Lower your risk of disputes

What helps

1. Be clear about what they get. Say exactly what's delivered and any limits. If it's a link, say what it opens. Disputes often start with "not what I expected".
2. Answer your support email. Replies to buyer emails go to your support email, and it's shown on the order page. A buyer who gets an answer has less reason to call their bank.
3. Write a [refund policy](/help/refund-policy), where buyers read it before paying.
4. Refund when it's the right call. A refund costs less than a dispute. Stripe explains that customers can't dispute a fully refunded payment, though they can still dispute a partially refunded one.
5. Check how the charge appears. A name a buyer doesn't recognise can lead to a dispute. Dockstall doesn't set this. It comes from your Stripe account. Stripe recommends a statement descriptor based on your business name or website, set in your Stripe settings.
6. Test your delivery. Make sure files open and links work. See test your store.
7. Tell buyers about changes. If you release an update, use update emails. If your link's destination changes, say so.

Watch for trouble early

• Orders: filter by Disputed and Dispute lost.
• Your Stripe dashboard: Stripe explains that it can show early warnings and shares your dispute activity. Answer any bank inquiry, because ignoring one can make things harder later.
• Your orders: if something looks off, see spotting a suspicious order.

Why it matters

Stripe explains that card networks count the disputes you receive, whether you win or lose. It also lists high dispute activity among the things that can put your account at risk, and elevated disputes among the reasons for a reserve. See can my money be held?

Who bears the cost

You do. Dispute amounts and fees come from your Stripe balance. Dockstall has no dispute protection or insurance, and our fee isn't returned on a dispute.

What this can't do

Good habits lower the risk but don't remove it. A buyer can dispute a payment even after a real delivery, and the bank decides. If you get one, see a buyer opened a dispute.