Whatnot partners with sellers to deliver a trustworthy and reliable buying experience. That experience covers multiple steps: how items are listed, sold, shipped, and supported after the sale. When something goes wrong, both sellers and Whatnot have a role in making it right.
That’s not always straightforward. Carrier scan delays, unclear tracking data, and other gray areas can make it harder to see what actually happened. We’ve built safeguards to account for this so that when you’ve done the right things, you’re protected. Our goal is to resolve issues fairly and efficiently, so you can get back to selling.
This policy clarifies what happens when a buyer reports an issue, what information we review, when Whatnot typically covers a refund versus when a seller is responsible, and how appeals work if you believe we missed important context.
What happens when something goes wrong
Buyers submit a report
On the rare occasion that an issue comes up, buyers can report a problem if an item:
- hasn’t arrived
- is incorrect, damaged, or missing
- doesn’t match the listing or live show description
Buyers and sellers try to resolve it directly
For sellers on Seller Provided Support, most eligible issues are resolved between buyers and sellers. When you resolve an issue directly, it helps you build buyer trust and allows you to handle the buyer experience end-to-end.
Whatnot provides support when needed
When issues can’t be resolved directly between seller and buyer, and for issues involving sellers who are not on Seller Provided Support, Whatnot will step in and consider the context available to us, which includes:
- Order details, listing information, live show disclosures
- Shipping and tracking information (including dropoff scans and delivery status)
- Message history related to the order between buyer and seller
- Return and refund history
- Relevant buyer and seller account history and patterns of behavior
Whatnot may also request specific supporting documentation or information from the seller and buyer to help us better understand the issue.
How we’ve got your back
At Whatnot we’re committed to supporting our sellers. When issues come up, we’ve built safeguards that may be applied – often behind the scenes – to resolve them efficiently. Our goal is to reduce disruption when possible so you can keep your business running smoothly. We can do this most often when you’ve followed the right steps to deliver a great customer experience and we have enough information to reach a quick outcome based on the facts we have.
Here’s what you can expect from Whatnot:
- Proactive protection from abuse. When our systems flag unusual refund behavior, suspected fraud, or other abusive patterns by buyers, Whatnot handles those cases directly.
- No penalties for verified carrier failures. If delivery issues are caused by confirmed carrier errors outside your control, we won’t charge you.
- Chargebacks handled by Whatnot. Whatnot manages chargebacks and payment disputes directly, so you aren’t stuck navigating bank processes or absorbing losses tied to payment abuse.
- Context-based decisions. We evaluate evidence from buyers, sellers, and carriers to reach a fair outcome. We don’t assume a particular party is at fault.
- A clear appeal path. If you believe we missed important context in resolving the issue, you can request a review and share additional relevant details.
To keep things fair for everyone, these safeguards aren’t unlimited. Whatnot will reassess a seller's eligibility for coverage when we see recurring issues. In these cases, we will look at patterns across orders and recover refunded amounts, even if one specific claim doesn’t tell the full story on its own.
How refund coverage works
When an issue requires a refund, we determine who covers the cost based on what happened and what the available evidence shows. Whatnot issuing a refund to the buyer does not automatically mean the seller is at fault. Our goal is to understand what happened and reach a fair outcome based on the information available.
Our systems and reviews are designed to account for gray areas and assess each case based on its specific context. In some cases where responsibility cannot be clearly determined, Whatnot may share the cost of the refund.
Below are examples to help clarify how we assess refund responsibility if a situation requires it.
Handled by Whatnot
Cases are covered by Whatnot when there is clear evidence the issue was not caused by the seller:
- Carrier delays: Delays caused by the carrier after timely drop-off.
- Delivery failures: Packages lost, undelivered, or misdelivered by the carrier.
- Fraudulent requests: Claims involving abusive or fraudulent buyer behavior.
Seller responsibility
Sellers are responsible when evidence shows an issue resulted from their action or inaction. Whatnot will recover refunded amounts from sellers for:
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Late or unverified shipment: Sellers are required to ship orders within two business days of the sale to provide a quality experience for buyers. If Whatnot does not receive evidence of shipment within the timeframe, and a buyer’s inquiry is escalated to us, we may cancel the order and refund the buyer. To determine whether or not something is shipped, we look at signals, such as:
- Valid drop-off photo captured using the in-app scanner
- Whatnot Manifest or individual carrier scan forms showing acceptance
- Carrier acceptance or kiosk receipt
If these signals are missing or aren’t supported by later transit scans, we will recover the cost of the refund from the seller.
Note: We implement policies in phases to test and monitor performance. Starting March 2, 2026, sellers will be responsible for refund costs on late shipments without valid confirmation of drop-off. This applies to U.S. domestic shipments sent via USPS and UPS. Additional markets and shipping methods will be added over time. No matter your location, shipping method, or carrier, we recommend confirming shipment using the options outlined above.
- Failure to fulfill High Value Items: For order fulfillment failures of high-value items, sellers will be responsible for reimbursing the buyer the full market value of the missing high-value item(s).
- Policy enforcement related charges: Refunds resulting from violations of our Community Guidelines, from practices that are misleading, deceptive, or unfair to buyers. In these cases, the seller will be billed back for the refunded amount. This includes violations of our Prohibited and restricted items policy, such as the sale of expired, recalled, counterfeit, or otherwise prohibited items.
- Delayed order support: Timely communication helps resolve issues faster and signals that you are prioritizing a good buyer experience. If you receive a message from a buyer or Whatnot Support about an issue and do not respond within 2 business days, you may be responsible for a refund.
Typically, Whatnot will recover refunded amounts from sellers through a billback, which is a ledger deduction from your Whatnot account balance.
Shared responsibility
For some issue types, responsibility cannot always be clearly determined based on the information available. For these issues, Whatnot will review the details we have to understand what likely happened.
When evidence is inconclusive and does not indicate the issue was caused by seller action or inaction (e.g., improper packaging of items), Whatnot will step in to cover the refund cost up to a reasonable limit to protect the buyer experience without unfairly penalizing sellers.
Examples cases include:
- Missing or incorrect fulfillment: Items are missing, incorrect, or incomplete, and it’s not clear from the available information where the issue was likely to have occurred.
- Item condition or description issues: Items don’t match how they were described or shown, and the available information does not clearly indicate whether the difference was likely due to seller action or another factor.
- Damage to items: Items arrive damaged, and the available information does not clearly indicate whether the damage was likely caused by shipping or by how the items were packaged.
How to provide a great experience and minimize issues for buyers
Most refunds are preventable. Following the practices below helps reduce issues, protects your eligibility for coverage, and leads to faster resolution if problems do arise. While refunds are intended to resolve individual order issues, repeated fulfillment failures, high cancellation rates, or consistently high refund rates may lead to additional account-level actions.
- Ship on time and provide valid proof of drop-off. Items must be dropped off within 2 business days of sale. It is a seller’s responsibility to ensure all packages are dropped off to the carrier on time, with valid proof of drop-off.
- List and fulfill accurately. Send the correct item in the condition and quality you represented.
- Package appropriately. Use proper packaging to help prevent damage during transit.
- Be responsive. If you receive a message from a buyer or Whatnot Support, respond within 2 business days. Timely communication helps resolve issues faster and signals that you are prioritizing a good buyer experience.
- Use safeguards appropriately. Patterns of misuse, misrepresentation, or repeated avoidable issues may impact eligibility for protection over time.
Appeals: asking us to take another look
If you ever believe we didn’t get a decision right, you can request a review. When submitting an appeal, include anything that helps clarify what happened, such as:
- Clear photos (before packing, packing process, label, condition)
- Additional tracking or carrier documentation
- Relevant messages or timelines
- Any other details that weren’t available during the original review
Appeals are most effective when they add new, relevant information or correct missing context. Each refund decision may be appealed only once, so it’s important to include all available and relevant information in your submission.
Returns and refunds in the U.K. and the E.U.
Buyers in the U.K. and E.U. may return unconsumed orders within 14 days under the Right of Withdrawal laws. This right does not apply to consumable sales (e.g., Surprise Products or Breaks), custom-made items, certain perishable goods, digital products, or items unsealed for health reasons. Sellers are not required to cover the cost of return shipping under these regulations.