Objective

To provide merchants with clear best practices for operational excellence that lead to a seamless customer experience, successfully reduce overall customer concerns, and ensure the timely, efficient, and seamless resolution of disputes raised via the Tamara platform.

1. Improving the Dispute Rate (Prevention and Mitigation)

Dispute Rate Definition: Customer Disputes under merchant control (Item Not Received, Item Not As Described, Return Not Processed) received per 100 Captured Transactions.

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The most effective dispute management is dispute prevention. Merchants must implement robust operational processes to minimize the occurrence of the three primary dispute reasons under their control.

A. Item Not Received (INR) Prevention

Disputes related to INR occur when the customer claims they did not receive the product, often due to logistics errors or lack of communication.

Best Practice	Actionable Steps
Clear Shipping Expectations	Set and continuously reinforce realistic delivery timelines across all customer touchpoints (product page, checkout, confirmation emails).
Delivery Visibility	Ensure customers have immediate and continuous visibility into their order's journey from fulfillment to final hand-off.
Secure Hand-off Assurance	Employ measures to establish definitive proof of a successful final hand-off to the customer, especially for high-value orders.
Proactive Delay Communication	Proactively monitor logistics and immediately notify customers of any deviation, delay, or logistical challenge before the estimated delivery window is breached.

B. Item Not As Described (INAD) Prevention

INAD disputes arise from a mismatch between the customer’s expectation and the received product, typically due to poor product data.

Best Practice	Actionable Steps
Accurate Product Descriptions	Ensure product descriptions are detailed, factual, and clearly state material, dimensions, color, and functionality.
High-Quality Imagery	Use multiple, high-resolution images taken from various angles. Include images that provide scale (e.g., a model wearing the item).
Size/Fit Guides	Implement clear, standardized sizing charts (including measurements in CM and IN) to reduce disputes related to fit issues.
Quality Control (QC)	Establish a QC process during packing to ensure items are undamaged, fully functional, and exactly match the order placed before shipping.

C. Return Not Processed Prevention

These disputes occur when a customer returns an item but the merchant fails to process the refund promptly or acknowledges the return.

Best Practice	Actionable Steps
Transparent Return Policy	The return and refund policy must be easily accessible, clear about timelines (e.g., "7 days from receipt of return to process refund"), and list any non-refundable items.
Efficient Receiving Process	Upon receiving a returned package, log it immediately and send an automated notification (e.g., "Your return has been received and is being inspected").
Timely Refund Processing	Process the refund immediately after inspection is complete. Do not delay refunds based on internal accounting cycles. The maximum processing time should be clearly communicated in your policy.
Communication on Inspection	If the returned item fails inspection, communicate the reason to the customer immediately and clearly outline the next steps.

D. General Dispute Prevention (Encouraging Direct Contact)

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By providing clear, easily accessible channels for customer support, you can resolve concerns directly, preventing them from escalating into formal disputes via Tamara.

Best Practice	Actionable Steps
Highly Visible Support Channels	Ensure your contact details (phone, chat, email) are prominently displayed on your website, in order confirmations, and on delivery tracking pages to encourage customers to reach out to you first.
Rapid Response for Inquiries	Staff your customer support team to provide swift, helpful resolutions to initial inquiries, resolving issues before the customer feels compelled to escalate to a third party.

2. Improving Merchant Responsiveness

Unresponsiveness Definition: Percentage of disputes not responded to by merchants within the required SLA (5 days from dispute raised date).

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Timely and accurate response to disputes highlighted in the Tamara Disputes hub is crucial for minimizing losses and maintaining strong operational standing.

A. Operational Readiness and User Roles

Best Practice	Actionable Steps
Role Assignment	Assign the Admin/ Dispute Manager role in the Partner Portal to the responsible team member(s) to access the disputes. For custom roles, ensure explicit permissions are granted for the dispute management tab.
Accurate Contact Registration	Ensure the correct email address is updated and maintained with Tamara for all official dispute notifications. You can refer to XXX.

Best Practice

Actionable Steps

Role Assignment

Assign the Admin/ Dispute Manager role in the Partner Portal to the responsible team member(s) to access the disputes.

For custom roles, ensure explicit permissions are granted for the dispute management tab.

Accurate Contact Registration

Ensure the correct email address is updated and maintained with Tamara for all official dispute notifications. You can refer to XXX.

B. Timely Action via the Partner Portal

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Merchants must prioritize disputes based on the Days Left column. It is critical to meet the SLA of five calendar days, as failure to respond promptly will result in the dispute being automatically accepted and the refund deducted from the merchant's available balance.

Best Practice	Actionable Steps
Daily Portal/ Email Check	Log into the Tamara Disputes portal at least once daily to review the dashboard. For any new disputes received, dedicated users will also receive an email notification.
Prioritize "Awaiting merchant response"	Filter the Status column for Awaiting merchant response. This indicates a customer has raised a dispute and the clock is running on your response deadline.
Swift Action	Immediately determine the appropriate course of action: Accept and Refund: If the dispute is valid, process the refund through the portal to close the case immediately. Challenge and Provide Evidence: If the dispute is invalid, use the 'Action' button to submit comprehensive documentation before the SLA expires.

Best Practice

Actionable Steps

Daily Portal/ Email Check

Log into the Tamara Disputes portal at least once daily to review the dashboard.

For any new disputes received, dedicated users will also receive an email notification.

Prioritize "Awaiting merchant response"

Filter the Status column for Awaiting merchant response. This indicates a customer has raised a dispute and the clock is running on your response deadline.

Swift Action

Immediately determine the appropriate course of action:

Accept and Refund: If the dispute is valid, process the refund through the portal to close the case immediately.
**Challenge and Provide Evidence: **If the dispute is invalid, use the 'Action' button to submit comprehensive documentation before the SLA expires.

C. Challenging a Dispute: Accurate and Complete Evidence Submission

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If you choose to challenge the dispute (option 2 in Section 2.B), you must provide comprehensive evidence tailored to the dispute reason to support your position. Without accurate documentation, the challenge will likely be unsuccessful.

Dispute Reason	Required Documentation/Evidence
Item Not Received (INR)	Complete tracking history showing final delivery. Signed Proof of Delivery (PoD) documentation or any other confirmation.
Item Not As Described (INAD)	Photos of the shipped product (if available). Links to the exact product page/SKU showing accurate description and images at the time of purchase.
Return Not Processed	Proof of refund initiation (e.g., confirmation ID, timestamp). Carrier tracking showing the item was not received by the merchant, if applicable.
General	Screenshots of all correspondence with the customer regarding the issue, including confirmation that the issue has been resolved.

D. Dispute Lifecycle Management

Familiarize the Dispute Manager team with the following statuses:

Awaiting merchant response: ACTION REQUIRED. Immediate investigation and evidence submission necessary.
Under review: NO ACTION. The Tamara team is analyzing the provided evidence and case facts.
Dispute Cancelled: NO ACTION. The customer has withdrawn the dispute.
Closed: NO ACTION. The dispute is resolved (via refund or Tamara agent resolution). Review closed disputes for trends to improve processes.

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Critical Consequences of Non-Compliance
Merchants should be aware that consistent unresponsiveness or failure to meet target dispute rates may significantly impact their operational relationship with Tamara. Poor performance in dispute management may result in the loss of eligibility for certain features on the Tamara platform and could ultimately lead to the suspension of your Tamara services. By adhering to these guidelines, merchants can significantly reduce preventable disputes and ensure a compliant and timely resolution process for all inquiries.