Buying
Delivery disputes: what to do when the package isn’t right
Wrong item, damaged, empty box — don’t only scream in WhatsApp.
8 min read · Updated 23 July 2026
trustlayer.africa/dashboard/orders/TL-2048
Dispute open · wrong size
Funds frozenBuyer evidence
Seller response
Listing photos + dispatch receipt uploaded. Review within 3 business days.
Keep the record in-platform — not a refund screenshot in DMs.
You ordered a size 40. A size 38 showed up. Or the box was crushed. Or it’s a different colour than the Story. Your blood is hot. Fine. Still: photos first, then open the dispute while the money is still frozen. A long voice note to the seller helps your feelings. Evidence helps your wallet.
In the first hour (seriously)
Don’t tear everything into unusable bits before you document. Photo the sealed package if you can. Photo the damage / wrong item with the order visible if possible. Note the time. If you paid via protected checkout, open that order and start the dispute path — don’t only threaten them on WhatsApp.
trustlayer.africa/dashboard/orders/TL-2048
Dispute open · wrong size
Funds frozenBuyer evidence
Seller response
Listing photos + dispatch receipt uploaded. Review within 3 business days.
Keep the record in-platform — not a refund screenshot in DMs.
- Outer packaging
- Item vs what was advertised (screenshot the listing)
- Any courier slip / rider chat
- What you already paid (receipt / checkout page)
Talk to the seller — but don’t only talk
Plenty of sellers will fix it: swap, partial refund, resend. Give them a clean chance with photos attached. If they stall past the inspection window, you’re in a worse spot. Parallel track: be polite in chat, formal in the dispute panel.
If you’re the seller
Don’t delete the chat. Upload dispatch photos, weight if you have it, tracking. Respond in the dispute thread — not only “check WhatsApp.” Money frozen isn’t you being punished; it’s the system waiting for facts. Same discipline as WhatsApp habits.
Start this week
- If you buy socially: only pay when there’s a clear confirm / dispute path
- If you sell: snap one dispatch photo per order this week
- Know where the dispute button lives before you need it
Frequently asked questions
- How long do I have to open a dispute?
- Whatever the inspection window says on that order — treat it as real. Don’t wait “until weekend.”
- Can I keep the item and get a full refund?
- Depends on the outcome. Sometimes return, sometimes partial, sometimes refund. Upload evidence; don’t assume.
Run protected sales from one workspace
Escrow checkout · public trust profile · payouts when buyers confirm