When an order goes wrong

A dispute is what escrow is for. If an order does not arrive, or arrives not as described, you open a dispute while the funds are still held, and a moderator weighs both sides.

How to argue it well

• Stay factual. Dates, what was ordered, what arrived. Emotion does not move a moderator; evidence does.
• Keep records. Order details and message history are your case. Do not delete them.
• Give it reasonable time. Shipping varies. Opening a dispute an hour after ordering weakens your credibility; a stalled order after a fair window is a real case.
• Do not confirm receipt to "be nice." Once you confirm, the dispute path closes.

What moderators look for

A good moderator looks at the vendor's history, the plausibility of each account, and any evidence provided. Zion's dispute process is only useful while it is reachable, which is part of why the market keeps several mirrors warm; a market you cannot log into is a market where you cannot open a dispute.

Last reviewed 2026-07-13.