Helping you avoid disputes and chargebacks.

Occasionally, something can go wrong with an order. Here’s our handy guide to help prevent disputes and chargebacks.

Problems typically fall under three categories:

Item not received

Significantly not as described

Unauthorized transaction

And the potential outcomes for you are:

Fraud
On rare occasions, these issues may indicate fraud. Our guide to Avoiding Fraudulent Orders offers many helpful tips for identifying and preventing such fraud.
Dispute
If a customer paid for an item but didn’t receive it or received an item but it’s significantly different from the description, he or she may open a dispute in the Resolution Center. Most of the time, these issues are the result of a simple misunderstanding or human error.
Claim
When the dispute can’t be resolved, either party can escalate it to a claim within 20 days. At this point, PayPal becomes directly involved and will make a decision using the information that’s provided.
Chargeback
Buyers may ask their credit card issuer to reverse the charge (called a chargeback). At this stage, the buyer asks their bank for a refund and does not involve the seller.

Our tips for preventing disputes and chargebacks.

Provide contact information

Buyers may not resort to a dispute or chargeback if they can talk to you about the issue. Provide an email address or phone number, or even call buyers in advance when you're selling higher-priced items.

Be responsive

No one likes to wait. Respond quickly and professionally to all reasonable buyer inquiries.

Suggest Dispute Resolution

If a customer tells you that they’re going to file a chargeback with their credit card company, ask them to open a dispute in the PayPal Resolution Center instead. This will give you and your buyer the chance to work things out.

Provide a clear return policy

Make sure your return and refund policies are easy to find and understand.

Avoid disputes and minimize losses with these tips:

Item not received

Provide realistic delivery dates

Realistic dates can help avoid customers prematurely filing a chargeback or dispute.

Download our guide

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Take a look at our other guides to help you manage your business.

Avoiding fraudulent orders

Resolving disputes, claims and chargebacks