Set up shipping settings before your show Set up shipping settings before your show

Set up shipping settings before your show

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Before you go live, take a moment to review your shipping settings. These settings only apply to shows and help make sure your buyers see accurate shipping costs, your labels are correct, and bundling works as expected.

Many sellers don’t realize something’s off until after a show ends, when shipping costs have already been charged. Most issues, like unexpected fees or missed bundles, can be avoided by choosing the right settings upfront.

Tip: For orders placed outside of shows, the shipping service is based on the item’s shipping profile. Whatnot will default to the most cost-effective method based on the shipment details.

On this page: 


Watch a video about shipping options


How shipping settings work

There are a couple ways to manage shipping for your shows:

  • Seller Hub settings: Your default shipping options for future shows
  • Show settings: Overrides you can set when scheduling a specific show 

Each product you sell also uses a shipping profile based on its weight or category. Profiles work within the shipping options you’ve enabled in Seller Hub and your show settings.

Note: In some cases, Whatnot may apply a domestic shipping method automatically based on the item's category. For example, USPS Media Mail may be used for items in Books, Music, or similar categories, even if it’s not shown as an option in your shipping settings.


Set your default shipping options in Seller Hub

Your default settings apply to your future shows, but the shipping method may still vary based on the item’s weight, category, or show-specific overrides.

If you update your settings and already have live shows scheduled, you can choose whether to apply the changes to those shows too. 

From Seller Hub, you can control: 

  • Whether to offer free pickup for local buyers
  • Which domestic shipping options to enable (varies by region)
  • Who pays for shipping (buyers pay by default, but you can offer discounted or free shipping)
  • Whether to use custom shipping profiles for certain items

Note: International shipping is automatically enabled for eligible buyers and can’t be disabled or turned off.

Learn more about shipping options in your region: US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Netherlands, Austria

To update your Seller Hub shipping settings:

Note: You can only update these settings in the Whatnot app, not whatnot.com

  1. Open the Whatnot app
  2. Tap Seller Hub at the bottom of the screen
  3. Tap the menu icon (☰) in the top right
  4. Scroll down and select Shipping
  5. Review your settings and edit if needed
  6. (Optional) Choose whether to apply changes to scheduled shows
  7. Save your changes

You can edit these settings again at any time. 


Update shipping settings for a specific show

By default, your live shows will use the settings from your Seller Hub, but you can customize shipping settings for specific shows. 

For each show, you can choose: 

  • Whether to offer free pickup
  • Which shipping methods to enable
  • Who pays for shipping

To set shipping settings for a new show: 

  1. Open the Whanot app
  2. Tap Seller Hub at the bottom of the screen
  3. Select Schedule a Show
  4. Scroll down to Shipping Settings 

These changes apply only to that show. If it’s a recurring show, the settings carry over to future instances. 

You can also edit these settings for any shows you’ve already scheduled. 


Choose a shipping profile for your product

Each time you list a product, you’ll choose a shipping profile that helps determine how the item ships and how much shipping costs. Shipping profiles work within the options you've enabled in your shipping settings.

Whatnot will automatically suggest profiles for your product based on the item's weight or category. You can use the suggestions, or create a custom shipping profile if you want more control, like specific weight, dimensions, or max bundling. 

Always weigh your items (including packaging) and choose an accurate shipping profile. 

💡 Tip: Avoid padding your shipping profiles by overestimating the weight “just in case.” Overestimating weights can cause buyers to be overcharged and limit your ability to offer competitive shipping. Always use the true packed weight of your item. 

To choose a shipping profile for a new listing: 

  1. Open the Whatnot app
  2. Tap Seller Hub at the bottom of the screen
  3. Select Create a Product
  4. Scroll down to Shipping Profile
  5. Select from Suggested or Custom profiles you’ve created

You can also edit the shipping profile for any active listings in your shop. 


Make a shipping adjustment after your show 

If your package details were incorrect or changed after purchase, you can make a shipping adjustment before you ship.

This creates or replaces your label based on the updated details. It’s a helpful backup, but reviewing your settings ahead of time can help you avoid last-minute fixes and unexpected shipping costs.