How disputes and refunds work
What to do when something goes wrong — how to open a dispute, what evidence helps, and how long refunds take.
When something goes wrong
KampalaSnap was built around the idea that your money is yours until you say otherwise. The Delivery PIN and the dispute system are the two tools that protect that. This guide is about disputes — what they are, when to use one, and what happens after you open one.
What is a dispute?
A dispute is a complaint. You're saying "this order has a problem and I want help fixing it." When you open one, the money is held in escrow until our admin team decides what to do. The seller is not paid while a dispute is open.
You can open a dispute up to 72 hours after the order is marked "Delivered" (or sometimes longer — the exact window is shown on the order page).
When to open a dispute
Open a dispute if any of these happen:
- The item never arrived.
- The item arrived but is broken or damaged.
- The item arrived but is fake (a knock-off of a brand).
- The item arrived but is the wrong size, colour, or model.
- The item arrived but is fewer than you ordered (you paid for 3, got 2).
- The seller changed the price after you paid and asked for more money.
- The rider asked you to pay more on top of what you already paid in the app.
- The seller threatened or harassed you.
If you're not sure whether something counts as a dispute, open one anyway. There's no penalty for opening a dispute that gets resolved the seller's way — you're allowed to disagree.
When NOT to open a dispute
A dispute is for things the seller did wrong. It's not the right tool for:
- "I changed my mind." — Cancel the order before shipping. After delivery, "I changed my mind" doesn't qualify for a refund unless the seller agrees to take it back.
- "It's late." — Late delivery is annoying but not automatically refundable. Message the seller first. If they ghost you for a week, then a dispute is fair.
- "I bought from the wrong shop." — Message the seller, they may take the return. Don't open a dispute as a first step.
If you open a dispute that's clearly not the seller's fault and the admin team has to dismiss many of them, your account can be flagged. You can still buy, but our team treats your future disputes more carefully. So use it where it actually fits.
How to open a dispute
Step 1 — Open the order
Tap your avatar → My Orders → tap the order with the problem.
Step 2 — Tap "Open a dispute"
It's a red button at the bottom of the order page. You'll only see it if the order is in a state where disputes are allowed (Paid, Escrow locked, Delivered, or recently Completed).
Step 3 — Pick a reason
You'll see a list of reasons:
- Item not received
- Item arrived damaged
- Item is fake
- Wrong item received
- Wrong quantity
- Seller asked for extra money
- Seller is harassing me
- Other (please explain)
Pick the one that fits best. If two fit, pick the more serious one.
Step 4 — Describe what happened
Write what happened in your own words. Be specific:
- ✗ "Item is wrong."
- ✓ "I ordered a size M black hoodie. What arrived is an XL grey hoodie."
The clearer your description, the faster we can decide. You don't need perfect English — just be honest.
Step 5 — Add evidence
This is the most important step. Attach:
- Photos of the item as it arrived. Take them in good light. Include packaging, labels, tags, and the actual product.
- Photos of the box if you can — useful for "broken in transit" cases.
- Screenshots of WhatsApp chats with the seller, especially if they admitted something or made a promise.
- A short video if the problem is hard to show in a photo (e.g. zip broken, screen flickering).
The app accepts up to 10 attachments per dispute. Use them.
Step 6 — Submit
Tap Submit dispute. The order moves to "Disputed." The seller is notified and can respond.
What happens next
1. The seller gets a chance to respond
The seller has 48 hours to reply with their side. They can:
- Agree with you and refund.
- Offer a fix (resend the right item, partial refund).
- Disagree and ask the admin team to decide.
You'll see their reply on the order's dispute thread.
2. You can chat in the dispute thread
If the seller offers a fix you're happy with, type "Yes, that works for me." If you don't agree, explain why. The conversation stays in the app — both you, the seller, and our admin team can see it.
Tip: keep the conversation calm and to the point. The admin team takes notes from the thread; angry messages don't help your case.
3. The admin team reviews if you can't agree
If 48 hours pass and you still don't agree, an admin reads the case. They look at:
- Your description and evidence.
- The seller's description and evidence.
- The order timeline.
- The seller's history (have they had many disputes?).
They make a decision and post it in the thread.
4. The outcome
Three possible outcomes:
- Resolved in your favour — you get a full or partial refund.
- Resolved in the seller's favour — the seller is paid as normal. This usually happens if the evidence shows the item was correct and you accepted it.
- Compromise — the seller is paid part of the amount and you get the rest back. Common when both sides have a small part of the blame.
How long does the whole thing take?
| Step | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Open dispute | 5 minutes |
| Seller response | Up to 48 hours |
| Admin review (if needed) | 2-3 days |
| Refund to your MoMo / card | 1-3 days after the decision |
So a clear-cut case (broken item, photos attached) can wrap up in 2-3 days. A complex case (he-said-she-said, no photos) can take a week.
Refund mechanics
When a refund is decided:
- MoMo refunds land back on the same number you paid from, usually within 24 hours.
- Card refunds can take 3-5 days to show up depending on your bank.
- Partial refunds are sent the same way.
If 5 days pass and you don't see the money, email support@kampalasnap.com with your order number and we'll trace it with Pesapal.
Important rules
Don't give the PIN during a dispute
Once you open a dispute, do not enter the Delivery PIN. The PIN releases the money to the seller — exactly the opposite of what the dispute is trying to do.
If the order is showing "Delivered" but you've opened a dispute, just ignore the PIN reminder. The dispute pauses the timer.
Don't open many disputes against the same seller in one week
It looks like a pattern of complaints rather than real problems. If a seller is genuinely bad, opening one well-evidenced dispute and reporting the seller through the report tool is more effective than opening multiple small disputes.
Don't use disputes to get free items
Filing a fake dispute (claiming the item didn't arrive when it did) is fraud. Sellers can submit delivery proof (signed receipts, rider photos), and our team checks both sides. Confirmed fake disputes get your account suspended.
Common questions
The seller is offering to refund off-platform via MoMo. Should I take it?
No. Always close disputes on the platform. If a seller refunds you through MoMo directly, your order is still showing "Disputed" in our system and the seller hasn't actually been paid by us. They may then chase YOU for what they think they're owed, or the dispute can be resolved against you because nothing was actually returned.
Tell the seller to accept the dispute and refund through the platform. The money flows back to you the same way you paid.
The seller blocked me on WhatsApp.
That's fine for the dispute — all communication happens in the dispute thread inside the app. The seller can't block you there. Just keep the conversation in-app.
Can I dispute after I gave the PIN?
Yes, within the dispute window (48-168 hours depending on the seller). Open the order, tap Open a dispute, and explain what happened. After the window closes, complaints go through email support and are much harder to resolve.
The admin team decided against me. Can I appeal?
You can reply in the dispute thread asking for a re-review and add any evidence you didn't include the first time. New evidence is the only thing that gets a case reopened. Without new evidence, the original decision stands.
My refund hasn't arrived after a week.
Email support@kampalasnap.com with your order number. We can see Pesapal's side of the refund and tell you whether it's stuck on their side or your bank's.