Fulfillment
Dispute
A contested transaction filed through a payment platform (often PayPal). Similar to a chargeback but usually resolvable without a fee if you respond with tracking proof.
A dispute is a contested transaction filed through a payment platform — most commonly PayPal, which has a more accessible dispute flow than credit-card chargebacks. The customer opens the dispute; the platform gives you a response window (usually 10 days) to provide tracking, communication records, and proof of delivery.
Unlike chargebacks, most disputes can be won by responding promptly with tracking that shows delivered status. A missed response window = automatic loss. Most mature stores have a VA or operations role whose explicit job is to respond to disputes within 24 hours — a 1-hour task that saves 4-figure losses per week at scale.