How to Use DisputeDesk

DisputeDesk is a structured drafting tool for ecommerce merchants. It generates professional dispute response letters, chargeback response drafts, evidence checklists, and internal case notes based on the information you enter.

DisputeDesk does not connect to your payment processor, bank, Shopify store, or email inbox. It does not submit anything on your behalf. Every output is a draft that you review and copy into your own accounts.

• -Works in-browser. No installation needed for most features.
• -No account needed to try it. Demo mode is always available.
• -Cases can be saved to your browser (no account) or to the cloud (signed-in account).
• -Outputs are template-driven. Quality depends on the accuracy of what you enter.

DisputeDesk has two separate tools. They serve different purposes and produce different outputs.

Use the Customer Dispute Reply when a buyer has opened a dispute directly with you and you want to send them a professional response. Use the Chargeback Response when your payment processor (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify Payments, etc.) has notified you of a formal chargeback.

Go to /app/new-chargeback and fill in each section. Here is the recommended order:

1. 1Order details. Enter the order number, amount, currency, and order date. These appear in the response draft and PDFs.
2. 2Chargeback reason. Select the reason code or reason description from your payment processor notification. This drives the entire strategy.
3. 3Carrier tracking. Paste the full carrier tracking event log from your shipping carrier. DisputeDesk parses it to detect delivery confirmation, delivery attempts, and exceptions.
4. 4Shipping policy. Paste your actual store shipping and returns policy. Do not summarise it -- paste the real text. This appears in the response draft as evidence.
5. 5Evidence available. Check all the evidence you actually have. Do not check evidence you cannot produce. The checklist drives the evidence section of the submission.
6. 6Customer communication. Describe or paste any prior communication with the customer relevant to this dispute. Keep it factual.
7. 7Review the Case Strategy panel. DisputeDesk will show you a deterministic case strength rating and recommended posture before you proceed. Read it carefully.
8. 8Run AI Strategy Review (optional). If your plan includes AI reviews, click the button to request an AI assessment. It takes up to 30 seconds. You can skip this step and proceed with the deterministic strategy.
9. 9Review the response draft. Read the generated response draft in full before doing anything else. Correct anything that does not accurately describe your situation.
10. 10Export the Submission PDF. This is the document you send to your payment processor. It contains the response draft, evidence list, and order details. If you ran AI Strategy Review and chose to use the AI draft, the submission PDF will use that draft.
11. 11Export the Internal PDF (optional). Keep this for your records. It includes everything in the submission PDF plus the tracking timeline and AI review analysis if you ran one.

The tracking timeline is the single most important evidence input for most chargeback types, especially “Item not received” disputes.

DisputeDesk parses the raw carrier event log you paste to detect the delivery posture for your case. The posture it detects -- confirmed delivered, attempted, in transit, or not found -- changes the language of the response draft and the recommended evidence to attach.

What to paste:

Copy the full event log directly from your carrier portal (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, Royal Mail, Australia Post, etc.). Include timestamps and event descriptions. The more detail, the better.

Examples of events DisputeDesk recognises:

• -Delivered, Front Door (or any delivery confirmation event)
• -Delivered to Agent / Receptionist / Mailroom
• -Delivered to Parcel Locker / PO Box
• -Notice Left (delivery attempted, recipient not home)
• -Out for Delivery
• -In Transit
• -Exception: Address Not Found
• -Returned to Sender

If you do not have tracking, leave the field blank and select the appropriate “No tracking available” option. The response draft will adjust accordingly. Do not invent tracking information.

After you enter your chargeback details, the Case Strategy panel shows a deterministic assessment of your position. This is always available and does not require AI or an account.

The strategy panel is a drafting guide, not a legal prediction. Your payment processor makes the final decision based on their own rules and the full evidence you submit.

AI Strategy Review is an optional overlay on top of the deterministic case strategy. It sends your case details to a large language model and returns an independent assessment including strongest arguments, missing evidence, and a suggested response draft.

Important things to know:

• -AI Strategy Review is available on selected plans. Limits apply per calendar month and reset on the 1st.
• -The deterministic strategy is always available on all plans without using your AI allowance.
• -You can accept the AI response draft or use the deterministic draft. You are not required to use the AI output.
• -The AI call is made server-side only. Your OpenAI API key is never in the browser and is never returned to the client.
• -AI Strategy Review takes up to 30 seconds. If it times out, the tool falls back to the deterministic strategy automatically.
• -AI output is validated before it is shown to you. If the AI response contains forbidden claims or fails validation, the tool falls back to the deterministic strategy and the AI attempt does not count against your monthly limit.
• -Only successful reviews count against your monthly usage limit.

DisputeDesk generates two different PDFs for chargeback cases. They serve different purposes.

Both PDFs are generated entirely in your browser using your entered data. Nothing is stored on a server to generate the PDF.

The evidence checklist drives the evidence section of your submission. Only check items you actually have and can produce if requested.

• -Proof of delivery / tracking confirmation:Only check this if your tracking shows a confirmed delivery event. A “delivered” scan is not the same as a signature.
• -Signed proof of delivery: Only check this if you have a physical or digital signature from the recipient. This is separate from carrier confirmation.
• -Shipping label / order confirmation: This is standard for most cases. Include the label showing the address used to ship.
• -Customer communication: Only check this if you have email, chat, or other written communication with the customer that is relevant to the dispute.
• -Shipping policy: Only include if your policy is clearly written, publicly accessible, and was available to the customer at the time of purchase.
• -Photos of item / packaging: Useful for item not as described and damaged item disputes. Only include if you have timestamped photos.
• -IP and device data: Order placed from the same device and IP as previous orders. Only check if you have access to this data and it is relevant.

Do not include evidence you cannot produce. Payment processors can request supporting documents. If you claim to have evidence and cannot provide it, it damages your case.

• -Entering the wrong chargeback reason. The reason code you select drives the entire response strategy. Match it exactly to what your payment processor notification says.
• -Pasting a summary of your shipping policy instead of the real text. Always paste the actual policy text. The response draft quotes it directly.
• -Claiming confirmed delivery when tracking shows only “Out for Delivery.” Only claim delivery was confirmed if you have a delivery scan or signature. The tool detects delivery posture automatically -- do not override it manually.
• -Checking evidence items you do not have. If you claim to have signed proof of delivery and cannot produce it, the chargeback panel will reject the submission. Only check what you can support.
• -Submitting the Internal PDF to your payment processor. The Internal PDF is for your records. Send only the Submission PDF to the bank or processor.
• -Submitting a draft without reviewing it. All DisputeDesk output is template-driven. Read the full draft before submitting it. Correct anything that does not match your situation.
• -Missing the response deadline. DisputeDesk does not track chargeback deadlines. Check your payment processor notification for the deadline and set your own reminder.
• -Responding to a chargeback through the customer dispute tool. Use /app/new-chargeback for chargebacks (formal bank disputes). Use /app/new-case for customer-facing dispute reply letters.