Dispute Resolution & Chargeback Policy

Effective Date: May 5, 2026

At Wheel Front Marketplace, our mission is to provide the safest, most transparent marketplace for automotive enthusiasts and dealers worldwide. Because we facilitate the sale of high-value, technical automotive parts, we utilize a secure Escrow system (powered by Trustap & Airwallex).

This Dispute Resolution & Chargeback Policy outlines exactly how disputes are handled, how funds are protected, and the strict financial penalties associated with fraudulent claims or bypassing our secure checkout system. We believe in 100% transparency: there are no hidden fees in our marketplace, and the costs associated with dispute arbitration are borne only by those who violate marketplace rules.

The 5-Day Inspection Period

To protect buyers, Wheel Front enforces a strict 5-Day (120-hour) Inspection Period on all escrow transactions.

• When it Starts: The 120-hour timer begins the moment the shipping carrier API marks the package as “Delivered,” or when the buyer manually confirms receipt in the chat window.

• Buyer Responsibility: During this window, the buyer must inspect the wheels to ensure they materially match the agreed-upon Deal Sheet (e.g., correct brand, diameter, width, offset, bolt pattern, and condition).

• Acceptance: If the buyer clicks “I confirm the payment,” or if the 5-day window expires without a dispute being formally submitted, the wheels are deemed legally accepted. The escrow funds will be irrevocably released to the seller, and no further disputes can be opened.

Valid Grounds for a Dispute (Material Non-Conformity)

Wheel Front Marketplace will only rule in favor of a buyer if the goods present a Material Non-Conformity compared to the signed Deal Sheet and listing photos.

Valid reasons for a dispute include:

1. Incorrect specifications (wrong diameter, width, offset, or bolt pattern).
2. Undisclosed structural damage (cracks, bends, prior welding).
3. Counterfeit items sold as authentic.
4. Missing items that were explicitly included in the Deal Sheet.
5. Severe transit damage (subject to carrier insurance claims).

Invalid reasons for a dispute include:

1. Fitment Issues: Unless Wheel Front explicitly provided a written Fitment Guarantee for the transaction, verifying vehicle clearance (brakes, fenders, suspension) is solely the buyer’s responsibility.
2. Buyer’s Remorse: Changing your mind after the wheels have shipped.
3. Disclosed Flaws: Cosmetic blemishes or damage that were clearly visible in the listing photos or noted in the Deal Sheet.
4. Post-Delivery Alterations: Any wheels that have been mounted with tires, test-driven, machined, or altered in any way by the buyer cannot be returned.

The Dispute Process & Arbitration

We encourage Buyers and Sellers to resolve minor issues (such as a delayed shipment or a missing center cap) amicably within the platform’s chat interface. If an agreement cannot be reached, either party may escalate the transaction to Wheel Front Administration & Trustap Escrow Team.

Step 1: Freezing the Funds Once a formal dispute is opened within the 5-day window, the escrow payout timer is instantly paused. The funds remain securely locked in the Trustap Escrow vault.

Step 2: Evidence Collection The Buyer must upload clear photographic or video evidence of the issue into the chat. The Seller’s original packaging photos (uploaded prior to shipment) and the signed Deal Sheet will be used as the baseline for comparison.

Step 3: Administrative Arbitration The Wheel Front Quality & Security Team, Trustap Escrow team will review the evidence. Wheel Front reserves the right to request independent wheel shop inspections. Upon review, Wheel Front will issue a binding ruling to either:

1. Authorize a full return and refund the buyer.

2. Facilitate a partial refund.

3. Deny the dispute and release the funds to the seller.

The Arbitration Fee

General customer support is always Free. However, formal disputes require extensive manual intervention, investigation, and third-party processing resources. To keep our baseline marketplace fees low for the 99% of users who transact smoothly, Wheel Front does not bury dispute costs into our standard 3% and 5% marketplace fees.

Instead, Wheel Front enforces a $20.00 Arbitration Fee for escalated disputes requiring a formal administrative ruling.

• Who Pays? This fee is charged exclusively to the losing party.

• If the Seller lied about the condition, the buyer is refunded in full, and the $25 fee is charged to the Seller’s account.

• If the Buyer opens a frivolous dispute (e.g., claiming a wheel doesn’t fit their car despite the specs matching the Deal Sheet), the funds are released to the seller, and the $20 fee is deducted from the Buyer’s refund or charged to their payment method.

If Wheel Front determines the issue was a genuine, no-fault carrier accident, this fee may be waived at our sole discretion.

Unauthorized Chargebacks & Penalties

Wheel Front Marketplace provides a secure, fully insured escrow environment to eliminate the risk of fraud. Therefore, initiating a chargeback directly with your bank or credit card company bypasses our mutually agreed-upon Escrow and Dispute systems, constituting a severe breach of our Terms of Service.

The Chargeback Penalty: If a Buyer initiates a chargeback on a transaction that Wheel Front determines was fulfilled correctly according to the Deal Sheet, the following actions will be taken immediately:

1. The Buyer’s Wheel Front account will be permanently suspended.

2. Wheel Front will assess a $65.00 Chargeback Penalty Fee to cover the severe third-party processing fines and administrative costs levied against our platform by our payment partners.

You explicitly authorize Wheel Front and our payment processor (Trustap & Airwallex) to collect this $65.00 penalty by charging your designated Payment Method on file or by deducting it from any active escrow balances associated with your account.

Return Shipping Logistics

If Wheel Front authorizes a return:

The Buyer must ship the wheels back within 5 calendar days of the return approval.

The wheels must be packaged to the exact same safety standards as they were received.

If the return is due to a Seller error (e.g., Material Non-Conformity), the Seller is responsible for the return shipping costs.

Refunds will only be released from Escrow back to the Buyer’s original payment method after the Seller has received the returned wheels and confirmed they are in the same condition as when they were originally shipped.