Dispute Process Overview

When a purchaser disputes a charge, it’s important for event organizers to understand the process and what to expect. This guide provides an overview of the dispute process and outlines the steps involved.

What Is A Dispute?

A dispute (also known as a Chargeback) is a process that is started when a purchaser (vendor, applicant, ticket buyer) contacts their bank and starts the dispute process. During this process, the bank will conduct an investigation into the charge to decide whether or not the dispute is valid or substantiated. Once the supporting evidence is provided, the bank concludes its investigation and then makes a determination on the claim, which for the most part, is final. A dispute can be started for many reasons, however, the most common are:

• Fraudulent Activity
  • This can occur when the purchaser does not recognize the charge or they believe the charge was not initiated by them.
• Duplicate Charge
  • This can occur when the purchaser believes they have been charged more than once for the service.
• Credit or Refund Not Processed
  • This can occur when the purchaser believes that they are owed a credit or refund, but the seller / event organizer has not processed the credit or refund.
• Product Not Received
  • This can occur when the purchaser believes they did not receive the services that they have paid for.
• Product Unacceptable
  • This can occur when the purchaser believes that the service or item provided did not meet their expectations and they would like their money back.

What Happens When a Dispute is Filed?

When a dispute is filed, the bank begins the investigation by alerting the seller that a dispute has been filed. Due to the way Stripe and Eventeny process payments for the platform, it will not show as a dispute on your end however, it may initially show as a reversal or refund on your account if the bank has reversed the transactions. We will also add the dispute status "Dispute" in the metadata of the purchase details for you to view. The bank will then hold the funds in its accounts until the investigation is completed.

Many times, the bank will issue a provisional credit to the purchaser while they conduct their investigation, however this credit is temporary and may be pulled back if they determine the purchaser's claim is not valid. At this time, you will not have to do anything, as Eventeny handles the dispute process for you as an Event Organizer on our platform. If you need more details on why the dispute was filed, you can reach out to our customer support team; we’ll be happy to provide you with information regarding the nature of the dispute.

Once we have been alerted to the dispute, we will reach out to both the purchaser and you as an Event Organizer to get more information. It will be helpful if you can provide as many details as possible to send back to bank to support the validity of the claim. Things that you can submit are:

• Email or text communication with the purchaser
• Documentation of the purchaser attending the event (pictures, proof of check-in, etc.)
• Any surrounding context that you may have regarding the reason for the dispute, if any.

Once we have all of the evidence, Eventeny will submit the collected evidence to the bank for review. The bank will then review the evidence and make a determination on the validity of the claim. 

What If I Prefer to Accept the Dispute?

If you prefer to accept the dispute, please let us know as soon as possible. We will accept the dispute, and if issued, the provisional credit will become permanent for the purchaser. However, you will be responsible for the dispute fees imposed by Stripe and the bank, which we will invoice to you.

How Long Does the Dispute Process Take?

Once dispute evidence has been submitted, the bank has up to 90 days to resolve the issue and consider the evidence provided. This timeframe can vary based on the complexity of the dispute and the bank's procedures.

What Happens If the Bank Rules in Favor of the Seller?

If the bank rules in favor of you as an Event Organizer, the money will be returned, and the dispute will be resolved. Once the funds are returned, you should see the money back in your Stripe account within 30-45 days.

What Happens If the Bank Does Not Rule in Favor of the Seller?

If the bank does not rule in favor of the seller, the provisional credit becomes permanent for the dispute filer, and a dispute fee is imposed by the bank and Stripe.

What Are the Consequences for Users Who File Disputes?

If a user files a fraudulent dispute, they will be banned from transacting on the platform until the full disputed amount, along with any dispute fees, is returned to the Seller and Eventeny. The disputed amount will be refunded to the event organizer minus any dispute fees incurred.

How do I Prevent Disputes?

Disputes can occur unexpectedly, but there are ways that you can protect yourself from disputes. The most important way to prevent a dispute is to have clear, open communication with purchasers on the platform. This can include responding to Eventeny messages in a timely fashion, providing updates on orders, and having clearly established refund policies in place. Some recommendations we can offer are:

1. In tickets and applications, utilize a signature custom question that requires users to sign their name stating that they understand refund policies. 
   
   
   
   
2. If your event is canceled or postponed, make sure to have clear procedures in place and communicate them proactively to affected applicants and attendees. 
   
   
   • Consider providing options such as rollover tickets, or credit towards a new event. However, if your event is canceled without the possibility of a reschedule, please note that providing refunds is your best course of action.
     
     
3. Be polite and flexible. You do not have to give in to every request for an exception to your policies, however communicating them in a respectful and polite manner is the best way to diffuse a situation before it escalates to a dispute.
   
   
4. Keep all communication from attendees and vendors in one place so it can be referenced later. This way, if a dispute is filed, we have a clear chain of communication to send as evidence.