Respond to disputes for goods or services not received
About disputes for goods or services not received
Disputes for goods or services that were received refers to situations where a customer claims they didn’t receive their purchased goods or services.
In these situations, you can respond with evidence that goods or services were provided. Providing the correct documentation increases your chances of winning the dispute and recovering your funds.
Before you begin
You can respond to disputes from Square Dashboard.
You must provide proof that the cardholder received the goods or services, which must include a full delivery address. Documents such as invoices, shipping labels, or tracking information that only contain the city and state are not considered valid evidence that the cardholder or authorized person received the goods or services.
As the seller, your business is responsible for handling the dispute directly. Do not refer customers to third parties for delivery resolution.
Dispute evidence must be legible, in English or with a translation, and clearly linked to the disputed transaction. Audio and video evidence isn’t accepted.
Identify the dispute reason and prepare evidence
Review the reason for the dispute to determine the applicable best practices and supporting documentation that’s needed before responding.
If a customer claims they didn’t receive goods or services that were purchased in-store, prepare the following documentation:
For retail or food and beverage sellers:
- An itemized receipt showing that goods or services were received, including descriptions, quantities, prices, and total charges.
- Receipts can’t indicate that the goods will be picked up at a later time, it’s for future services, or can’t mention that items will be delivered.
- A clearly stated refund, cancellation, or exchange policy listed on the receipt.
- A statement on the receipt confirming that the goods or services were received by the customer at the time of payment, in a card-present environment.
For all other sellers:
- An itemized receipt showing that goods or services were received, including descriptions, quantities, prices, and total charges.
- A clearly stated refund, cancellation, or exchange policy listed on the receipt.
- A customer acknowledgement, such as a signature on receipt, even if the payment was contactless. Otherwise, other signed documents indicating that goods and services were received will suffice.
- A statement on the receipt confirming that the goods or services were received by the customer at the time of payment, in a card-present environment.
- A statement that the customer took the merchandise at the time of the transaction that occurred in a card-present environment. The customer either left with the goods, consumed the goods, or received services.
These types of disputes generally occur for retail, food and beverage, and eCommerce businesses. If a customer claims that merchandise wasn’t provided at the agreed upon pickup location or delivery date, prepare the following documentation:
- Documentation confirming the customer picked up the items that provides a description of the goods, the pickup location, and the date and time of pickup with the customer’s signature.
- Verification evidence, such as a QR code with a timestamp confirming the pickup, or ID verification details if applicable.
- A statement confirming the customer was present at the time of pickup and left with goods, consumed the goods, or received services.
- Clearly stated refund or return policies that were accepted at the time of purchase. You should also provide how the customer either met or failed to meet those terms.
These types of disputes generally occur for retail and eCommerce businesses. When a customer claims that shipped merchandise wasn’t received by the expected delivery date, prepare the following documentation:
- A written statement confirming that the goods were shipped and received by the customer at the agreed-upon delivery date and location.
- An order confirmation that was provided to the customer, which must include a description of the items that were ordered, an agreed upon delivery address, and the promised or estimated delivery date.
- If applicable, shipping coverage proving that shipping insurance was offered for the purchase and the customer opted out. This could include a screenshot of a checkbox or prompt presented during checkout, a signed contract or agreement where the customer declined coverage, or other documentation showing the customer actively opted out of shipping insurance. If the package was lost or stolen, this helps demonstrate that seller responsibility is limited.
- Proof of delivery or delivery documentation from the shipping carrier, which must include the following:
- A tracking number and shipment history.
- The full delivery address the customer provided, including a street address, city, state, zip code, and country. This should be obtainable from the carrier.
- Status marked as “Delivered.”
- If requested, a signature at the time of delivery.
- If a signature was not required at the time of delivery, documentation of customer delivery instructions showing that the customer agreed to receive the package without a signature.
- Copies of communications with the customer, such as emails or text messages from the customer, confirming receipt of the goods. Screenshots must display the customer’s full phone number or email address.
If the merchandise was delayed or back-ordered, provide the following:
- Written communication that was sent to the customer notifying of the delay.
- A written customer acknowledgment or acceptance of the revised delivery timeline by the customer.
- Proof that the item was delivered by the newly agreed date.
You can also provide additional evidence for these types of disputes:
- Photographic evidence showing the package at the delivery location. Photos of delivery can be a part of the dispute evidence, but the primary requirement is generally a signed proof of delivery or other documentation proving receipt.
- Policies on refunds, cancellations, or shipping. This can include a screenshot of an “I agree” checkbox at checkout or a signed contract. If using a signed contract, the policy must appear on the same page as the customer’s signature. If the policy is located elsewhere in the contract, the customer must initial next to the relevant policy section. In all cases, documentation must clearly show that the customer reviewed and acknowledged the policies prior to completing the purchase.
These types of disputes generally occur for digital media providers or businesses. If a customer claims that digital goods or services weren’t received by the expected delivery date, prepare the following documentation:
- Records showing recipient email address or account ID, delivery date and time, and file details such as the file name, size, and digital product ID.
- User login records showing the customer accessed their account and retrieved or downloaded the product, including the date, time, IP address, and device fingerprint. If available, activation details can also be provided.
- Account creation records, login history, or platform usage logs.
- Clearly stated terms & conditions, refund, or cancellation policies and proof that the customer acknowledged the policies before purchase. This can include an “I agree” checkbox at checkout or a signed contract. If using a signed contract, the policy must appear on the same page as the customer’s signature. If the policy is located elsewhere in the contract, the customer must initial next to the relevant policy section. In all cases, documentation must clearly show that the customer reviewed and acknowledged the policies prior to completing the purchase.
These types of disputes generally occur for health and beauty, travel and entertainment, and furniture businesses, as well as charitable organizations. If a customer claims that services were not provided for a transaction when the customer’s physical payment card was present, prepare the following documentation:
- An itemized receipt showing the goods or services received, including descriptions, quantities, prices, and total charges. Receipts can’t indicate the purchase was for future services.
- A clearly stated refund, cancellation, or exchange policy listed on the receipt.
- A statement on the receipt confirming services were rendered prior to or at the time of payment.
- A customer acknowledgement. A signature on a receipt is best even if the payment was contactless. Otherwise, other signed documents indicating that goods and services had been received suffice.
These types of disputes generally occur for health and beauty, travel and entertainment, or professional services businesses. If a customer claims that services weren’t provided by the expected delivery date for card-not-present (CNP) transactions, prepare the following documentation:
- Evidence that the service was available at an agreed time and location, and that the customer was notified of service availability. This may include proof that the business was open and in operation.
- Service completion documentation, such as an in-person itemized payment receipt, post-services signed buyer acknowledgement or completed services which can include a contract, work order, or an invoice.
- Access records, check-in logs, or scans showing service access and usage.
- Clearly stated terms & conditions, refund, or cancellation policies and proof that the customer acknowledged the policies before purchase. This can include an “I agree” checkbox at checkout or a signed contract. If using a signed contract, the policy must appear on the same page as the customer’s signature. If the policy is located elsewhere in the contract, the customer must initial next to the relevant policy section. In all cases, documentation must clearly show that the customer reviewed and acknowledged the policies prior to completing the purchase.
- A statement confirming the customer was present and received the services on the agreed upon date or time as agreed to at time of payment.
- For disputes related to future services, provide evidence showing that you didn’t cancel the services and that the services are still available for the customer to use.
Submit your dispute documentation
Once you’ve compiled the supported documentation for your dispute, submit them in your Square Dashboard. Ensure you address the customer's specific claims about not receiving their goods or services in your dispute response.
Learn how to submit your documentation and manage payment disputes.