ChargeGuard
Executive Summary
Vision Statement
To become the definitive platform for consumer protection in food delivery transactions, reducing dispute resolution time from weeks to days while increasing success rates.
Problem Summary
Consumers face significant hurdles when disputing food safety issues through credit card chargebacks. Banks often provide inconsistent information about dispute eligibility, and platforms like UberEats frequently deny valid refund requests even with evidence of contamination. The current process lacks transparency and standardized guidance.
Proposed Solution
A specialized SaaS platform that guides consumers through Visa/Mastercard dispute processes for food safety incidents, providing automated documentation assembly, bank-specific filing procedures, and real-time case tracking. The system leverages Visa's dispute codes like 13.5 (Misrepresentation) for food quality issues.
Market Analysis
Target Audience
Food delivery consumers who've experienced safety/quality issues:
- Tech-savvy urban professionals aged 25-45
- Frequent users of DoorDash/UberEats/Grubhub
- Willing to escalate issues beyond platform support
- Typically dispute charges between $15-$50
Niche Validation
The source Reddit post (13 upvotes, 14 comments) demonstrates genuine frustration with current dispute processes. Visa's guidelines explicitly allow disputes for "goods defective or not as described" (Code 13.5), contradicting Wells Fargo's claims. Food safety chargebacks are recognized scenarios in payment ecosystems[4].
Google Trends Keywords
Market Size Estimation
US food delivery users experiencing safety issues (~18M annually)
Digitally-engaged consumers willing to use dispute tools (~2.5M early adopters)
Global food delivery market ($1.2T by 2027) with 15-20% dispute attempt rate
Competitive Landscape
No specialized tools exist for consumer-side food disputes. General chargeback services (ChargebackGurus) focus on merchants, while platforms like DoNotPay offer generic dispute templates without food safety specialization.
Product Requirements
User Stories
As a consumer, I need automated dispute letter generation so I don't miss required Visa documentation fields[3]
As a user, I require bank-specific filing instructions so I can bypass misinformed CSR denials
As a claimant, I want evidence organization tools to timestamp/document food contamination efficiently
MVP Feature Set
Dispute eligibility checker (Visa code 13.5 generator)
Automated evidence packaging (PDF generator with timestamps/location)
Bank-specific filing portal directory
Case tracking dashboard with status alerts
Non-Functional Requirements
SOC 2 compliance for financial data handling
99.9% uptime during banking hours
Mobile-optimized evidence upload workflow
Key Performance Indicators
Dispute success rate (target >65%)
Average resolution time reduction (vs manual filing)
User satisfaction (NPS >45)
Go-to-Market Strategy
Core Marketing Message
Stop begging restaurants for refunds. Automatically file winning chargebacks for contaminated food with evidence-backed Visa dispute codes.
Initial Launch Channels
- Targeted communities: r/fooddelivery, r/personalfinance
- SEO content around "how to dispute food delivery charges"
- Partnerships with food safety advocacy groups
Strategic Metrics
Problem Urgency
High
Solution Complexity
Medium
Defensibility Moat
Proprietary bank-specific dispute rule database + integration with Visa's Dispute Monitoring Program APIs[1] creates high switching costs
Source Post Metrics
Business Strategy
Monetization Strategy
Freemium model:
- Free: Dispute guidance & document templates
- Premium ($4.99/case): Automated filing, bank-specific procedures, expert review
- Enterprise: Restaurant group subscriptions for dispute prevention analytics
Financial Projections
Year 1: $25k MRR (5k free users converting at 0.5% to premium) Year 2: $120k MRR (partnerships with consumer advocacy groups) Year 3: $400k MRR (enterprise SaaS for restaurant chains)
Tech Stack
Node.js with Express for API integration with Visa's dispute systems and payment processors
PostgreSQL for relational storage of dispute cases, bank rules, and user evidence
Next.js with TypeScript for SEO-optimized content and responsive dispute workflows
Plaid for transaction verification, Visa Dispute API[2], AWS Rekognition for evidence analysis (image/video)
Risk Assessment
Identified Risks
- Banks restricting API access
- Food platforms blocking automated dispute filings
- Regulatory changes to Visa dispute rules
Mitigation Strategy
- Maintain manual filing fallback options
- Develop direct merchant resolution pathways
- Establish Visa partnership program for early rule change alerts