Return Policy in the US and Canada

Whatnot is a Marketplace that connects buyers and sellers. Whatnot features live shopping and competitive bidding for rare and limited products.  Once a bid or offer has been accepted we are unable to offer returns, refunds, or exchanges to protect the integrity of the marketplace and auction process.

At Whatnot, we’re committed to making every buyer feel confident when making a purchase. So in those rare circumstances where something goes wrong with your purchase, you can rest assured that we’ve got your back as outlined by our Whatnot Buyer Protection. When you have an issue with your order, you should submit a request through the app to get help with your order. The policy below provides details on what scenarios are covered to receive a refund.

Covered Refund Reasons: 

Buyers can request refunds for the following qualified issues as long as the request is submitted within the category-specific timeframes outlined below:

• The item is substantially delayed in getting shipped 
• The item is substantially delayed in transit
• The item was damaged in transit
• An item from your package is missing 
• The item is incorrect or the item is correct but the wrong size/color 
• The item you received does not match the description, condition, or photos listed
• The item is defective, doesn’t work, or expired
• The item is a counterfeit or fake 
• You had to pay additional postage to receive the item 
• Sales tax was charged incorrectly 

**Note that for any of the above issues, Whatnot may require you to return the item before receiving a refund. When a return is required, you must return the item in the exact condition you received it to be eligible for a refund**

Exceptions & Exclusions to Covered Refund Reasons

• Consumable Products: The value of consumable products changes once the product is consumed or opened. 

  • Breaks, Mystery Games, and Pull Games: any item(s) purchased in a break, mystery game, or pull game show format are only eligible for a refund if an item is missing, delayed, incorrect, or damaged. 

  • Other consumable products: any other product that is consumed or opened by the buyer in a manner that changes the item’s value is ineligible for a refund. 

• High-Value Items: Sports Cards or Trading Cards obtained in breaks may be eligible for a separate high-value loss reimbursement, outlined here (i.e., buyers are eligible for a refund of the item’s market value vs the order value). Whatnot will help assess the appropriate refund amount due based on market value. Any decision on market values by Whatnot are final.

• Orders With PSA Grading: Items with PSA grading purchased as an add-on are not eligible for a refund unless the item is lost or damaged in transit between the seller and PSA or PSA and the buyer. If PSA cannot grade the item, the item will be sent to you and the charge for grading service will be refunded. Purchasing grading is solely at the discretion of the buyer and receiving a lower grade than expected is not grounds for a refund. For more information, please refer to our Grading FAQ

• Condition of Returned Items: When Whatnot requires that an item be returned to receive a refund, you must return the same item in the exact condition that you received it in to be eligible for a refund. You may be denied a refund if the item is returned in a different/lesser condition. For example, opening a product or removing tags may disqualify your order from being refunded or reduce the refund amount you are eligible to receive. 

• Incorrect Returned Items: When Whatnot requires that an item be returned to receive a refund, you must return the original item you received from the seller. If you return an incorrect item, Whatnot will not issue you a refund, and the item will not be returned to you. When packing your return, please carefully check that you are returning the correct item. You will not be compensated for any incorrect items sent to Whatnot.

• Tips: Tips to sellers are ineligible for refunds.

• Delivery Refusal: Refusing delivery of an item does not qualify your order for a refund unless the parcel carrier requires you to pay additional postage to receive the package. If you do pay additional postage to receive a package, contact Whatnot support and we can reimburse you. 

• Customs Fees: Refusal to pay applicable customs or duties due does not qualify the order for a refund

• Chargebacks: Orders that have been disputed with your financial institution are ineligible for refunds.

• Digital Content: NFTs, Pattern PDFs, and other Digital Content are ineligible for refunds

• Buyers that exhibit indications of refund and/or return fraud or otherwise violate Whatnot policy may be refused refunds or have action taken against their account. This determination is fully at the discretion of Whatnot

Refund Request Time Frames:

Whatnot reserves the right to deny any refund request made outside of the refund time frames outlined below. 

For the Plant category, refund requests must be submitted within 2 days of order delivery or 30 days from purchase, whichever comes first, to be eligible for a refund.

For the categories listed below, refund requests must be submitted within 7 days of order delivery or 30 days from purchase, whichever comes first, to be eligible for a refund. 

• Coins & Money
• Sports Cards
• Sneakers & Streetwear
• Trading Card Games 

For all other categories, refund requests must be submitted within 14 days of delivery or 30 days from purchase, whichever comes first, to be eligible for a refund.  

• Action Figures
• And Whatnot
• Antiques, Vintage & Ephemera
• Arts & Handmade 
• Bags & Accessories
• Beauty
• Books
• Comics & Manga
• Crystals & Gems
• Disneyana
• Electronics
• Estate Sales & Storage Units
• Fashion (Kids’, Men’s, Women’s, Vintage & Thrift Clothing)
• Food & Drink
• Home & Garden
• Jewelry
• Kawaii
• Movies
• Music
• Sports equipment
• Toys & Hobbies
• Video Games
• Watches

Extensions & Exceptions to Refund Request Time Frames 

• Orders Marked Delivered: If your item is marked as delivered, but you have not received it, you must contact support within 7 days so that we can investigate the situation. Whatnot will not be held liable for any package marked as delivered by USPS to the address listed on your account, and any refunds provided are solely at the discretion of Whatnot on a case-by-case basis.
• International Orders: Orders shipped internationally may take extended periods of time to get delivered. For international orders, you are eligible to request a refund up to 7 or 14 days from when your item is delivered, depending on the category-specific timeframe, regardless of when the order was placed 
• Authentication: The authentication process can take a few weeks. When we require an item to be sent in for authentication, so long as you initiate the request within the category-specific timeframes above, the refund window is extended until authentication is complete. 
• Integrated Grading Orders: Delivery times for orders with integrated grading purchased vary on a number of factors, including the level of grading service purchased. When an item is purchased with integrated grading, you have 7 days from when the item is delivered to you after grading to request a refund for any issues 
• Preorders & Custom Orders: For certain orders that take extended periods of time before they can be shipped, you are eligible to request a refund up to 7 or 14 days from when your item is delivered, depending on the category you purchased in, as shown above
• Natural Disasters: Extensions may be offered to buyers and sellers in particular locations to take into consideration delays due to circumstances such as natural disasters, national emergencies, labor strikes, or governmental acts.

Cancellation Request Timing:

Buyers can request a cancellation from sellers through the app within 24 hours of purchase or until the shipping label has been printed, whichever comes later. Cancellation requests for misbids or accidental bids must be made within 2 hours of the error for the request to be considered. Whatnot reserves the right to deny any cancellation request, even those made within 2 hours. More information on cancellation requests can be found here.

Refund Amount:

If your return request falls within one of the qualified issues listed above and you submit the request within the category-specific refund time frame, you are eligible to receive a full refund on your order, including shipping costs and taxes, with a few exceptions:

• If you come to an agreement with Whatnot for a partial refund amount for any reason, that partial refund amount is calculated from the subtotal of the purchase amount and is final. Whatnot will not consider an additional refund amount later
• Missing, delayed, or incorrect high-value items from breaks of Sports Cards or Trading Card Games may be eligible for a separate high-value loss reimbursement process, outlined here (i.e., buyers are eligible for a refund of the item’s market value vs the order value). 
• If sales tax was charged incorrectly, you will only receive a refund for the difference between the tax amount you paid and the correct tax amount (no return required)
• If you had to pay additional postage to receive the item, you will be refunded for the additional postage amount paid (proof of additional postage paid is required; no return required)

FAQ for buyers:

• How do I request a Refund?
  • You can submit a request directly through the app from your Purchases page! Just click on the order you need help with, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click “Get help with this purchase” or "Contact Us". Here are complete instructions to Contact Whanot Support.
• What if I need to return my item?
  • For many refund requests, Whatnot may ask you to return the item before issuing your refund. When a return is required, your returned item must be delivered back to Whatnot in the exact condition you received the item in, before a refund will be processed  
  • Once your refund request has been approved, you will be emailed a return shipping label. In addition to reviewing our packaging guidelines for packaging tips, you must ship your return within 7 days of your refund request getting approved. 
  • Failure to package your item correctly, drop it off within 7 days of refund approval, or return the item in a different condition than you received the item in may result in your refund request getting canceled and your order(s) becoming ineligible for future refund requests.
• When will I receive my refund?
  • You should see the refund reflected on your original form of payment within 3-5 business days after your refund has been processed by Whatnot. The refund may show up as a credit or the original charge may drop off your credit card or bank statement entirely.
  • If your refund request does not require a return, your refund will be processed on the same day that your refund request is accepted
  • If a return is required, your refund will be processed once we receive and verify your returned item(s). In some cases, refunds on returned items to Whatnot can take a little longer to process due to high warehouse volumes. Please click here to check the tracking status of your returned package using the tracking number on the return label you received via email 
  • If you have not received your refund within 14 days of the item being delivered back to us, please contact Support, so that our team can assist you.
• I never received an item from a seller, what do I do?
  • Please contact support within 30 days of placing an order if you have not received a tracking update or your package. If you do not contact support within 30 days of placing the order Whatnot reserves the right to deny your refund request.
  • Note that we are only able to refund the purchase price. Any perceived value increase cannot be refunded. The only exception to this policy is in the event of missing or damaged high-value cards hit in a break. For more details on this, please check out our High-Value Loss Reimbursement Policy.
  • If you have any questions, please  Contact Whanot Support through the Whatnot app by navigating to your Purchases, selecting the order you need help with, clicking ‘Get help with this purchase,’ and following the prompts to complete the form. We will be happy to help!