Reference pagesProof types
Reference
Proof of delivery
If a customer says an order never arrived, proof that it did is the most direct answer you can give.
This guide covers when proof of delivery is needed, what the bank receives, what counts as delivered, where to find it, how to add it in the app, and what to leave out.
When proof of delivery is needed
| Dispute type | What proof of delivery shows | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Not received | The order arrived, and when | Often decisive |
| Not as described | The item reached the customer, so the dispute is about the item, not the delivery | Supporting |
| Did not make this purchase | The order was delivered to the card's billing address, or to an address tied to the cardholder | Supporting |
| Canceled | Rarely relevant | Low |
What the bank receives
A tracking number shows an order was sent. Proof of delivery shows it arrived, which is what the customer says did not happen.
The bank receives the carrier and the tracking number, the address the order was sent to, and the date it shipped. The app adds a one-page delivery document with the delivery date when the carrier has reported one. A signature stays with the carrier: the app cannot fetch it.
What counts as delivered
A carrier's "delivered" event with its date.
A proof-of-delivery document from the carrier.
A photo taken at the door.
For local delivery or pickup, your own record of the handover, with the date and who received it.
Where to find it
| If you ship with | Look for |
|---|---|
| Shopify shipping labels | The order's Fulfilled section in Shopify: the tracking number, and the carrier's tracking page it links to |
| A carrier account | The shipment's proof-of-delivery page or letter |
| A fulfillment partner | The shipment record in their portal |
How to add it in the app
- Open the dispute. The tracking number, and the delivery date when the carrier has reported one, come from the order's fulfillment in Shopify.
- If the delivery row has no delivery date, add the carrier's proof-of-delivery document to that row with Add a file. Sent with your response. It does not change the level. Where the row has no Add a file, the dispute page says where to upload your response; upload the document there too, in its own slot.
- Preview it: what you see is what the bank will read.
What to leave out
A tracking link on its own. When only a tracking link is available and no delivery date, this counts for less.
A screenshot with no tracking number or date.
A delivery to another address, unless you explain why.
Provider notes
| Provider | What the app sends |
|---|---|
| Stripe | shipping_carrier, shipping_tracking_number, shipping_address and shipping_date as text; the delivery document and any file you add on the row as one PDF in shipping_documentation |
| Shopify Payments | Nothing yet: the app cannot file evidence on a Shopify Payments dispute, so add the carrier's document in Shopify admin |
Stripe says that when it compiles your evidence, tracking numbers "are expanded to include detailed delivery information from the carrier."
Where this comes from: the networks' and processors' own words on proof of delivery.
Do The Proof drafts dispute responses for Shopify stores.
You pay when a dispute is won. Not before.