To find duplicate or excess deductions, break each settlement down to order or item level, then compare every fee line with your seller agreement and rate card. Flag the same fee charged twice on one order, fees above the agreed rate or slab, fees on cancelled or returned orders that your terms do not allow, and totals that do not match the bank credit. Then raise claims with evidence.
What counts as a duplicate or excess deduction
A duplicate deduction is the same fee taken more than once for the same order, item or event. An excess deduction is a fee that is higher than what your agreement allows, or one that should not apply at all.
- Commission charged twice on one order line
- Commission calculated on a wrong base or at a wrong rate
- Shipping or weight-slab fees above the agreed slab
- Fees on cancelled or returned orders where your terms do not permit them
- Penalties or adjustments with no stated basis
What is allowed differs by marketplace and by contract, so your seller agreement and current rate card are the only valid yardstick. Do not rely on memory or on last year's rates.
Collect the documents you need first
You cannot spot an excess without a reference point. Before you start, gather these for the same period:
- Seller agreement, rate card and any signed amendments or email commitments
- Settlement or payment reports, including line-level detail
- Order, return and cancellation reports
- Marketplace invoices, debit notes and credit notes for fees
- Bank statement showing the actual credits
Make sure the period cut-offs line up. A settlement often covers orders from earlier dates, so match by order or item ID, not by calendar month.
Step-by-step: how to check settlements
- Build an order-level ledger. Put each settlement line against a unique order or item ID, with sale value, each fee type, taxes shown, and net payout.
- Test for duplicates. Count how many times each fee type appears per order or item ID. Anything above one needs an explanation, such as a genuine second shipment or a separate return event.
- Recompute expected fees. Apply the rate or slab from your agreement to each line and compare with what was charged. Note the difference line by line.
- Check status-based fees. Filter cancelled, returned and undelivered orders and see which fees were still charged. Compare against the terms for those statuses.
- Reconcile totals. Sum the lines and match them to the settlement summary, then to the bank credit. Unexplained gaps are a signal to dig deeper.
- Review adjustments. List every penalty, debit note or manual adjustment and ask for the clause or reason behind it.
For tax components on fees, confirm the applicable rules and rates with your tax adviser and the latest marketplace invoices rather than assuming a rate.
Common patterns and where to confirm them
| Pattern | What to look for | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Double commission | Same fee type twice on one order ID | Settlement line detail |
| Wrong rate | Charged percentage differs from expected | Rate card, agreement |
| Wrong slab | Weight or size slab higher than product master | Rate card, your catalogue data |
| Fee on cancelled order | Charges against orders never shipped | Order status report, terms |
| Unexplained penalty | Adjustment with no reference | Debit note, agreement |
| Total mismatch | Lines do not add to bank credit | Settlement summary, bank statement |
Raise claims and track recovery
Once you have a list of exceptions, make each one easy to approve. For every claim, attach the order ID, the fee line, the clause or rate card page that applies, your recomputed figure and the difference.
- Group claims by reason, so the marketplace team can respond in bulk.
- Check the dispute window in your agreement and raise claims within it.
- Log the ticket number, date raised, amount claimed and status.
- When a credit comes through, match it to the original claim so nothing is counted twice.
Keep unresolved items on a live list. Without ageing, small recoveries are quietly forgotten.
Make the check repeatable
Spreadsheets work for a single month, but they struggle when order volumes grow or several marketplaces are involved. Run the same checks on a fixed schedule, such as after each settlement cycle, and keep one master list of exceptions.
MarketplaceMetrics by Fundle reconciles marketplace sales and settlements, checks commissions and fees against agreed terms, and tracks returns and recovery cases. Myntra Excel reports are reviewed today; other marketplaces are in scope discussion. Pricing is a tailored quote.
Worked example
Illustrative example only. Assume your agreed commission is 15% of the sale value, and your terms do not allow a shipping fee on cancelled orders. These figures are made up to show the method.
| Order | Sale value | Expected | Charged | Issue | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ₹1,200 | ₹180 commission | ₹180 twice (₹360) | Duplicate | ₹180 |
| B | ₹2,000 | ₹300 commission | ₹360 (18%) | Wrong rate | ₹60 |
| C | ₹900 (cancelled) | ₹0 shipping | ₹70 shipping | Fee on cancelled order | ₹70 |
Total to claim in this illustration: ₹180 + ₹60 + ₹70 = ₹310. Each line goes into the claim with its order ID and the clause it relies on.
Questions and answers
How often should I check settlements for excess deductions?
Check after every settlement cycle, while the data is fresh and within the dispute window in your agreement. Monthly checks are the minimum. Waiting a quarter makes evidence harder to gather and may put some claims past the allowed time.
Where do I find the agreed commission and fee rates?
Look in your signed seller agreement, the current rate card and any amendments or written commitments from the marketplace. Rates can change, so confirm the latest version with your account manager or seller portal before comparing settlements.
Can a fee appear twice and still be correct?
Yes. A second shipment, a return event or a separate fee type can legitimately create more than one line per order. Treat repeats as questions, not errors, and check the order history and your terms before raising a claim.
What if the settlement total does not match my bank credit?
First confirm the period and any holds or reserves. Then reconcile line totals to the settlement summary, and the summary to the bank entry. Remaining gaps, such as unexplained adjustments, should be raised with the marketplace with supporting documents.