Follow these steps to counter/challenge a dispute and give yourself the best chance of a successful outcome.
On this page
- Step 1: Review the dispute details
- Step 2: Understand common dispute reasons
- Step 3: Gather and organize your evidence
- Step 4: Submit your response in Studio Manager
- After you submit
- When to accept a dispute
Step 1: Review the dispute details
When you receive a dispute, start by reviewing the details in Studio Manager.
- Go to Payments > Transactions > Disputes.
- Select the dispute and click Manage Dispute.
Check:
- The reason for the dispute (e.g. fraudulent, product not received)
- Whether it’s an inquiry or a formal dispute
- The deadline for responding
If the client simply didn’t recognize the charge, it may be a misunderstanding. In most cases, its best to reach out to the client directly to clarify—the client may be willing to withdraw it.
However, you should still submit your evidence before the deadline through Pixieset to ensure you’re protected in case the dispute isn’t withdrawn.
Dispute fees to keep in mind:
- Each dispute incurs a $15 network dispute fee. This fee is set by the card networks (such as Visa and Mastercard) and applies whenever a dispute is created through a customer’s bank. It covers the processing costs charged by the card
- If you choose to counter, there is an additional $15 dispute counter fee applied if you lose the dispute. This fee is not applied if you accept the dispute, or counter and win.
It’s important to weigh these fees along with the disputed amount when deciding whether to counter or accept.
Important:
- If you don’t respond by the deadline, the dispute is automatically accepted in the client’s favour.
- If you’ve already issued a full or partial refund, you should still respond before the deadline and include evidence of the refund.
About inquiries
If the case is marked as an inquiry, it means the client’s bank is still reviewing the payment and no funds have been withdrawn from your account yet.
This is your opportunity to resolve the issue before it becomes a dispute.
You can:
- Respond through Pixieset by providing the requested details or evidence as outlined below.
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You can also issue a refund directly if you agree the client should be refunded.
Once refunded, no further funds or fees will be deducted from your account.
- Even if you issue a refund, you should still respond to the inquiry with proof of refund to prevent it from escalating to a full dispute.
Acting quickly at the inquiry stage is often the easiest way to avoid additional fees or a formal chargeback.
Step 2: Understand common dispute reasons
Banks assign every dispute a reason and code. While there are hundreds of codes across different card networks, most disputes fall into a few broad categories.
Use the table below to identify the type of dispute you’re dealing with and what kinds of evidence are most effective to include in your response.
| Dispute Category | Description | Examples of Helpful Evidence |
| Fraudulent | The client claims they didn’t authorize or make the payment. |
- Signed contracts or booking confirmations - Invoices and payment receipts - Gallery delivery or download activity - Email registration activities or communication history (e.g. confirmations, replies) - Evidence of previous legitimate payments from the same card - Any proof linking the client to the transaction (e.g. communication, usage) |
| Product / Service Not Received | The client claims they didn’t receive the product or service. |
- Download delivery tracking - Session or project documentation (e.g. signed contracts, session reminder emails, quotes) - Gallery delivery or download activity proving digital delivery - Email/text exchanges confirming receipt or scheduling - Refund policies or terms of service shown prior to payment - If delivery is upcoming, proof of agreed future date |
| Product / Service Unacceptable | The client received the product/service but claims it was not as described. |
- Original service or product description (e.g. package listing, gallery preview) - Screenshots of how services were advertised on booking site/quote/invoice - Gallery delivery records / proofs showing what was delivered - Client communications about issues and your response - Refund policies or terms of service shown prior to payment - Evidence showing the service was used/accepted (e.g. downloads activity, thank you messages, social media posts) |
| Credit Not Processed | The client expected a refund or credit that wasn’t processed. |
- Refund transaction logs (amount, date) - Refund policies or terms of service shown prior to payment - Communication with client about the refund (or lack thereof) - Evidence that the client isn’t entitled to a refund (e.g. non-refundable clause, usage of service) - Evidence that the refund was already issued |
| Canceled Merchandise | The client says they canceled but were still charged. |
- Signed contract outlining cancellation policy - Timestamps of cancellation request vs charge date - Usage evidence or downloads activity after claimed cancellation - Communication showing cancellation request was late or not submitted - Refund records if a refund was already issued |
| Duplicate / Paid by Other Means | The client claims they were charged twice or paid another way. |
- Payment screenshots showing only one successful charge - Charge IDs and explanations showing payments were for separate sessions or items - Separate invoices/receipts for each payment - Refund records for any duplicate charge already reversed - Client communication acknowledging resolution or clarifying the misunderstanding |
| Incorrect Amount / Transaction Error | The amount charged doesn’t match what was agreed upon. |
- Itemized invoices and receipts (clearly showing price, taxes, fees, discounts) - Original quote, package description, or contract - Website screenshots showing advertised price- - Email confirmations discussing pricing - Documentation of any correction attempts |
| General | Contact the customer for additional details to find out why they disputed the payment | Based on the customer response, see the examples above for helpful evidence to provide. |
Tip: Focus only on the evidence that directly addresses the dispute reason. More evidence does not necessarily mean a stronger case.
Step 3: Gather and organize your evidence
The most important part of your response is the evidence you provide. A clear, well-organized response makes it easy for the bank to understand your side. The goal is to clearly present the evidence in a way that is easy to understand.
Here are some best practices:
- Arrange evidence chronologically to tell a clear story.
- Highlight or underline key sections in documents.
- Avoid uploading entire contracts or policies, share only the relevant sections.
- Combine similar items (e.g. all email communications) into one file per evidence type.
- Ensure all text is legible. Clear screenshots and readable PDFs are essential.
Step 4: Submit your response in Studio Manager
In the Manage Dispute window, click Counter Dispute, then follow the step-by-step instructions to upload your evidence.
Important: You can only submit evidence once. Make sure your evidence is fully compiled and organized before submitting.
Once submitted, the bank typically takes 40–90 days to review the case. During this time, the funds remain withdrawn until a decision is made.
After you submit
You’ll be notified by email and see the status update in your dashboard once the bank decides:
- Dispute Won: The funds are returned to you.
- Dispute Lost: The funds remain with your client.
Regardless of the outcome, take a moment to review your documentation and communication. A lost dispute can highlight where contracts, invoices, or processes can be improved.
If you win, consider reaching out politely to your client to clear up any misunderstandings and preserve goodwill.
When to accept a dispute
In some cases, accepting a dispute may be the best path forward, especially if:
- The client is clearly owed a refund.
- You don’t have evidence to support your case.
- The amount is small and not worth contesting.
Accepting a dispute is not an admission of wrongdoing; it simply closes the case without further action.
Even if you accept some disputes, prevention remains key. Card networks track the number of disputes you receive, not just how many you win or lose.
If you need assistance navigating a dispute, our support team is here to help. From your Studio Manager Dashboard, get in touch by clicking the chat bubble in the bottom right corner.