Dispute Process

Understand the complete dispute lifecycle, from initial submission through resolution and closure. Learn what to expect at each stage and how to navigate the process effectively.

Dispute Lifecycle Overview

Disputes move through defined stages:

open → pending_review → (escalated) → resolved → closed

Each stage has specific actions and timeframes.

Dispute Statuses

WP Sell Services uses 5 dispute statuses:

1. Open

What It Means:

• Dispute just submitted by buyer or vendor
• Initial notification sent to other party
• Waiting for other party’s response
• Evidence can still be added

Who Can View:

• Buyer (order customer)
• Vendor (order vendor)
• Site administrators

Duration: 24-48 hours typical

Your Actions:

• Monitor for vendor/buyer response
• Add any additional evidence
• Respond to initial claims

2. Pending Review (pending_review)

What It Means:

• Both parties have submitted their cases
• Initial evidence collected
• Waiting for admin to begin investigation
• Queued for admin review

Duration: 1-3 business days

Your Actions:

• Ensure all evidence is uploaded
• No new evidence accepted after this stage
• Wait for admin review to begin
• Check notifications for admin questions

3. Escalated

What It Means:

• Dispute requires higher-level admin review
• Complex case needs additional investigation
• Standard resolution unclear
• Special circumstances present

When This Happens:

• Admin manually escalates complex cases
• High-value orders
• Repeat dispute parties
• Policy interpretation needed

Duration: 3-7 business days

Your Actions:

• Respond promptly to admin requests
• Provide additional context if asked
• Be patient as thorough review takes time

4. Resolved

What It Means:

• Final decision made by admin
• Resolution being implemented
• Refunds processed if applicable
• Order status updated accordingly

Resolution Types:

Type	Description
full_refund	Complete refund to buyer, vendor receives nothing
partial_refund	Split payment between buyer and vendor
favor_vendor	Vendor receives full payment, no refund
favor_buyer	Similar to full refund
mutual_agreement	Both parties agreed to custom solution

Duration: 1-3 days for implementation

Your Actions:

• Wait for refund processing
• Confirm receipt of resolution
• Can leave review after closure

5. Closed

What It Means:

• Dispute completely finalized
• Resolution implemented
• No further action possible
• Order marked appropriately

Cannot Be Reopened: Closed disputes are final

Your Actions:

• Leave review if you haven’t
• Learn from the experience
• Move forward

Evidence Storage

Evidence is stored as JSON in the evidence column of the wpss_disputes table.

Evidence Types

Supported evidence types:

text: Written explanations and descriptions image: Attachment ID of uploaded image file: Attachment ID of uploaded document link: URL to external resource

Evidence Structure

Each evidence item includes:

{
  "id": "ev_uniqueid",
  "user_id": 123,
  "type": "image",
  "content": "456",
  "description": "Screenshot showing the issue",
  "created_at": "2026-02-12 10:30:00"
}

Status Notes

Status change notes are also stored in evidence:

{
  "id": "note_uniqueid",
  "type": "status_note",
  "note": "Admin note explaining status change",
  "status": "pending_review",
  "created_at": "2026-02-12 11:00:00"
}

Resolution Process

Admin Review Steps

1. Assessment: Admin reviews dispute details and evidence
2. Investigation: Admin examines order history and communications
3. Decision: Admin selects appropriate resolution type
4. Implementation: System processes refunds/payments
5. Notification: Both parties notified of outcome

Resolution Data

When dispute is resolved, these fields are set:

• status → ‘resolved’
• resolution → Resolution type (e.g., ‘partial_refund’)
• resolution_notes → Admin explanation
• resolved_by → Admin user ID
• resolved_at → Timestamp

Refund Information

If refund is involved, refund amount is stored in evidence:

{
  "id": "refund_uniqueid",
  "type": "refund_info",
  "refund_amount": 75.00,
  "created_at": "2026-02-12 14:00:00"
}

Order Status Updates

Dispute resolution automatically updates order status:

Full Refund or Favor Buyer:

• Order status → ‘refunded’

Partial Refund:

• Order status → ‘partially_refunded’

Favor Vendor:

• Order status → ‘completed’

Mutual Agreement:

• Order status → ‘completed’

Timeline and Response Requirements

Party Response Times

Stage	Response Required	Deadline
Initial Claim	Other party response	48 hours
Evidence Submission	Additional evidence	Before pending_review
Admin Questions	Answer clarifications	48 hours
Resolution Proposed	Accept or appeal	7 days

Admin Response Times

• Initial review: 1-3 business days
• Investigation: 3-7 business days
• Resolution implementation: 1-3 days

Note: Times may vary based on dispute complexity and admin workload.

What You Can Do at Each Stage

As Buyer or Vendor

During Open:

• ✓ Add evidence (text, images, files, links)
• ✓ View all submitted evidence
• ✓ Communicate with other party
• ✓ Wait for admin review

During Pending Review:

• ✓ View evidence (no new submissions)
• ✓ Wait for admin
• ✗ Cannot add evidence
• ✗ Cannot change claims

During Investigation:

• ✓ Respond to admin questions
• ✓ Provide additional context if requested
• ✗ Cannot modify evidence
• ✗ Cannot close dispute

After Resolution:

• ✓ View resolution details
• ✓ Confirm receipt
• ✓ Leave review
• ✗ Cannot reopen

As Administrator

Admins can at any stage:

• Update dispute status
• Add evidence
• Add status notes
• Resolve dispute
• Implement refunds

Database Schema Reference

Disputes are stored in the wpss_disputes table with these key fields:

Column	Type	Purpose
id	int	Dispute ID
order_id	int	Associated order
initiated_by	int	User who opened dispute
reason	varchar	Short reason category
description	text	Detailed explanation
status	varchar	Current status (5 options)
evidence	longtext	JSON array of evidence
resolution	varchar	Resolution type when resolved
resolution_notes	text	Admin explanation
resolved_by	int	Admin user ID
resolved_at	datetime	Resolution timestamp
created_at	datetime	Dispute open time
updated_at	datetime	Last update time

Important Notes

No Time Windows: The system does not automatically enforce dispute filing windows. Buyers and vendors can open disputes at any time after order creation.

One Dispute Per Order: Each order can have only one dispute. Attempting to open a second dispute returns false.

Both Parties Can Open: Either buyer or vendor can initiate a dispute. The initiated_by field tracks who opened it.

Evidence Cannot Be Deleted: Once evidence is added, it becomes part of the permanent dispute record.

No Auto-Resolution: Disputes never auto-resolve. Admin action is always required for resolution.

WordPress Hooks

Actions

wpssdisputeopened – Fires when dispute is created wpssdisputeevidenceadded – Fires when evidence is submitted wpssdisputestatuschanged – Fires on status updates wpssdisputeresolved – Fires when dispute is resolved

Filters

Use these hooks to extend dispute functionality or add notifications.

Related Documentation

• Opening a Dispute – How to file a dispute
• Admin Dispute Mediation – Admin dispute management
• Order Lifecycle – Order status reference
• Refund Process – How refunds work