Use the payment method, not just the file type, to choose a dispute route. A missing access link is a delivery problem. A corrupted file is a technical or quality problem. A product that does not match its listing raises a different issue, and a charge you did not approve should go through the fraud process.

For a U.S. credit-card purchase, write to the seller promptly and keep a record. If the issue is a credit-card billing error, the Federal Trade Commission's credit-card guidance says your written notice generally must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. PayPal has separate deadlines. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and payment apps may follow different rules.

This is general U.S. consumer information, not legal advice.

Match the problem to the payment route

Start with an accurate description. Calling a change-of-mind request "fraud" can weaken your complaint and send it into the wrong process.

A seller may solve a broken-link problem faster than a payment provider. Still, don't let a slow seller response push you past a card issuer's deadline.

Start with a written request to the seller

Before sending anything, save the product page, checkout terms, receipt, and refund policy. A dated screenshot or saved copy can show what the seller promised when you paid. Web pages and account screens can change later.

Use the support address in the receipt, the merchant's account portal, or the platform's case system. Keep the message brief and factual. Include:

• Your order number, purchase date, amount, and checkout email
• The exact failure, such as "the download link returns an error"
• The steps you tried and the result
• The remedy you want: working access, a replacement file, a correction, or a refund
• A request for the proposed resolution in writing

A message like this creates a useful record:

I paid $___ for [product] on [date]. The problem is [specific issue]. I tried [steps], but [result]. Please provide [working access, a replacement, a correction, or a refund]. Please confirm the next step in writing.

Don't send your full card number, password, or account-recovery codes. Redact sensitive information from screenshots.

Use the credit-card billing-error process carefully

The FTC's 60-day procedure is for written disputes about credit-card billing errors. It is not a universal deadline for every payment method or every disagreement with a seller.

If the purchase was charged directly to a U.S. credit card:

1. Check the statement for the transaction descriptor, date, and amount.
2. Write to the card issuer at the billing-inquiries address on the statement. That address may differ from the address used for payments.
3. Describe the issue accurately. Possible descriptions include non-delivery, a product or service not provided as agreed, a duplicate charge, or an unauthorized transaction. Ask the issuer which category applies if you aren't sure.
4. Include copies of the receipt, product description, error messages, and your attempts to resolve the issue with the seller.
5. Send the notice so it reaches the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.
6. Keep a copy of the letter and proof of delivery.

The FTC guidance also addresses a change of address: for this billing-error procedure, the issuer must have received your new address in writing at least 20 days before the billing period ended.

The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days, unless it has already resolved the issue. It generally must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the complaint.

Pay the part of the balance that you aren't disputing, and follow the issuer's instructions during the investigation. A billing dispute is not an automatic refund. The issuer reviews the information from you and the merchant, then applies the relevant rules and its own investigation process.

If 60 days have already passed, contact the issuer anyway. Explain what happened and ask which procedure is still available, but don't assume the formal deadline and protections operate the same way after that period.

PayPal has its own dispute deadline

A PayPal case follows PayPal's terms and the details of the transaction. The FTC credit-card timeline does not replace PayPal's process.

PayPal's published U.S. Purchase Protection terms state that a dispute must be opened by the earlier of:

• 30 days after the delivery or fulfillment date, when applicable
• 180 days after the payment date

The terms also determine eligibility and what information PayPal may consider. Review the current terms before relying on Purchase Protection, particularly for digital products, subscriptions, or services.

If you paid through PayPal with a credit card, ask both PayPal and the card issuer which route fits the transaction if the seller won't help. Explain that you contacted the other provider. Don't pursue overlapping recoveries without disclosing the situation; if one provider refunds you, tell the other provider.

Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and payment apps

The 60-day credit-card billing-error procedure shouldn't automatically be applied to a debit card, prepaid card, ACH transfer, wire transfer, or peer-to-peer payment. Each payment rail can have different deadlines, evidence requirements, and limits.

Contact the bank or payment app as soon as you identify the problem. For an unauthorized payment, use the provider's fraud process immediately. Ask whether the issue should be reported as fraud, non-delivery, duplicate billing, or a merchant dispute. Request the deadline and required documents in writing, and keep the transaction number and case reference.

A completed bank transfer may not be reversible in the same way a card transaction can be investigated. That makes speed especially important when the payment was unauthorized.

What changes when Shopify, WooCommerce, or Gumroad is involved?

The storefront platform does not, by itself, tell you which refund deadline or payment procedure applies. Look at the receipt to identify the merchant and the payment provider used at checkout.

• Shopify or WooCommerce checkout: Contact the merchant named on the receipt first. If the payment went through a card issuer, PayPal, or another provider, use that provider's dispute process if the seller doesn't resolve the issue.
• Gumroad purchase: Start with the seller and the contact route in your receipt, then review the Gumroad terms. Those terms contain provisions concerning refunds, chargebacks, and disputes, but they don't guarantee a refund for every buyer.
• PayPal button or wallet payment: Check PayPal's case process and deadline separately from the seller's refund policy.
• Marketplace purchase: Keep the marketplace case open while you gather records. An informal conversation with the seller should not replace a platform deadline.

A delivery record may show that a link was generated or accessed. It does not automatically prove that the file worked, matched the listing, or was usable on the device or in the format the seller described. State that distinction plainly.

Put the evidence in chronological order

A reviewer needs to see what was promised, what happened, and what you did next. Keep one folder or file with:

1. Transaction details: receipt, statement entry, merchant descriptor, amount, and date.
2. The offer: product page, advertised features, delivery timing, format, license limits, and refund terms.
3. The failure: broken-link screenshots, corrupted-file messages, missing features, access errors, or account restrictions.
4. Your attempts to fix it: emails, ticket numbers, chat transcripts, and seller responses.
5. The remedy requested: replacement, technical support, cancellation, or refund.
6. Payment-provider notices: dispute number, acknowledgment, requests for information, and final decision.

Use dates and the seller's exact wording where possible. "The listing promised an editable DOCX file, but the download contained a password-protected PDF" gives a reviewer something to test. "The product was bad" does not.

Leave out unrelated complaints and exaggerated loss estimates. Redact full account numbers, passwords, recovery codes, and other people's private information before uploading documents.

A "no refunds" policy is not the whole analysis

A statement such as "no refunds after download" may affect a voluntary refund request, especially when the product was delivered as described and the buyer simply changed their mind. It does not make every transaction valid, and it does not replace a payment provider's review of an unauthorized or incorrectly billed charge.

Ask:

• Did you receive the promised product or access?
• Was the product materially different from the description?
• Was it defective or inaccessible after reasonable troubleshooting?
• Were important limits disclosed before payment?
• Did you authorize the charge?
• What did the payment provider's terms require?

The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule guidance describes a three-business-day cancellation right for certain sales and lists exclusions. It is not a blanket three-day refund period for every online digital download. Check whether the transaction actually falls within the rule before relying on it.

Mistakes that can weaken a dispute

Avoid these common problems:

• Waiting for the seller until the payment-provider deadline has passed
• Describing a quality or delivery complaint as an unauthorized transaction
• Claiming non-delivery after successfully accessing the product
• Treating a merchant refund request as identical to a card billing dispute
• Relying only on a phone call and keeping no written record
• Opening duplicate cases without telling the providers
• Uploading unredacted payment or account credentials
• Deleting the product listing, receipt, or support messages
• Continuing to use a subscription after requesting cancellation without checking whether renewal stopped

Accuracy is more useful than aggressive language. A reviewer can act on a timeline showing what was promised, what failed, and what you requested.

If the provider denies the dispute

Read the decision notice before replying. It may identify the reason for the outcome, the missing information, or a deadline for an appeal or reconsideration.

If a response is available, address that stated reason directly:

• The seller says it delivered: Explain whether the link was inaccessible, the file was corrupted, or the content differed from the listing.
• The provider says the order was fulfilled: Point to the relevant product promise and your support correspondence.
• The transaction was unauthorized: Provide the fraud report and account-security details the provider requested.
• The amount or transaction was misidentified: Identify the exact statement entry and explain the discrepancy.

Ask what additional documents the provider will accept and how to submit them. For a significant amount or an identity-theft issue, consider contacting your state's consumer-protection office or seeking advice from a qualified professional.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dispute a digital download after I accessed it?

You can still report a problem, but access may make a simple non-delivery claim inaccurate. Explain whether the file was defective, materially different from its description, or missing a promised feature. If you only changed your mind, the seller's refund policy will usually be central to the request.

Does the FTC 60-day rule apply to PayPal or debit cards?

The cited FTC process concerns written disputes about credit-card billing errors. It is not a general PayPal or debit-card deadline. PayPal has its own terms, while other payment providers may use different rules.

What if the seller says the link was delivered?

Ask the seller to resend it and describe the exact failure. If the link opened but the file was unusable or unlike the listing, document that difference. If the problem remains unresolved, give the relevant payment provider the receipt, product description, screenshots, and support history.

Should I contact the seller or my card issuer first?

Contact the seller promptly when a replacement or correction might solve the problem. Contact the card issuer or payment service without delay when the charge was unauthorized or a deadline is approaching. You can tell the issuer that you are also trying to resolve the matter with the seller.

Save the receipt, product description, refund terms, and payment statement now. Then send a factual written request and put the next payment-provider deadline on your calendar.