Release, refunds and disputes through the API
Updated
Short answer
Yes. With a merchant super-admin key you can confirm an escrow’s release on the buyer’s behalf, submit a dispute, and resolve it as Completed (all to the seller), Refunded (all back to the buyer) or Split (a partial refund). Refunds go to the buyer’s Payluk wallet. The escrow fee is not refunded.
Releasing funds
Call the confirm-payment endpoint for the escrow with the buyer’s customer-id header. The seller is credited immediately. For milestone escrows, confirm each milestone separately.
Refunds
A funded escrow is refunded through a dispute resolution:
- Refunded: the full amount held goes back to the buyer’s Payluk wallet.
- Split: you choose the seller’s and buyer’s amounts, and together they must equal the amount held. This is how partial refunds work.
- You also decide whether any delivery fee goes back to the buyer.
- An unpaid escrow can simply be deleted, so no refund is needed.
How disputes work
The buyer can open a dispute at any time while the escrow is active, and the seller can after the delivery window. Each side submits its message and optional proof. The escrow moves to Disputed, then to Investigating once both sides have responded.
Merchants resolve disputes on their own escrows through the dashboard or the API. Payluk’s team resolves disputes for personal escrows and can step in when needed.