Is Whatnot Legitimate & Safe to Use? All You Need to Know

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Learn the pros, cons, and user experiences of Whatnot

Written by Shayan Faraz | Edited by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: September 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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Is Whatnot legit?

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Staying Safe on Whatnot

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Whatnot Reviews

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If you've heard of Whatnot before, you might be wondering if the app is legit and safe to use. Whatnot is a shopping app where sellers can livestream to show off their wares, and buyers can purchase them while watching the stream—kind of like TikTok-meets-eBay. Thankfully, Whatnot is a legit app, and it's overall safe to use. Still, there are some things to keep in mind to stay safe on the app. Read on to learn more.

Whatnot: Is it safe?

Whatnot is a legit app, and it's safe to use as both a buyer and a seller.
Many buyers online have complained that a lot (but not all) sellers on Whatnot are scammy, or that they lie about the products they're selling.
Whatnot has buyer protections, though users are split: some have had good experiences getting refunds, and others have not.

Section 1 of 3:

Is Whatnot legit?

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Yes, Whatnot is a legit shopping service. As a platform, Whatnot is safe to use. It has a number of policies in place to protect both buyers and sellers, and all of the platform's policies are available to view online.^{[1]
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- However, Whatnot is a marketplace, similar to the TikTok shop, AliExpress, and Temu—the sellers on the site are not affiliated with Whatnot, and some of the sellers you encounter may be untrustworthy.
- Because of this, buyers on Whatnot must be diligent to vet the people they watch and buy from. While there are protections in place to help if you get scammed or defrauded, it's best to avoid these situations altogether.
- Some Whatnot users have complained about not getting refunds from Whatnot in the past, though other users online have had no trouble getting refunds.

Section 2 of 3:

Staying Safe on Whatnot

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Avoid prices that seem too good to be true. While there are a lot of sellers offering items for good deals on Whatnot, beware of items priced ridiculously low for what they are. The item you receive in the mail will likely not match the item that was advertised, if you even get anything at all.
- These types of pricing gimmicks are popular with online scammers.
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Avoid buying from sellers with no reviews or bad reviews. If a seller has no reviews yet, it's best to avoid purchasing from them, especially if you're making a big purchase. It also should go without saying to avoid sellers with bad reviews; however, you may need to take reviews with a grain of salt. If you see that a seller has only a few bad reviews and more positive ones, it's probably safe to buy from that seller.
- If the bad reviews seem outrageous or unfair to you, it's also probably safe to buy from that seller, especially if they have mostly positive reviews.
- It is possible to get legit items from a seller with no reviews, but it's best to avoid these sellers if you're worried about getting scammed.
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Avoid streams that focus on gambling. Some Whatnot sellers use gambling wheels and giveaways to attract buyers, but it's best to avoid these streams. Unfortunately, Whatnot can contribute to gambling addiction, and it may not be the best choice if this is something you struggle with.
- Learn how to spot the signs of a gambling addiction and contact a gambling addiction support group (like the National Council on Problem Gambling in the US) for help.
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Contact Whatnot for help if your order doesn't show up as described. If the item you purchased arrives and doesn't look like the item you bought (or if it doesn't show up at all), you can contact Whatnot for a refund.^{[2]
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- You are eligible for a refund from Whatnot if your item is:
  - Incorrect
  - Incomplete
  - Not as described (including damaged, expired, or defective)
  - Inauthentic (counterfeit and/or fake)
  - Not delivered
- To get a refund from Whatnot, follow these steps:
  - Open the Whatnot app.
  - Tap Activity at the bottom of your screen.
  - Tap Purchases.
  - Tap the order that you need assistance with.
  - Select Get help with this purchase.
  - Choose the option that best matches your issue. Whatnot will review your refund request and contact you for more information.^{[3]
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Report scammy sellers to Whatnot. If you suspect that a seller is trying to scam someone else (or if you've been scammed by a seller already), you can report that seller to Whatnot. Here's how to do it:^{[4]
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- During a livestream:
  - Tap on the seller's username.
  - Tap Report.
  - Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the report.
- From a DM:
  - Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  - Tap Report.
  - Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the report.
- From a product listing:
  - Tap on a product listing or pinned item.
  - Tap Report Listing.
  - Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the report.
- From a profile (Android & web only):
  - Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  - Tap Report.
  - Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the report.
- Via email:
  - Send an email with the information about the seller to trustandsafety@Whatnot.com. Reports will always be anonymous.

Section 3 of 3:

Whatnot Reviews

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Better Business Bureau Whatnot has generally poor ratings on the Better Business Bureau website, with an average rating of 1.8 stars.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source

Better Business Bureau
Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting marketplace trustworthiness by educating consumers and reviewing businesses

Go to source} Whatnot has received 596 BBB complaints over the past three years, and 377 of those complaints have been closed within the last 12 months.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source

Better Business Bureau
Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting marketplace trustworthiness by educating consumers and reviewing businesses

Go to source}
- Many complaints on the BBB website are about scammy sellers on the app, though some complaints state that Whatnot did not give refunds to people who requested them.
- Whatnot is not a BBB-accredited business, but this doesn't mean that the app is not legit.
  - BBB accreditation is something businesses can purchase, regardless of their policies or practices. The BBB is not a government agency, and it's simply a review site.^{[7]
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TrustPilot Whatnot has generally favorable reviews on TrustPilot, with an average review of 4.2.^{[8]
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Research source} Whatnot has replied to about 50% of their negative reviews, with most of the replies being given within one month of the review's posting.
- Many reviews say that, for the most part, Whatnot is a good app, but there are some issues with sellers who sell broken/fake items.
- Like the BBB, TrustPilot is a review site where consumers can write reviews of businesses they've patronized.