Fix a payment issue or declined payment

If your payment is declined on Whatnot, you can retry or update your payment method. Here’s how to fix common problems with payment and what to know about unexpected charges.

This article covers troubleshooting payments made directly through Whatnot. If you used Klarna or Affirm, check out Buy Now, Pay Later. 

On this page: 

• Why payments decline

• Fix a declined payment

• Troubleshoot charges

Why payments decline

Payments can fail for a few reasons:

• Not enough funds available
• Card expired or not activated
• Incorrect card details (number, expiration date, CVV/security code, billing address)
• Billing address doesn’t match your bank’s records
• Bank flagged the payment for review

If you’ve confirmed everything looks correct and your payment still won’t go through, contact your bank to investigate the issue before you retry payment. 

In the meantime, you can try your purchase using a different payment method.

Fix a declined payment 

During a live show

When you bid on a item and your payment declines, you’ll get a notification in Whatnot asking you to:

• Add new payment method (use a different card or payment option), or
• Retry payment (try the same method again)

Before retrying, make sure you’ve fixed any issues with your payment method.

The seller is also notified and may ask you to fix your payment before the show ends.

If payment isn’t fixed before the show ends:

• The order is automatically canceled
• You won’t be charged
• The seller won’t ship and can relist the item

At checkout outside a show

If your payment fails while purchasing outside a show:

• In the app, you’ll see a message that your payment was declined

• On web, you’ll see a message that your order wasn’t placed

You can then update your payment method, or retry the same method once issues are resolved.

Troubleshoot charges 

Why was I charged $10?

If you see an pending charge for $10, it's usually a temporary pre-authorization when you request to become a Verified Buyer. This helps confirm that you have funds available and a valid payment method before making a purchase during a show. 

The hold won’t fully process and should disappear from your bank statement within a few days. 

Why am I seeing a recurring charge?

Whatnot doesn’t offer subscriptions. If you see a recurring charge, it may be because:

• You used Buy Now, Pay Later (Klarna, Affirm), and it’s part of your installment plan

• Your bank grouped multiple purchases or labeled them as a subscription

If you’re unsure, wait for the charges to fully process. If they don't add up, contact our Support team with a screenshot and we’ll help investigate.

Why am I seeing duplicate charges?

Duplicate charges can appear if attempted payments fail. Failed charges usually drop off within a few days. 

If the duplicate charges don't disappear from your bank statement, contact Support with a screenshot and we'll help investigate. 

I see a charge, but no order was created.

Check your orders under Activity > Purchases in Whatnot. If the order isn’t listed, it wasn’t successful.

Any charge you see on your bank statement is likely a temporary hold from a failed payment. Failed payments should disappear from your statement within a few business days.