If something unexpected comes up, you can request a cancellation before the seller ships your order. The seller reviews your request and decides whether to approve it. In limited cases, Whatnot may step in to help.
If your cancellation is approved, your order will be canceled and fully refunded. If it’s declined — or the seller doesn’t respond within 48 hours — your order will ship as normal.
Note: All bids are binding under our Community Guidelines. When you win an auction, you’re expected to complete the purchase. If something unexpected happens, you can still request a cancellation.
In this article:
- When you can request cancellation
- How to request cancellation
- What happens after you request cancellation
- When Whatnot may step in
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
When you can request cancellation
You can ask the seller to cancel your purchase if:
- They haven't created a shipping label yet, or
- It’s been less than 24 hours since you placed the order (even if a label was created).
Once an order is in transit, cancellation isn't available.
If you need support, you can still get help with your purchase.
Note: Trust is core to the Whatnot community. Frequent cancellations may lead to account action under our Community Guidelines.
How to request cancellation
You can request cancellation for individual items in an order.
If an item is part of a bundle, only that item will be canceled and refunded, including its portion of shipping. The rest of the bundle will remain unless you request cancellation for those items too.
Request cancellation from the app
- From the Whatnot app, tap Activity at the bottom of the screen
- Select Purchases
- Choose the order
- Tap Get help with this purchase
- If eligible, you’ll see the option to Request cancellation – tap it
- Fill out the form and submit your request
Request cancellation on web
Note: When you use whatnot.com, your request is sent to the seller and creates a ticket for Whatnot Support.
- From whatnot.com, click the Activity icon on the top right
- Under the Purchases tab, select the order you want to cancel
- Choose Get help with this purchase
- Click I need help with something else
- Choose Submit a cancellation request
- If eligible, submit your request
What happens after you request cancellation
Your order status will change to Pending Cancellation, and your request will be sent to the seller.
The seller has 48 hours to respond:
If approved: Your order is canceled and refunded to your original payment method within 3–5 business days.
If declined or no response within 48 hours: The order remains final and will ship as normal.
You’ll be notified as soon as the seller responds.
Tip: Check your order status anytime under Activity > Purchases.
When Whatnot may step in
Most cancellation requests are handled by the seller. In certain situations, Whatnot may help or make limited exceptions:
- Bidding error (auction purchases only): If you experienced a technical issue while bidding, contact Support within 2 hours. Include details and screenshots, if available.
- One-time exception: If a shipping label hasn’t been created and you haven’t received an exception before, Whatnot may approve a one-time cancellation for eligible buyers. This doesn’t apply to Card Breaks or items that can be used or consumed on-screen.
- EU or UK buyers: You may have cancellation rights under local consumer laws. Review our Buyer Protection Policy for details on the EU/UK Right of Withdrawal.
Cancellations and refunds aren’t offered for buyer’s remorse, and Whatnot Whatnot reserves the right to deny requests. Learn more in our Buyer Protection Policy.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
I bid by mistake and won. Can I cancel?
You can request cancellation for the seller to review, but approval isn’t guaranteed.
Can I cancel my pre-bid?
No. Pre-bids can’t be canceled or changed. Learn more.
If you win, you can request cancellation for the seller to review.
My package is delayed. Can I cancel my order?
Orders can’t be canceled once they're in transit. Learn what to do if your package is delayed.