Buyer Protection

  • We've got you covered

    When you buy on Whatnot, you're buying from someone who’s built a community around their expertise and passion—live, on camera, answering your questions in real time. For the rare times something goes wrong, Whatnot's Buyer Protection has you covered. If an order doesn't arrive, arrives damaged, or isn't what the seller described, we'll help make it right.

  • Why we offer Buyer Protection

    Buyer Protection exists so you can trust you're getting what you paid for. When an order doesn't go as planned, we help make things right. It's great for sellers, too—when you can bid with confidence, everyone wins.

  • Whatnot covers you when your purchase:

    • Doesn’t arrive: Lost in transit, never shipped, or marked delivered but MIA

    • Arrives damaged: Broken, cracked, expired, or not in usable condition

    • Isn’t what you bought: Wrong item, not as described

  • Protection starts before you buy

    Most of our trust work happens before anyone needs Buyer Protection. Sellers are verified before they can go live, and our systems run around the clock to shut down 99% of inauthentic accounts before anyone reports them.

  • How to report an order issue

    Open the order in the app, tap ‘Request Help,’ and share what happened. Most claims are resolved by the seller first; if they can't make it right, our team steps in. You have up to 30 days from purchase or 14 days from delivery to reach out.

    See how the full reporting process works

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Buyer Protection covers eligible purchases if an item doesn't arrive, arrives damaged, or shows up differently from how it was described. If something goes wrong, you can file a claim through the app and get a refund.

  • Open the order in the app, tap ‘Request Help,’ and share what happened along with a photo if the item arrived damaged or wasn't as described. Most claims are resolved by the seller first; if they can't make it right, our team steps in.

  • You have up to 30 days from purchase or 14 days from delivery, whichever comes first. Some categories have shorter windows—check the full policy for details.

  • If the seller doesn't respond within two business days or can't resolve the claim, Whatnot support takes over and reviews the claim directly. You'll get updates as the case moves forward.

  • Yes. Counterfeits are illegal, and they are not allowed on Whatnot. If an item turns out to be inauthentic or not as described, it's covered through Buyer Protection.