules §11.3). This leaves consumers without recourse when restaurants and delivery platforms deny refunds for contaminated food.
Proposed Solution
A specialized SaaS platform that guides consumers through Visa's dispute process for food safety claims, automating evidence collection, providing policy-specific dispute templates, and tracking case progress through integration with credit card systems.
Market Analysis
Target Audience
Primary Users:
- Food delivery app consumers (UberEats, DoorDash, etc.)
- Dine-in customers experiencing food safety issues
- Health-conscious consumers willing to dispute unsafe meals
Behavioral Traits:
- Tech-savvy but unfamiliar with payment dispute processes
- Frustrated by restaurant/delivery platform refund denials
- Seek transparent resolution paths for food safety incidents
Niche Validation
The source Reddit post (20 upvotes, 15 comments) demonstrates genuine consumer frustration with food safety disputes. Visa's guidelines explicitly permit disputes when "the product or service's quality, function, or characteristics differ significantly from what was promised" (Visa Core Rules §11.3.2). Industry data shows food quality issues account for 37% of restaurant chargebacks (SuperOrder).
Google Trends Keywords
Market Size Estimation
US food delivery users (111M) who pay via credit card (83%) and experience unresolved food safety issues (estimated 12M annually)
Initial target segment: 1.2M US consumers actively disputing food deliveries through Visa/Mastercard systems
Global food delivery market ($1.2T by 2027) with 20-30% of users experiencing food safety issues (Statista)
Competitive Landscape
Existing Solutions:
- Generic dispute platforms (e.g., Chargeback Gurus) lack food safety specialization
- Bank dispute portals offer generic forms without food safety guidance
- Restaurant apps provide limited refund options
Competitive Advantage:
- Specialized Visa dispute templates for food safety cases
- Automated evidence packaging (photos, receipts, timestamps)
- Real-time integration with bank dispute portals
Product Requirements
User Stories
As a consumer, I need to photograph contaminated food with timestamp/geotag so I have verifiable evidence
As a disputer, I require automated Visa dispute form pre-filling based on evidence so I avoid bank rejections
As a premium user, I want real-time dispute status from my bank so I know when my refund processes
MVP Feature Set
Evidence Builder: Mobile photo capture with auto-timestamping
Policy-Matched Dispute Templates: Visa code 13.5 (Misrepresentation) generator
Case Tracker: Bank response monitoring dashboard
Restaurant Blacklist: User-reported safety violation database
Non-Functional Requirements
PCI-DSS Compliance: Secure handling of payment data
99.5% Uptime: Critical during dispute filing windows
<2s Form Load: Time-sensitive evidence submission
Key Performance Indicators
Dispute Success Rate: Target >65% for premium users
Evidence Submission Time: Target <3 minutes from incident
Bank Response Time: Average resolution timeline reduction
Data Visualizations
Visual Analysis Summary
Industry data reveals food quality issues dominate restaurant disputes, with Visa's compliance process (§11.3) providing legal pathways often overlooked by banks. The following visualization compares dispute eligibility across common scenarios.
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Go-to-Market Strategy
Core Marketing Message
"Don't swallow unsafe food AND the cost. ChargeGuard ensures Visa disputes work for you when restaurants won't."
Initial Launch Channels
- Reddit communities: Targeted posts in r/personalfinance and r/foodsafety
- Food delivery partnerships: API integration with UberEats/DoorDash dispute flows
- Credit card forums: Sponsored content on credit card review sites
Strategic Metrics
Problem Urgency
High
Solution Complexity
Medium
Defensibility Moat
Data Network Effects:
- Accumulated dispute success patterns create predictive analytics
- Restaurant reputation database from verified claims
Regulatory Compliance:
- Visa dispute rule expertise becomes barrier to entry
- Automated compliance with Visa Core Rules §11.4.1
Source Post Metrics
Business Strategy
Monetization Strategy
Freemium model:
- Free tier: Basic dispute letter generation
- Premium ($5/case): Automated evidence packaging, bank API integration, success rate analytics
- Enterprise: Restaurant-side dispute prevention dashboards
Financial Projections
Conservative:
- 1% conversion of SAM → 12,000 users
- 30% premium conversion → $18,000 MRR
Optimistic:
- 3% conversion → 36,000 users
- 50% premium conversion → $90,000 MRR
Tech Stack
Node.js with Express for handling Visa dispute API integrations and evidence processing pipelines
PostgreSQL for relational storage of dispute cases, evidence sets, and restaurant profiles
Next.js with React for SEO-optimized dispute workflows and responsive document upload interfaces
Critical integrations:
- Visa Dispute API for real-time case tracking
- Plaid for transaction verification
- Cloudinary for image evidence processing
- Twilio for SMS dispute updates
Risk Assessment
Identified Risks
Bank API Restrictions:
- Wells Fargo and other banks may restrict third-party dispute integrations
Regulatory Changes:
- Visa dispute rule modifications could invalidate templates
Mitigation Strategy
Mitigation Strategies:
- Fallback to PDF dispute forms with automated mailing
- Rule change monitoring system with template versioning