Guide
Disputes and chargebacks
What to do when a buyer's bank disputes a card payment, and the evidence PerfectPal gathers for you.
A dispute (or chargeback) is when a buyer asks their bank to reverse a card payment. Because you're the merchant on your own Stripe account, disputes are yours to answer, in your Stripe Dashboard.
When one opens
- You're emailed, and the payment shows A dispute is open on this payment.
- Respond in your Stripe Dashboard before the deadline Stripe gives. Missing it usually means losing.
The evidence page
Open the payment's Evidence page (from Money › Payments, the order, or the request). PerfectPal gathers what you'll need:
- the payment, its reference and its fee;
- the items or the payment request;
- the refund terms the buyer accepted, with when and from which browser;
- contracts you both signed, with their fingerprints;
- pickup details, video calls, and whether the buyer said they saw the animal live;
- the messages on PerfectPal and a timeline.
Print it or save it as a PDF, and upload it to Stripe with your response.
Avoiding disputes
Clear listings, refund terms the buyer accepts, a signed contract, and messages kept on PerfectPal make your case. Lost disputes count against becoming an established seller.
Updated October 19, 2026
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- Refund termsSay what you keep if a buyer backs out, in plain terms buyers accept before paying.
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- PerfectPal's feesHow PerfectPal's fees on card payments work, who pays them, and where to see the current amounts.
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