Do you want to sell on Whatnot, or are you already a seller? Before starting your first livestreams, it is essential to understand the platform's rules.

Contrary to what you might think, selling an allowed product is not enough. Whatnot also prohibits certain behaviors during auctions, livestreams, giveaways, and interactions with buyers.

Depending on the seriousness of the violation, you may receive a warning, lose your selling privileges, or be permanently banned from the platform.

Here are the main things a seller is not allowed to do on Whatnot.

 

1. Sell Prohibited Products

You cannot sell products prohibited by Whatnot. This includes weapons, drugs, certain medications, stolen goods, official documents, and dangerous products.

Before listing an item, make sure it is allowed on the platform.

2. Sell Counterfeit Products

All products sold must be authentic.

Copies, imitations, and counterfeit products are strictly prohibited, even if you clearly state that the item is a replica.

3. Lie About the Condition of a Product

You must always describe your item honestly.

You are not allowed to hide a defect, scratch, repair, or any other issue that could influence the buyer's decision.

4. Use Misleading Photos

Photos and videos must accurately represent the actual product being sold.

You should not use images found online if they do not exactly match the item you are selling.

5. Manipulate Auctions

An auction must remain completely fair.

You cannot:

• ask a friend to increase the bids;
• use a second account;
• create fake buyers;
• artificially increase the price of an item.

6. Cancel a Sale Because the Price Is Too Low

Once the auction has ended, the sale is considered final.

You cannot cancel an order simply because the final price is lower than you expected.

7. Ask for Payment Outside Whatnot

All sales must be paid directly through Whatnot.

You cannot ask a buyer to pay through:

• PayPal;
• bank transfer;
• Revolut;
• Lydia;
• cash;
• or any other payment method outside the platform.

8. Avoid Whatnot Fees

You are not allowed to redirect buyers to another website to avoid Whatnot fees.

For example, you should not say:

• “Place your order on my website.”
• “Contact me on Instagram to pay less.”

9. Create Multiple Accounts to Abuse Referrals

Whatnot prohibits creating multiple accounts to receive more referral credits.

This type of abuse can result in a permanent ban.

10. Manipulate Giveaways

Giveaways held during livestreams must follow the platform's rules.

You cannot:

• use bots;
• rig a giveaway;
• change the rules after it has started;
• deliberately favor certain participants.

11. Harass or Insult Users

Insults, threats, harassment, and discriminatory comments are prohibited.

Interactions must remain respectful, whether you are speaking with buyers or other sellers.

12. Share a User's Personal Information

You must never share a buyer's contact details, address, phone number, or any other personal information without their consent.

13. Send a Different Item From the One Sold

The product you ship must be exactly the one shown during the livestream.

Sending a different item or one of lower value can lead to a dispute and penalties.

14. Manipulate Shipping Costs

Shipping information must be accurate.

You are not allowed to:

• deliberately enter the wrong package weight;
• declare incorrect contents;
• avoid or manipulate shipping fees.

15. Fail to Ship Orders

After a sale, you must prepare and ship orders within the required timeframe.

Repeated delays or orders that are never shipped can result in penalties.

16. Mislead Buyers During a Livestream

You must never make false promises or provide misleading information about a product.

For example:

• claiming an item is a rare edition when it is not;
• saying an item is new when it has been used;
• deliberately exaggerating the value of an item.

17. Run Fake Contests

Contests and giveaways must be transparent.

You cannot promise a prize if you do not intend to send it.

18. Buy or Sell Fake Reviews

Reviews must be genuine.

You are not allowed to pay someone to leave a fake positive review or publish false ratings.

19. Bypass a Ban

If your account is suspended or banned, you cannot create a new account to continue selling.

Any attempt to bypass a penalty can result in a permanent ban.

20. Ignore the Rules for Your Product Category

Some categories have additional rules.

This is especially true for:

• trading cards;
• coins;
• luxury goods;
• food;
• cosmetics;
• plants;
• jewelry.

Before selling in a new category, take the time to review its specific rules.

What Penalties Can Whatnot Apply?

Depending on the seriousness of the violation, Whatnot may apply different penalties:

• a simple warning;
• a temporary account suspension;
• loss of selling privileges;
• a permanent ban from the platform.

In some cases, repeated violations can also lead to more serious penalties.

In Summary

Following Whatnot's rules is the best way to protect your account and your business.

If you are ever unsure, always choose transparency with your buyers. An honest sale is always better than a penalty that could prevent you from selling permanently.

Are you new to the platform? You can also read our other Whatnot guides about payment methods, Whatnot credits, tips, order tracking, and order cancellations.