--- title: Typical Dispute Reasons | Shopware Community Hub description: >- Recognize five common reason families in the Resolution Center and match each to evidence and realistic response timelines. canonical_url: 'https://hub.shopware.com/learn/unit/typical-dispute-reasons' --- # Typical Dispute Reasons - **Recognize** the **five common reason families** merchants see in the **Resolution Center** in plain language. - **Match** each reason family to the **evidence** you will prepare in later units of this course. - **Explain** realistic **response timelines** at the dispute, claim, and chargeback stages. - **Acknowledge** **friendly fraud** and why **documentation** discipline matters without relying on headline statistics. # Unit 2: Dispute Reasons and Response Timelines Every dispute, claim, or chargeback arrives with a reason. The reason tells you what evidence to prepare. The timeline tells you how long you have to prepare it. Getting either wrong wastes the response window — submitting tracking information for a "not as described" dispute, or preparing a thorough evidence pack two days after the deadline, are both losing moves. This unit covers the five reason categories you will see most often and the realistic timelines at each stage so your team can respond correctly under time pressure. --- ## Response Timelines by Stage Timelines vary by case type, payment method, and card scheme. Treat these as working estimates — check the **Resolution Center** for the exact deadline on each case. | Stage | Typical merchant response window | What happens if you miss it | |-------|----------------------------------|----------------------------| | **Dispute** | Around 20 days from case opening | Auto-escalates to a claim — you lose the cheap resolution window | | **Claim** | Typically 10 days once PayPal requests a response | PayPal decides without your evidence | | **Chargeback** | Varies by card scheme — often 7 to 30 days | You lose by default; chargeback fee is not refunded | > **The most important habit:** open the **Resolution Center** at least once a week. A case you do not see is a deadline you miss. Missing a deadline at the dispute stage costs nothing except the opportunity to resolve cheaply — missing it at the chargeback stage costs the transaction amount plus the fee. --- ## Five Reason Categories — Read the Label First **PayPal** surfaces readable labels in the **Resolution Center** — you do not need to memorize card scheme reason codes. Build your evidence habit around these five categories: | Reason category | What the customer is claiming | Evidence focus | |----------------|-------------------------------|----------------| | **Item not received** | Package never arrived | Tracking number, carrier confirmation, delivery proof | | **Item significantly not as described** | Wrong item, damaged, missing parts, not as advertised | Product photos, listing screenshots, order confirmation | | **Unauthorized transaction** | "I didn't buy this" | Authentication data, IP address, device fingerprint, checkout confirmation | | **Duplicate charge** | Charged twice for one purchase | Transaction records showing single charge, order confirmation | | **Credit not processed** | Expected a refund; did not receive it | Refund confirmation, processing date, communication with customer | > **For Strum & Co.:** their most common dispute reason is "item not received" during peak shipping seasons — particularly November and December. Their response template for this category is ready before Black Friday: tracking number, carrier confirmation screenshot, and the customer's delivery address as entered at checkout. Most cases close at the dispute stage within 48 hours of the response. --- ## Match Evidence to the Reason — Not to Your Instinct The most common evidence mistake is submitting proof that does not address the stated reason. A tracking number is strong evidence for "item not received." It is weak evidence for "item significantly not as described" — the customer is not disputing that they received something, they are disputing what they received. Before you assemble any evidence pack, read the reason label in the **Resolution Center**. Then ask: does my evidence directly address what the customer is claiming? --- ## Friendly Fraud — A Brief Note Friendly fraud occurs when a customer received what they ordered and later claims otherwise — "I don't recognize this charge" or "item not as described" when the real issue is buyer's remorse or family use of the card. You do not need statistics on how common it is to operate effectively against it. You need documentation: - Tracking and delivery confirmation - Customer communication records - Checkout and authentication signals — IP address, device data, order confirmation email These records do not prove intent, but they create a factual record that is difficult to dispute. Unit 3 covers how to assemble this into a lean evidence pack quickly. --- ## Summary - Check the **Resolution Center** at least weekly — missed deadlines are cases lost by default - Read the **reason label** before preparing any evidence — the reason determines what is relevant - Five categories cover most merchant cases: item not received, not as described, unauthorized, duplicate charge, credit not processed - Friendly fraud is fought with documentation, not arguments --- Next you'll see how holds affect your available balance, what changes at each outcome, and why response timers start at notification—not when you first open the case.