General Information About ChitChats
What is ChitChats and why is Whatnot partnering with them?
ChitChats (CC) is a low-cost shipping provider in Canada that partners with carriers like USPS and Canada Post who handle the final delivery. ChitChats has 66 dropoff locations across Canada (BC, AB, ON, QC, and Atlantic Canada - NB, NL, NS, PEI). Whatnot is always striving to provide the most reliable and affordable shipping service to its buyers and sellers. Partnering with ChitChats allows us to offer Canada sellers increased flexibility and decreased shipping costs.
Who can sign up to use ChitChats on Whatnot?
Any Canada seller can set ChitChats as their default shipping carrier on Whatnot. We recommend sellers first check if they are located near a ChitChats dropoff location in order to ensure they are able to fulfill their orders with ChitChats. Canadian sellers will still be able to set Canada Post as their default carrier on Whatnot if they do not wish to use ChitChats as their default shipping carrier.
Where are ChitChats dropoff locations?
Sellers can see their nearest ChitChats location on the ChitChats website. ChitChats has 66 locations throughout Canada. Please note, for sellers in Atlantic Canada, there is a fee for dropping packages off at the Maritime Bus dropoff locations.
Who can ChitChats ship to?
ChitChats can ship to anywhere in Canada or internationally. Depending on the buyer’s location, box weight and dimension, etc. the shipment may only qualify for certain kinds of ChitChats services, which may fluctuate the cost of shipping.
Availability & Setup
Why is ChitChats not available for me yet?
Currently ChitChats is being made available to sellers over the next couple of days in order to ensure the systems can handle an influx of orders. We want to ensure that sellers face no disruptions to their business or order fulfillment process. ChitChats will be available to all sellers by February 13, 2025.
Do I need to do anything differently if I want to use ChitChats?
You will need to opt-in to setting your default shipping provider as ChitChats in Account >> Seller Hub >> Shipping >> Preferred Shipping Provider on mobile. From there, you can generate labels like you usually do after your show in Seller Hub. Instead of seeing Canada Post labels, you will now see ChitChats labels. After that, just drop off the packages at your nearest ChitChats branch and you’re good to go!
How can I switch between default shipping providers?
On mobile, you can go to Account >> Seller Hub >> Shipping >> Preferred Shipping Provider to change your default shipping provider. The changes go into effect immediately.
I don’t see my carrier options toggle on web. Where is it?
Currently the option to switch default carrier between ChitChats and Canada Post is only available via mobile. You can navigate to the setting by following this path: Account >> Seller Hub >> Shipping >> Preferred Shipping Provider.
Will I be able to switch default shipping carriers whenever I want?
Yes! You can head to Account >> Seller Hub >> Shipping >> Preferred Shipping Provider any time and switch the shipping provider you use. Please note this will only affect orders that do not have labels AFTER you switch the provider. For example, if you generated labels for a show with Canada Post and then switch to ChitChats, the Canada Post labels will still be there.
Can I use my non-default shipping provider for just one shipment?
No. All labels generated will be via your chosen default shipping provider. If you wish to use the alternative, you can navigate to Account >> Seller Hub >> Shipping >> Preferred Shipping Provider in the Whatnot app to switch it. Note - this will only affect orders that are completed AFTER you switch the provider. All orders completed with the former setting will generate labels accordingly.
Pricing & Shipping Costs
How does pricing work with ChitChats?
ChitChats uses a combination of origin, destination, and weight to determine the cost of shipping between two locations. Generally the further a package has to travel or the more it weighs, the more expensive shipping will be. Buyers that live in more urban areas where ChitChats has a large presence can generally expect larger shipping cost decreases. Buyers in more rural areas of Canada will likely not see a large difference in shipping costs vs. Canada Post.
Are shipping costs for Canadian sellers now cheaper?
By partnering with ChitChats, we can now offer significantly lower shipping costs for the majority of buyers. When we launched Whatnot in Canada, we introduced a simple flat rate shipping fee structure to bring Whatnot to Canadians as quickly as we could. We have now evolved our overall shipping cost structure from a simple flat fee to be based on what our shipping partners (ChitChats, Canada Post) charge, which is based on a combination of origin, destination, weight, dimensions.
Why is ChitChats charging me a fee for dropping off my packages?
If you are located in Atlantic Canada, please note that if you are accessing a Maritime Bus dropoff location, you will be subject to the cost of shipping the package to a ChitChats distribution center. There is a nearby free drop-off location in Bedford, Nova Scotia.
If you are in Montreal, Quebec, the UPS dropoff location in Montreal, Quebec will charge $3 + tax for each bag or box dropped off. There is a nearby free drop-off location in Montreal, Quebec. All other ChitChats dropoff locations will be free to drop off your shipments. The most updated information on fees and dropoff locations can be found here on the ChitChats website.
Shipping Issues & Troubleshooting
A ChitChats label failed to generate. What should I do?
If a ChitChats label failed to generate, please reach out to Whatnot support and include your username and order/shipment ID, and we would be happy to generate a label for you.
ChitChats is not shipping my package due to lack of invoice and/or insufficient items description. What should I do?
If ChitChats is not shipping a package due to a lack of invoice or item description, please kindly let them know that the information is available in the packing slip, which should be included in the shipment. In case the shipment still does not begin moving, please contact Whatnot support to escalate.
ChitChats is not accepting my dropoff because the value of my multiple packages to a single buyer is over $800. What should I do?
In the case that the value of multiple shipments going to a single buyer per day is >$800 but no single package is >$800, you can ask ChitChats to ship out one of the shipments the following day. If issues persist, please contact Whatnot support to escalate.
Shipping Restrictions & Limitations
Shipping with ChitChats for US-bound orders >$800 USD and Canada-domestic orders >$2500 CAD
If you are using ChitChats and you have either A) a US-bound shipment exceeding $800 USD in value or B) a CA-bound shipment exceeding $2,500 CAD in value, please contact Whatnot support to generate a Canada Post label. You will need to drop these shipments at a Canada Post location. Please do not drop these shipments at a ChitChats location.
Why is ChitChats spacing my shipments out over several days?
ChitChats has a limit of $800 on shipments from any unique seller to any unique buyer per day. This is so that the buyer does not have to pay any customs fees. If more than $800 in value goes to the buyer in one day, they will have to pay import customs. ChitChats may space out your shipment across several days if possible to keep the shipment values <$800 and avoid any additional fees for the buyer
What are the restrictions for ChitChat’s international services (e.g. CA>US)?
Prohibited items that cannot be shipped include (full in the Prohibited Items Policy):
- Hazardous materials: Flammable, explosive, or toxic substances
- Weapons and illegal items: Firearms, ammunition, drugs, or paraphernalia
- Food, beverages, and plant matter: Includes perishable goods and agricultural products
- Medical devices: Items regulated by authorities
Shipments cannot exceed USD $800 retail value per package or combined packages sent to the same address on the same day. Also, each carrier may impose further limits, such as on alcohol, tobacco, lithium batteries, and oversized items. You can learn more in the Carrier-Specific Restrictions Guide.