Handling a customer dispute
How to respond to a buyer complaint on Wasal: deadlines, evidence to provide, support arbitration, and appeals in case of an unfavorable decision.
On this page
A dispute is opened when a buyer contests an order: product not received, non-conforming, damaged, or a rejected return. Your responsiveness and the quality of your evidence determine the outcome.
Before you start
You have 48 hours to respond to a dispute. Beyond that, Wasal support rules unilaterally and generally rules in the buyer's favor. Enable push notifications so you never miss the opening of a dispute.
Types of disputes
| Type | Who opens it | Buyer deadline | Your response deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package not received | Buyer | 15 days after shipping | 48 hours |
| Non-conforming product | Buyer | 7 days after delivery | 48 hours |
| Damaged product | Buyer | 48h after delivery | 48 hours |
| Rejected return | Buyer (following seller refusal) | 5 days after refusal | 72 hours |
Accessing a dispute
Orders → Disputes in the Seller Portal. New disputes appear first with a red badge.
Each case file contains: the stated reason, the buyer's photos or videos, the history of exchanges, and any delivery documents.
Before responding, gather: photos of the package before shipping, proof of shipment, tracking number, and a signed delivery note if available.
Responding to a dispute
Case 1 — Package not received
If the carrier has confirmed delivery but the buyer states they did not receive it:
- Provide the proof of delivery (carrier scan or screenshot)
- Indicate the name of the signatory if available
- If you use an external carrier, download the tracking proof from their portal
Without a signed proof of delivery, Wasal generally refunds the buyer. Favor a carrier that provides a digital signature for orders above 500 MAD.
Case 2 — Non-conforming product
The buyer claims that the product received does not match the description:
- Compare their photos with your product listing
- If the description is accurate, provide the packaging photos and a screenshot of the product listing at the time of the order
- If the description was approximate, offer a goodwill gesture (discount, exchange) to avoid arbitration
Case 3 — Damaged product
- Request the photos of the outer package to identify shipping damage
- If the package is intact but the product is damaged, this is generally a packaging issue on your side
- Offer a replacement or a partial refund depending on the degree of damage
Possible outcomes
After your response, there are three scenarios:
You and the buyer agree on a solution (refund, exchange, discount). The case is closed and the decision applied automatically.
If there is no agreement within 72h, Wasal support analyzes the evidence and rules. The decision is final and applies to the next payment.
If you consider the arbitration unfair, you can appeal via Support → Appeal within 7 days, by providing new evidence.
Impact on your seller account
A lost dispute has several consequences:
- Refund deducted from your next payout
- Satisfaction rating impacted (visible on your store page)
- Above 5% of lost disputes over 30 days, your account is placed under enhanced monitoring
See SLAs and penalties for the detail of the thresholds.
Best practices to avoid disputes
- Photograph each package before shipping (overall view + tracking label)
- Use a carrier with signed proof of delivery for orders > 500 MAD
- Be precise in your product listings: dimensions, material, actual colors, any defects
- Respond to buyer messages within 24 hours — 70% of disputes arise from a lack of communication
Going further
Related reading
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