You can review and respond to cancellation requests in Seller Hub. You have 48 hours to accept or decline a request after the buyer submits.
On this page
- Before you respond
- How to respond to a cancellation request
- What happens when you accept
- When Whatnot may approve a cancellation
- Frequently asked questions
Before you respond
Buyers can request a cancellation within 24 hours of purchase, as long as the order hasn’t shipped, or anytime before you generate the label.
All bids are binding under our Community Guidelines, so you can choose whether to accept or decline:
- Accept: The order is canceled, and the buyer receives a full refund.
- Decline or don’t respond within 48 hours: The sale is final, and you should ship the order.
Whatnot may also step in and approve a cancellation in certain circumstances. Learn more.
Accepting buyer cancellation requests doesn’t affect your Account Health.
You can’t generate a shipping label while a cancellation request is pending. If you plan to ship the order, decline the request first.
How to respond to a cancellation request
Once you accept or decline a request, your decision can’t be undone.
In the app
- Open the app.
- Tap Seller Hub
.
- Scroll down and tap Orders.
- Filter by Cancellations or find an order marked Pending Cancellation.
- Select the order.
- Choose Accept or Decline.
On whatnot.com
- Open the Orders page in Seller Hub.
- Filter by Cancellations or find an order marked Pending Cancellation.
Select the order to view details, including the buyer’s note.
Choose Accept or Decline.
Tip: From the Shipments page, look for the ! icon to see any pending cancellation requests. You can’t generate a shipping label until you respond to the request, so be sure to respond before shipping the order.
What happens when you accept
- The buyer is automatically notified and refunded in full.
- Shipping costs are refunded to the original payer.
- Any pending earnings from the sale are canceled.
- If payout has already started, the sale amount is deducted from your account balance.
- If the item was part of a bundle, the remaining items are unaffected unless they’re also canceled.
When Whatnot may approve a cancellation
Whatnot may make an exception to final sale and approve cancellation requests in these situations:
- Technical bidding issues: If a technical issue occurs during an auction, the buyer can contact Whatnot Support within two hours of the error.
- One-time exception: Eligible buyers may receive a one-time cancellation if a shipping label hasn’t been created. This exception doesn’t apply to Card Breaks or items that can be used or consumed on-screen.
- EU or UK right of withdrawal: Some buyers may have a legal right to cancel under local consumer laws. See the Buyer Protection Policy for details.
Frequently asked questions
What if the buyer asks to cancel after I’ve shipped the order?
Orders can’t be canceled after shipment. Let the buyer know their order is on the way.
If there’s an issue with the order during shipping or upon arrival, they can request help with a purchase.
What if I accepted a cancellation by mistake?
Cancellations can’t be undone. You can message the buyer to ask if they’d like to repurchase the item.
Can buyers leave a rating or review after requesting a cancellation?
No. Buyers who request a cancellation can’t rate the purchase or leave a written review.
A buyer overbid during my show. What should I do?
Don’t generate a shipping label. Ask the buyer to submit a cancellation request from their order details page, then accept it and relist the item if needed.
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