Disputes & Adjustments
This page describes the dispute lifecycle: how affiliates can raise concerns about missing earnings and how merchants should investigate and resolve disputes.
Affiliate-facing steps
- File a dispute: affiliates can open a dispute from their conversion history, attaching notes and screenshots.
- Provide evidence: encourage affiliates to include the click timestamp and any promotional post or coupon used.
Merchant investigation workflow
- Locate the click: use
affiliate_id, click timestamp, and any click metadata (IP, user-agent) to find the matching click log. - Match to order: check the Shopify order ID and discount code usage to validate attribution.
- Review refunds/fulfillment: confirm whether the order was refunded, canceled, or adjusted.
Resolution actions
- Approve credit: if the merchant finds the attribution valid, approve the credit and adjust affiliate pending/approved earnings.
- Reverse credit: if invalid (e.g., refunded order), reverse the adjustment and communicate reasons to the affiliate.
- Partial adjustments: sometimes partial reversals are needed if only part of an order is eligible.
Communication & audit
- Keep a written record in the dispute ticket with timestamps and evidence.
- Notify the affiliate via email template when a dispute status changes.
Developer notes
- Store dispute metadata (evidence attachments, internal notes, status history) for auditability.
- Provide an API to programmatically query dispute states for external CRMs or accounting tools.
Following a consistent, documented dispute process reduces friction and improves trust with affiliates.
What happens next
- The store owner receives the dispute and can review logs, order metadata, and attribution details.
- If the store owner accepts the dispute, they can issue a manual adjustment or reversal.
Adjustment types
- Manual credit: add a positive commission adjustment to a transaction.
- Reversal: remove a previously paid commission (used for refunds or chargebacks).
Tips for quick resolution
- Provide clear evidence and the original link/coupon used.
- If the dispute relates to a late reporting or webhook failure, include timestamps and request delivery logs from support.