How long do I have to dispute a deduction?

The window is set by the retailer and is usually short — commonly 30 to 90 days from the deduction date, with some distributors allowing less. Once it closes the deduction is final regardless of merit. The clock starts when the remittance is issued, not when the supplier notices the shortfall.

This is why unreconciled remittances are expensive. A supplier reviewing deductions quarterly will find a share of them already time-barred, and no amount of documentation reopens them.

More on Chargebacks & Deductions, or browse every commerce operations answer.