Buying and selling

Dispute

A time-boxed process for resolving a purchase that did not go right.

The sequence is fixed: contact the maker first, wait forty eight hours, then open a dispute. Opening one pauses the release of escrowed funds while it is mediated.

Outcomes and resolution times feed a maker's public health score, which is visible on their storefront.

Why it matters

Time-boxed steps stop a disagreement becoming an indefinite silence, which is the actual failure mode.

The mistake everyone makes

Opening a dispute before contacting the maker. Most are a misunderstanding about scope and are resolved in one message.

Related terms

Escrow

Holding a payment after the sale and releasing it to the maker once the buyer has had time to check.

Seller health

A maker's refund rate, dispute rate and response time, published on their storefront.

Refund window

The period during which a buyer can return a listing and get their money back.

See Dispute on a real listing

Every term here shows up in the catalogue next to a real result, with the findings published and the limits stated. Free to browse, no account needed.

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