Giveaways Overview

Giveaways allow sellers to give away items for free to their viewers during a livestream.

Giveaways can run up to five minutes to allow users to enter. Sellers can draw a winner early or wait until the time limit is reached, at which point the winner will be drawn automatically. Winners are selected by the app using a randomizer and shown on stream for all viewers. 

The shipping costs on giveaways are paid by the seller and taken directly from their Whatnot account balance. Custom and import charges for international shipments are the responsibility of the recipient of the giveaway. Users are required to have their shipping address and payment info entered in order to participate in any type of giveaways.

Please note, we do not permit cash to be given away on Whatnot (outside of collectible currency). Please also see our Prohibited or Restricted Items Policy.

Giveaway Types

There are three types of giveaways sellers can run during a livestream: standard giveaways, follower-only giveaways, and Buyer Appreciation giveaways.

Standard Giveaways

• Standard giveaways allow users to enter using the “Enter Giveaway” button once the giveaway goes live. 
• Sellers can limit standard giveaways to domestic users (based on the seller's location). 

Follower-only Giveaways

• Follower-only giveaways are similar to standard giveaways but allow only viewers who follow the seller to enter using the “Enter Giveaway” button once the giveaway goes live. 
• Sellers can also limit follower giveaways to domestic users (based on the seller's location).

Buyer Appreciation Giveaways

• Buyer Appreciation giveaways are intended to show appreciation for users who have made a purchase during a seller’s livestream. 
• Available in the US, Canada, the UK, and France. 
  • Users who want to enter a Buyer Appreciation giveaway must live in the same country as the seller running the giveaway.  
• Users who want to enter must make a purchase AFTER the giveaway is created to qualify.
  • Exception: United States and Canadian Users can enter for free by filling out a web form found on the giveaway details page.
• Sellers and buyers must use the mobile app to create or enter a Buyer Appreciation giveaway.
• Sellers may not use buyers appreciation giveaways to run paid entry raffles; including sweepstakes, lottery, derby games, or similar. Accounts found violating will be actioned under our policies.  
• Sellers must include rules pertaining to the giveaway; these rules vary based on seller location. 
  
  • For United States users, visit US Terms of Service (see “Whatnot Promotions and Giveaway Rules” to learn more).
  • For UK and France users, visit EU Terms of Service (see “Section 15. Giveaways” to learn more). 
• Sellers must ship the giveaway item regardless of who wins.
• For guidance on how to Create a Buyer Appreciation Giveaway or Enter a Buyer Appreciation Giveaway please see the linked help center articles.

Visit Giveaway Rules and Requirements for more info.

Giveaway Policies 

Prohibited Behavior

• No denying a winner: You must not deny a user the item they won during a giveaway. Winners are not required to react in any way to claim their prize at the time of the drawing.
• Disclose prize in advance: You must disclose what the giveaway winner will receive before running the item. This disclosure may be in the applicable listing and/or in the livestream. Mystery items may be given away provided the mystery item remains on screen until fully opened.
• No downgrading, withholding or changing prize based on who wins: Sellers must not downgrade, withhold or change the giveaway prize based on who wins, for example:
  • You may not deny a giveaway winner based on whether they follow you on social media.
  • You may not downgrade the prize if the winner has not made a purchase (or upgrade the prize based on a buyer winning).
  • You may not deny a winner because you suspect programmatic entry; if you suspect giveaway abuse please report the user in our in-app reporting flow for Whatnot to review.
  • You may not add requirements to win a giveaway outside of what is included in Whatnot's giveaway feature.
• The following restrictions are included in Whatnot's giveaway:
  • Limit entries to followers only. 
  • Limit entries to domestic users (based on seller location) only.
  • Limit entries to buyers who have purchased an item in your livestream and users who enter for free via a web form. 
• Shipping and fulfillment: You must fulfill the giveaway item within Whatnot's standard shipping timeframe. Orders must be shipped through Whatnot in order to ensure fulfillment.
• No purchase necessary: Requiring purchase to win a giveaway is prohibited and you will be subject to investigation. In many jurisdictions; it is illegal to require a purchase to enter a giveaway. For example, this includes:
  • Requiring a buyer to spend above a certain amount in your livestream to qualify for a Buyer Appreciation Giveaway.
  • Hosting Buyer Appreciation Giveaways without an alternative method of entry (AMOE).
• No stopping a giveaway: Once started, a giveaway can't be paused or canceled. A winner will be automatically drawn at the end of the five-minute time limit.
• Comply with laws: Giveaways must comply with our Giveaway Rules and Requirements, Terms of Service, and applicable laws and regulation.
• No future redemption: Do not offer giveaways for redemption in a future stream. All giveaways must be completed within the livestream in which the giveaway was run.
• No circumvention: Sellers must not circumvent Whatnot's giveaway rules in any way, including by hosting a buyer appreciation giveaways without an alternative method of entry (AMOE) or by listing an excessive number of buyers appreciation giveaways that are not run.

Permitted Behavior

• Sponsored giveaways permitted outside of marketplace: Listings or solicitations to sponsor or fund a seller's giveaway is permitted provided any such listings do not appear in the marketplace. Any such listings will be removed from the marketplace.
• Sellers may promote and establish targets for running giveaways, such as stating a giveaway will be run at a certain sales goal or time of day. 

Participating in Giveaways

We want our whole community to participate in and enjoy giveaways, which requires giveaways to be fair for all users.

Each user is allowed one entry per eligible giveaway and must submit entries manually. If we identify giveaway abuse, violation of our terms, or giveaway rules, such as entry into an unnatural number of giveaways, we may suspend eligibility to enter giveaways. We reserve the right to cancel any giveaway order where the winning entrants violated our terms or giveaway rules, such as accounts entering a single giveaway using multiple accounts. 

We detect violations and determine limits through automated signals, and if needed, human review. If you suspect a user is abusing our giveaway feature, please report it to us through our in-app reporting flow. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

If I enter a giveaway and leave the livestream before it’s run, will I still be entered to win the giveaway? 

No, if you leave the livestream before the giveaway is run, you will be removed from the list of entries. However, if you rejoin the livestream before the giveaway is run, you’ll be automatically re-entered into the giveaway. 

Who pays for shipping?

Sellers will pay for shipping on giveaways, including international shipping. Giveaway shipping costs will be taken from the seller’s account balance once a giveaway is run. However, it’s your responsibility to check which customs and import charges for international giveaways may apply to your item and to pay those charges. Whatnot will not reimburse shipping costs on giveaways. 

I don’t have any money in my Whatnot account. Are the shipping costs still taken from my account?

If you don’t have any money in your account balance when the giveaway is run, the shipping costs will still be taken out of your account, and your account balance will reflect a negative balance. The amount you owe will be deducted from future earnings.

Please be sure to list the weight of your giveaway items accurately to ensure you are not overcharged shipping cost. 

Can I run a giveaway while an auction is in progress?

Yes! Please see this article for more information. 

What happens if I do not receive my giveaway item? 

Sellers are required to ship out all items won in the giveaway. However, if the seller hasn’t shipped your giveaway within the standard shipping timeline or if the item was lost in transit, please reach out to Whatnot Support.  

What happens if the item I won in a giveaway is damaged?

Whatnot cannot provide a refund to the giveaway winner since they did not purchase the item. 

How do I tell if a user is present when they win the giveaway? 

Sellers can’t ask the winner of a giveaway if they are present in the chat. However, when a user enters a giveaway but leaves the livestream, they will be automatically removed from the list of entries for that giveaway. If the user returns before a winner is drawn, they will be automatically entered into the giveaway again. 

Can I ask users who enter the giveaway to follow me or others on Whatnot, TikTok, or other social platforms?

A user is allowed to enter the giveaway as long as they meet the restrictions allowed by Whatnot. Sellers can’t add their own restrictions to enter a giveaway, including requiring users to follow them or others on other social media platforms.

Sellers cannot deny the winner the giveaway prize for any reason. 

As a user, what information do I need to enter giveaways?

Giveaways are free to enter but a user will need to have their payment info and shipping address on file to enter giveaways even though they will not be charged for shipping or any associated costs related to the giveaway.

Additional Resources

• Adding Standard Giveaways in a Livestream
• Adding Buyer Appreciation Giveaways in a Livestream
• Running a Giveaway During a Livestream
• Entering a Standard Giveaway
• Entering a Buyer Appreciation Giveaway 
• Running Simultaneous Auctions and Giveaways in Your Livestream