A Beginner’s Guide to Whatnot
If you’ve ever thought about turning your collection of vintage toys or comics into a profitable side hustle or even a full-time business, Whatnot is a great place to start. Whatnot offers an interactive, fast-paced, and community-driven marketplace where sellers auction off items live and buyers place bids in real-time.
Whatnot operates a bit differently than traditional online marketplaces like eBay or Amazon, so it’s important to understand the platform’s features, community, and selling techniques. This comprehensive beginner guide will walk you through everything you need to know—from setting up your account and preparing for your first auction to building a reputation and growing your Whatnot business. If you’re new to Whatnot, these tips will help you navigate the platform successfully.
What is Whatnot?
Whatnot is a live-streaming e-commerce platform where users can buy and sell products through live auctions, including fashion, sneakers, collectibles, vintage toys, antiques, and more! Unlike static marketplaces, where users list products and wait for them to sell, Whatnot revolves around real-time interactions. Sellers can present their items live to viewers, who can ask questions, comment, and, most importantly, bid on the spot. This dynamic format increases excitement around products and builds a sense of urgency, leading to higher bids and faster sales.
Why Sell on Whatnot?
Live Auctions
Sellers host live events where they present their items in real-time. This format allows for direct interaction between buyers and sellers, adding a social aspect that’s missing in more traditional e-commerce platforms.
Community
Whatnot thrives on its community, with users often returning to buy from their favorite sellers. Whether it’s sneakers or popular trading cards, the platform also encourages interaction between users with the same interests through their live chat and social media features.
Niche Markets
While larger e-commerce sites cater to mass-market products, Whatnot has become particularly popular for collectibles, vintage items, and other niche categories where buyers are often passionate collectors. The result? A highly engaged audience willing to spend more money on rare items.
How Does Whatnot Work?
Whatnot offers two ways to sell your products:
1. Live Auctions
Live auctions are the heart of Whatnot. Sellers schedule an auction, set up a live stream, and present items in real-time. As a seller, you can interact directly with your audience, answer questions, and encourage bids. Each item is auctioned off in a set timeframe, and buyers place bids until the timer runs out. The excitement of live bidding often drives prices higher than they might reach in traditional fixed-price listings.
2. Whatnot Marketplace
Whatnot also offers Buy-It-Now listings, which allow sellers to post items at fixed prices on their Whatnot store. Buyers can browse these listings and make immediate purchases like on a traditional e-commerce site. Selling on the Whatnot marketplace is also ideal for items that don’t require the excitement of an auction or for sellers looking to maintain a steady stream of sales outside of live events.
Most successful sellers on Whatnot use a combination of live auctions and Buy-It-Now listings. While live auctions are great for building engagement and driving up product prices, Buy-It-Now listings also allow consistent sales between live events.
Getting Started on Whatnot: The Application Process and Setup
Signing Up for Whatnot
You can easily sign up for Whatnot by creating an account on the app or desktop and uploading your driver’s license to become a verified user. However, unlike other online marketplaces, you can’t just create an account on Whatnot and start selling immediately. You have to apply to become a seller. Here’s how to get started with your seller application:
- Download the Whatnot App: Whatnot is available on both iOS and Android. It’s a mobile-first platform, so most of your activity will happen through the app.
- Create a Buyer’s Account: Start by familiarizing yourself with Whatnot. Explore live auctions, understand how bidding works, and observe how established sellers interact with their audience.
- Apply to Become a Seller: The next step is applying to become a seller. Whatnot reviews all applications, and they look for sellers with a history of sales on other platforms, an active social media presence, and an inventory of items that would appeal to the Whatnot community.
Tips for a Successful Whatnot Seller Application
- Showcase Your Experience: If you’ve been selling on platforms like eBay, Poshmark, or Walmart, include those details. The more experience you have, the higher your chances of approval.
- Provide Clear Proof of Inventory: Whatnot wants to ensure sellers have a steady stream of quality inventory. Showcasing photos of your current inventory and descriptions of your products can strengthen your application.
- Niche Expertise: Highlight your knowledge of the category you’re applying to sell in. If you’re a vintage toy collector or sneakerhead, emphasize your expertise in those areas.
What Do I Need to Start Selling on Whatnot?
1. Inventory: Where to Find Items to Sell
One of the most important ways to succeed on Whatnot is having the right inventory. Whether you’re selling vintage toys, comics, sneakers, or collectibles, sourcing high-quality items that appeal to buyers is key. Here are some of the best ways to source your inventory:
- Your Personal Collection: Many successful Whatnot sellers started by auctioning items from their personal collections. Whether it’s comics, trading cards, or toys, your own collection can serve as your initial inventory. Once you’ve established a presence on the platform, you can reinvest your earnings into sourcing additional inventory.
- Local Thrift Stores and Flea Markets: Local thrift stores and flea markets are excellent places to find hidden gems. Whether it’s vintage clothing or unique collectibles, these places often have undervalued items that can be sold for a profit.
- Garage Sales and Estate Sales: Garage sales and estate sales often offer rare collectibles, antiques, and memorabilia at low prices that can be sold at a higher cost on Whatnot.
- Liquidation Sales: Liquidation stores often sell items at a discount because they need to clear out inventory quickly. They have sales that offer new or slightly used products at a fraction of the retail price, making them perfect for Whatnot sellers. You can find anything from electronics to clothing and collectibles at these sales. Just make sure the items you purchase are in good condition so you can sell them on Whatnot.
- Online Wholesale Marketplaces: Online wholesale platforms provide opportunities to buy bulk quantities of items at lower prices, which can then be sold individually on Whatnot. Once you become a more experienced seller, online marketplaces allow you to source new products in bulk, ranging from electronics to collectibles and fashion. If you want to scale your business, wholesale buying helps you secure consistent inventory while keeping costs low.
2. Target Market Research
Before you start sourcing your inventory, take some time to research which items are in high demand on Whatnot. Knowing the market value will help you source better and price your products competitively. You can use the seller and analytics tools on Whatnot to help you find products and get access to data to help you identify trends and sales performance. Another tool you can use is Vendoo, which allows you to access Whatnot sales data, including peak engagement times and current popular products.
3. Pricing Strategy
It’s important to have a pricing strategy before you start to sell. Here are some tips for pricing your items competitively:
- Do Sales Research: Researching product sales gives you an excellent baseline for pricing. Look at what similar products sell for on Whatnot and other platforms like eBay.
- Consider Starting Low: The excitement of an auction is in the bidding, so a lower starting price, such as $1, often encourages more people to place bids. This strategy could create a bidding war that drives the cost of the item up.
- Factor in Fees and Shipping: Make sure your pricing accounts for Whatnot’s fees and shipping costs so you don’t lose money on the sale.
Understanding Whatnot Fees and Payouts
Selling on Whatnot comes with its own fees, which are pretty reasonable. Before you start selling, it’s important to understand how these fees work so that you can include them in your pricing strategy.
- Transaction Fees: Whatnot typically charges a commission of about 8% of the final sale price, which varies slightly depending on the category.
- Payment Processing Fees: In addition to the transaction fee, there’s a payment processing fee (usually 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). This fee covers the cost of payment platforms like PayPal.
- Payout Timeline: Sellers typically receive their earnings within a few days (48-72 hours) after the buyer receives their item and confirms the purchase. You can keep track of your payments in your seller dashboard.
What Sells Best on Whatnot?
There are a ton of items you can sell on Whatnot to make a decent profit. Although you still need to do your own research to see which products you want to sell on Whatnot, here are some of the most popular selling products to give you an idea of where to start:
- Action Figures and Funko Pops: One of the most popular categories, especially for collectors looking for rare editions or hard-to-find items.
- Comics: Vintage comic books and rare issues attract a loyal audience of collectors.
- Sneakers and Streetwear: Limited-edition sneakers and branded clothing are also fast-growing categories.
- Trading Cards: Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and sports cards remain huge draws on the platform.
How to Sell Live on Whatnot
Now that you know how and what to sell on Whatnot, you need to set up your first live auction!
Setting Up a Whatnot Live Auction
Here are some simple steps to set up your auction for success:
- Schedule Your Live Show: Go into the Whatnot app and click the “+” sign in the top right corner. A pop-up menu will appear and give you the option to schedule a live show in advance. Click on it and schedule a date and time for your live show. Once you schedule the show, you can name it, select a product category, and create a promotional video to upload to your auction.
- Add Your Inventory: Whatnot offers a simple listing form for your auction where you can add the inventory you are going to sell. Your listing should include clear, high-quality photos of the items, detailed descriptions, and accurate titles. The more information you provide, the more confident buyers will feel about bidding.
- Organize Your Items: Plan the order you’ll present your items during the auction. Start with lower-value items to warm up the crowd, and save the best for last to keep viewers engaged. You can also add items from your Buy-It-Now listings on your Whatnot store for any products you want to feature to sell without having to auction them live.
Promoting Your Whatnot Livestream
To get the most viewers for your auctions, promote them on social media, in the Whatnot community, and different online groups, and use Whatnot’s features.
- Whatnot Features: Use tools in the Whatnot app, like Show Boost and Show Promote, to increase your auction’s visibility and drive traffic to your show.
- Video: You can promote your livestream in the Whatnot app by also creating a promotional video for your auction.
- Instagram and Facebook: Post about your upcoming auction, share sneak peeks of the items, and use relevant hashtags like #Whatnot or #LiveSale.
- TikTok: Create short, engaging videos of your items and talk about your upcoming live auction to generate interest.
- Collectors’ Forums and Discord Groups: Many sellers successfully promote their auctions by participating in discussions on forums, Facebook groups, and Whatnot’s own Discord server.
Setting the Stage: Preparing Your Auction Setup
Hosting a live auction on Whatnot is an interactive experience, so presentation matters. Before you go live, you need a great setup for your auction. Here are some tips for creating a professional and engaging setup:
- Lighting: Make sure your items are clearly visible. Use good lighting (natural or studio lights) to avoid shadows and ensure buyers can see every detail of the product.
- Background: A clean, uncluttered background helps keep the focus on the item. Some sellers use branded backgrounds, adding a professional touch that reinforces their brand identity.
- Camera Setup: Ensure your camera is steady and provides a clear, detailed view of the items you’re selling. While a smartphone on a tripod works great for most sellers, investing in a higher-quality camera can elevate your presentation.
- Audio: Clear audio is crucial. If your buyers can’t hear you, they’ll lose interest fast. Consider using a lapel microphone or a quality headset to ensure your voice is clear.
Running Your Auction
When you’re ready to start your live show, select the first item from your store and pin it to the top of your screen. Pinning it allows your audience to see the item’s title. Then, you can show off the item on your live stream. After you’re done talking up the item to your audience, start the auction when you’re ready. Whatnot will take care of timing your auction and let you know who won the bidding.
Engage with Your Audience
During your auction, it’s important to directly engage with your audience and get them excited about the item you are selling. Here are some tips to engage with your audience:
- Be Personable: Treat your auction like a conversation. Greet new viewers, answer questions, and encourage interaction. The more engaged your audience feels, the more likely they are to bid.
- Provide Context: When presenting each item, give a bit of background. If it’s a collectible, talk about its rarity, condition, or any interesting details.
- Encourage Bidding: Don’t be afraid to remind viewers to place bids to create urgency.
- Keep the Pace Up: Auctions should be fast and exciting. Don’t linger on any item for too long because it can cause viewers to lose interest. However, don’t rush through items either—find a good balance.
Dealing with Challenges
Even the best-planned Whatnot live auctions can face challenges. Here’s how to handle some common issues:
- Technical Glitches: Live auctions can sometimes experience technical glitches like Internet connectivity issues or lag. If this happens, reassure your audience that you’re working to resolve the issue. Most buyers understand that glitches happen. If possible, have a second device or backup internet connection ready. If technical problems continue, let your audience know and consider rescheduling the auction.
- Low Participation: Don’t get discouraged if participation is lower than expected. Try to engage the viewers in the live show and consider offering a special deal or incentive to encourage bidding.
- Negative Comments: Stay calm and professional if you experience negative or disruptive comments during your auction. Address any legitimate concerns politely and ignore trolls or inappropriate comments.
After the Auction: Shipping, Feedback, and Improving Future Sales
Handling Payments and Shipping
Once your auction ends, the next step is shipping your items. A smooth, efficient shipping process is critical to building a good reputation on Whatnot:
- Confirm Payments: Ensure that all payments have been received before shipping items. Whatnot’s payment system makes this straightforward, but it’s always good to double-check.
- Ship Quickly: Buyers appreciate fast shipping. Whatnot requires you to ship the items one to two days after the auction.
- Package Carefully: Protect items during transit with appropriate packaging. Bubble wrap, sturdy boxes, and packing peanuts can prevent damage and ensure the buyer receives the item in the expected condition.
- Label Clearly: Double-check all addresses and ensure all shipping labels are printed clearly. Mistakes in shipping details can lead to delays or lost packages, which may result in negative reviews.
Building a Reputation with Feedback
Your reputation on Whatnot will grow as you receive positive feedback from buyers. Here’s how to ensure happy customers:
- Encourage Reviews: After completing a sale, kindly ask your buyers to leave feedback. Positive reviews can help boost your trustworthiness on the Whatnot platform.
- Engage with Buyers: Follow up with buyers after the sale to thank them for their purchase. Building relationships with your viewers can lead to repeat business in the future.
- Handle Complaints Professionally: Not every sale will be perfect. If a buyer has an issue with their purchase, address it quickly and professionally. Offering a refund, exchange, or partial credit can turn a potentially negative review into a positive experience.
Analyzing Your Performance
After your auction, take some time to reflect on how things went. Look at the items that sold for the highest prices, your level of engagement, and any feedback from buyers. Use this information to fine-tune future auctions. Did certain items sell better than others? Were there moments of high engagement that you can replicate in future events? Whether it’s adjusting your inventory, improving your setup, or trying a new promotional strategy, continuous improvement is key.
Growing Your Whatnot Business for Long-Term Success
Building Your Brand on Whatnot
As you gain more experience on Whatnot, you’ll want to start thinking about how to build a brand that keeps customers coming back. Your brand isn’t just your name or logo—it’s the experience you provide.
- Consistency: It’s important to be consistent in your live auction format, presentation style, and communication with buyers. A reliable seller is one buyers are more likely to return to.
- Visual Identity: Consider creating a logo and cohesive visual style that you can use across your Whatnot profile, social media, and packaging. A good brand identity can make you stand out from other sellers.
- Engage Your Audience: Use social media to engage with your audience outside your auctions. Post about upcoming sales, share behind-the-scenes content, or run giveaways to build excitement and loyalty.
Leveraging the Whatnot Community and Networking
Whatnot is a community, and building relationships with buyers and other sellers can help you grow your business.
- Engage Regularly: Participate in community discussions on Whatnot and related social media groups. The more active you are, the more visible you’ll be to potential buyers.
- Cross-Promotion: Partner with other sellers who sell products that complement yours. If you sell vintage toys, team up with someone selling related collectibles like comic books or trading cards. You can promote each other’s auctions to your respective audiences.
- Attend Virtual Events: Whatnot occasionally hosts events or special auctions. Participating in these can boost your visibility and help you connect with other sellers and buyers.
Scaling Inventory and Expanding Product Categories
As you become more established on Whatnot, you’ll want to think about scaling your business:
- Diversify Your Products: Consider expanding into related categories or offering new types of products that complement what you already sell.
- Increase Your Inventory: As demand grows, so should your inventory. Source new items regularly to keep your auctions fresh and exciting. Work on building relationships with suppliers to access more products. As you grow, you may also consider buying in bulk to reduce costs on online wholesale marketplaces.
- Quality Control: As your inventory grows, it’s important to maintain the quality of your products. You need to make sure that every item meets your standards before listing it for sale.
Whatnot Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about Whatnot to help guide you to your most important questions.
How do you get approved to be a Whatnot Seller?
You must fill out a seller application on the Whatnot app to sell live and on the marketplace. You need to provide proof of your identification, a return shipping address, a valid payment method, and links to your social media profiles and other selling marketplaces if you have them. Once you are approved, you will have to join a live Whatnot onboarding session where someone on their team will review the platform with you.
How long does it take to get approved on Whatnot?
It can take up to two weeks for Whatnot to approve your seller application.
What equipment do I need to host a Whatnot live auction?
- Smartphone or Camera: Most sellers use a smartphone with a good camera, but a dedicated camera with live streaming capabilities is even better if you want to upgrade.
- Tripod or Phone Stand: Keeping your camera stable and hands-free is essential.
- Good Lighting: Use natural light or invest in ring lights to make sure your items are clearly visible and well-lit.
- Reliable Internet Connection: A strong Wi-Fi connection is crucial to avoid lagging during your live auction.
How do you ship with Whatnot?
After your auction ends, you will need to ship your items. The buyer always pays for shipping on Whatnot, which is based on the weight of the items and where they live. The best part is Whatnot handles the pricing for you and generates prepaid shipping labels based on the items sold and the estimated weight. Here’s more about how this process works:
- Weigh Your Items: When listing items, you’ll need to provide an estimated weight for shipping. If the weight is inaccurate, you may need to adjust the shipping label later.
- Print the Shipping Label: After the auction, Whatnot will provide you with a prepaid label to print and attach to the package.
- Ship On Time: Sellers are expected to ship items within 24-48 hours. Quick shipping builds trust and improves the buyer’s overall experience.
How does a seller get paid on Whatnot?
You can get paid on Whanot pretty quickly! After you ship your items directly to the buyer, you can expect payment within 48-72 hours once it’s delivered. You can cash out the money you made through direct deposit through your linked bank account or payment method. Whatnot’s seller dashboard also lets you track your payouts to see when your funds are available.
Start Selling on Whatnot
Selling on Whatnot offers an exciting opportunity to create a thriving resale business. Remember to focus on building a strong community by genuinely engaging with your audience. Use live streaming to create an interactive shopping experience, and always be transparent about the condition and authenticity of your items. Most importantly, keep experimenting and enjoy growing your Whatnot business.
If you are just getting started on Whatnot, our guide offers invaluable tips and strategies to help you maximize your sales and connect with buyers who share your passion. Sign up for our newsletter at Resale Pro and start learning how to turn your items into income on Whatnot.
