🚨6.4 Managing Disputes: Protect Your Community and Revenue

overview when a community member contests a charge through their bank instead of contacting you directly, it creates a dispute (also called a chargeback) disputes are a normal part of accepting card payments, and most hosts on sweatpals rarely encounter them this article helps you understand what disputes are, respond effectively, and protect your community's financial health our dispute management system ensures you're immediately notified and have all the tools needed to respond effectively within stripe's dashboard you can also learn more about how stripe handles disputes https //docs stripe com/disputes/how disputes work understanding disputes what is a dispute? when a customer disputes a charge, their bank immediately reverses the payment while it investigates the disputed amount is temporarily removed from your balance, and you have a limited window — typically 7 to 21 days — to respond with evidence that the charge was legitimate common reasons for disputes member didn't recognize the charge on their statement event was changed and they felt they didn't receive proper notice member forgot about the purchase fraudulent use of the member's payment method member experienced billing issues and couldn't reach you directly who is responsible for disputes? as the event host, you are financially responsible for disputes related to your events this includes the original transaction amount, any dispute fees charged by stripe, and refunds associated with the dispute sweatpals may recover dispute costs from your future payouts per our terms of service this is the industry standard across all event and booking platforms, including luma, posh, and eventbrite there is nothing sweatpals, stripe, or any platform can do to guarantee the outcome of a dispute the customer's bank makes the final decision based on the evidence provided dispute management flow when a dispute occurs, you'll receive immediate notifications and clear guidance on next steps instant notification you'll receive emails from both stripe and sweatpals about the dispute dashboard alert your wallet section will show a dispute indicator one click access click "open stripe dashboard" to manage the dispute directly evidence gathering download detailed order receipts as pdf evidence response submission submit your evidence through stripe's proven dispute system what should you do immediately? time is critical you typically have a limited amount of days to respond, and this deadline cannot be extended option 1 respond with evidence if you believe the charge was legitimate, respond with supporting evidence in your stripe dashboard open your stripe dashboard from the wallet page in your sweatpals dashboard, or click the link in your dispute notification email review the dispute details including the reason code and any information the customer provided to their bank download your order receipt from the orders page in your sweatpals dashboard — this pdf includes transaction details, event info, attendee information, and check in data upload your evidence in stripe the strongest evidence for fitness events includes order receipt pdf from sweatpals (transaction proof) check in data showing the customer attended screenshots of your refund policy as displayed at time of purchase event confirmation emails sent to the customer any direct communication with the customer about the event submit before your deadline you only get one chance to submit evidence — once submitted, you cannot edit or add more files make sure everything is included before you hit submit after you submit, the customer's bank reviews the evidence and makes a decision this typically takes 60 to 75 days option 2 accept the dispute if you agree the customer should receive their money back — for example, if an event was canceled and no refund was issued — you can accept the dispute in stripe even if a customer tells you they'll withdraw the dispute, always submit evidence anyway the dispute only closes in your favor when evidence is submitted a verbal agreement to withdraw does not resolve the dispute gathering evidence your orders section includes a "download receipt" button for each transaction these pdf receipts contain all the evidence needed for dispute responses complete transaction details (amount, date, payment method) event information (title, date, time, location) member information and contact details check in records (when available) refund policy as displayed during purchase professional formatting suitable for stripe submission in summary go to your orders page → find the relevant order → click "download receipt" → upload the pdf to stripe as evidence dispute timeline stage timeframe what happens dispute filed day 0 funds are immediately held, and you will be notified response window 7–21 days you submit evidence or accept the dispute bank review 60–75 days the customer's bank evaluates both sides outcome 2–3 months total you're notified of the decision funds are returned if you win how to reduce future disputes the best dispute is one that never happens communication is key write clear, detailed event descriptions display your refund and cancellation policies prominently keep detailed records of member communications respond quickly to member inquiries and refund requests proactive strategies send reminder emails before events offer proactive refunds when events change significantly ensure your sweatpals community name matches your business name best practices for dispute success respond quickly don't wait until the last day gather evidence and respond within 2 3 days of receiving the notice provide comprehensive evidence include order receipt pdf (download from your orders section) event confirmation details showing member registered check in records if the member attended screenshots of your clearly posted refund policy email communications with the member any social media or website promotion showing accurate event information stay professional write clear, factual responses avoid emotional language or accusations against the member document everything keep screenshots of your event pages, communication with members, and attendance records for at least 12 months know when to accept if the member has a legitimate complaint (event was significantly changed, cancelled without notice, etc ), accepting the dispute and issuing a refund is often the best business decision monitor your account check your wallet section regularly for dispute indicators don't rely only on email notifications learn from each case review what led to each dispute and adjust your communication or policies to prevent similar issues troubleshooting common disputes dispute reason quick response strategy key evidence "don't recognize charge" provide clear business name and event details order receipt, event confirmation, business contact info "event was cancelled" show event took place as scheduled check in records, social media posts, photos from event "never received service" prove member attended or was no show attendance records, check in data, communication about absence "tried to cancel/refund" show refund policy was clearly communicated screenshots of policy on registration page, email confirmations "event significantly changed" document what changed and when members were notified email communications, original vs updated event details frequently asked questions q what happens if i don't respond? a the dispute is automatically lost the disputed amount plus any dispute fee will be deducted from your future payouts q how long do i have to respond to a dispute? a typically 7 21 days from when the dispute was created the exact deadline is shown in your stripe dashboard this cannot be extended q will i get charged a fee even if i win the dispute? a no, in case you win a dispute, no stripe fees will be applied fees are only applied in case you lost the dispute q what if i lose? a the disputed amount plus a dispute fee will be deducted from your future payouts if your balance is insufficient, the deduction will apply to upcoming payouts until recovered q can sweatpals help me win a dispute? a our support team can help you understand the process, locate evidence, and navigate the stripe dashboard we cannot influence the bank's decision — that determination is made solely by the customer's bank q can i contact the member directly about the dispute? a you can try reaching out to understand their concern, but the formal dispute must be handled through stripe's system sometimes direct communication can resolve misunderstandings q what if i don't have all the evidence requested? a submit what you have partial evidence is better than no response focus on the strongest pieces of evidence that prove the charge was legitimate q should i issue a refund to avoid disputes? a for legitimate complaints or small amounts, proactive refunds often cost less than dispute fees and protect member relationships for illegitimate disputes, contest them to protect your business q how do disputes affect my stripe account? a high dispute rates can lead to increased fees, account reviews, or processing restrictions maintaining a low dispute rate (under 1%) protects your account standing q how can i see my dispute history? a all dispute history — open, won, and lost — is available in your stripe express dashboard, accessible from the wallet page in your sweatpals dashboard need more help? if you're dealing with a complex dispute or need guidance on evidence gathering, our support team is here to help we can review your case and provide specific recommendations for your response contact support support\@sweatpals com or use the chat feature in your dashboard