Why architecture matters here
Dispute failures poison marketplaces. A buyer who wins unfairly makes merchants leave. A merchant who wins unfairly loses buyers. Slow resolution frustrates everyone. Missing audit trails leave compliance gaps.
The architecture matters because it must protect both sides. Signed intent + capture + evidence gives arbiters what they need. Clear rules and SLAs make outcomes predictable.
Get it right and disputes become a controlled part of the flow rather than a crisis.
The architecture: every piece explained
The top strip is case handling. Buyer files a dispute with a reason. Case created as a signed record with timestamp. Evidence collection pulls the buyer's original intent, receipts, and delivery logs. Merchant response provides counter-evidence.
The middle row is resolution. Arbitration applies rules; edge cases escalate to human review. Decision chooses a side. Reversal is a signed refund event on the ledger. Notification reaches both parties + auditors.
The lower rows are learning. Feedback loop uses dispute outcomes to refine future policies. Analytics tracks dispute rate and reasons to spot systemic issues. Ops handles SLA, escalation paths, and compliance reporting.
End-to-end flow
End-to-end: buyer files a dispute for undelivered goods. Case created. Evidence: buyer's signed intent for a specific SKU + shipping provider's undelivered status. Merchant response: shipped to correct address; carrier lost package. Arbitration rule: carrier loss puts liability on merchant unless proof of delivery. Decision: refund buyer. Reversal signed and applied. Notification sent. Analytics show a pattern of dispute reasons from that carrier; policy adjusted to require signature confirmation for high-value shipments.