The audit checks four flows end-to-end: fulfillment→tracking sync (the not-received defense), notification delivery (the [email-sequence](/blog/post-purchase-email-dispute-prevention) evidence trail), app webhook health (screening and dispute detection), and policy snapshots (current versions captured). One day in October; the alternative is discovering in February that tracking numbers stopped syncing November 20th.
The four flows
- Tracking sync: 3PL/WMS → Shopify fulfillment records with valid tracking numbers, carrier-recognized format. Sample 20 recent orders; every one should show live carrier events on its status page. This flow IS your 13.1 defense — a sync gap is an evidence gap.
- Notification delivery: confirmation/shipment/delivered emails actually delivering (check spam placement and DMARC alignment, not just 'sent' logs). Undelivered notifications are undelivered evidence.
- Webhook health: every risk/dispute app's webhook subscriptions live and current — apps silently losing webhook delivery is a classic failure. Verify recent event receipt, not just configuration.
- Policy snapshots: return policy and terms current, dated, and captured — the versions you'll cite in Q1 rebuttals.
Verification method
Test end-to-end, not configuration screens: place a real test order, watch it traverse every system — risk score generated, confirmation delivered, fulfillment synced, tracking live, status page correct. Then (if your dispute tooling supports it) walk a test dispute through detection → evidence assembly → submission preview.
The audit's real product is a list of silent failures found in October instead of February. Aurai's dashboard surfaces its own pipeline health — connected sources, recent detections, evidence completeness per dispute — which turns the ongoing version of this audit into a glance.
Frequently asked questions
What's the most common silent failure?
Tracking sync — a 3PL integration change or carrier-format mismatch stops tracking numbers reaching Shopify, and nobody notices until a dispute needs the missing delivery proof.
How often should the audit repeat?
Full audit before each peak season; the tracking-sync sample monthly. Integration failures follow app updates and vendor changes, not calendars.
Post reflects public documentation and industry surveys as of the publish date. Win rates and other figures are indicative ranges, not guarantees and not Aurai results; outcomes vary by merchant, evidence, and issuer. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify are trademarks of their respective owners; Aurai is independent and not endorsed by any of them. Network rules change — always verify current official rules before acting on any specific tactic.