Live shows for sports cards, Pokémon, collectibles and vintage. Your camera, light and sound sell as much as the stock does.
The kit our builder picks for a typical Whatnot seller. Change the answers to fit yours.
Storage
Long cardboard boxes with dividers for bulk cards.
Lighting
Large, soft light for clothing and full-body shots.
Microphone
Keeps your voice clear when you turn away from the phone.
Each step in the order you'll need it.
You sell in live shows. Buyers join, bid or buy at a set price while you show each item, and the orders land in your account after the show.
New sellers apply and may be asked about their category and stock. Whatnot's seller help pages list the current steps and which categories are open.
An overhead phone arm shows cards and small items flat on the desk. Two LED panels from the sides keep holo cards and slabs free of hotspots, and a clip-on mic keeps your voice clear over background noise.
Run the show from a second device if you can, so you can watch chat without covering the camera. Spend on a stable connection before a new phone.
Pull every item for the show in running order, already sleeved or bagged. Put a small number on each one that matches your show list.
Set aside a space for sold items during the show, so you pack the next morning from one pile.
Whatnot provides prepaid USPS labels for orders, with the shipping cost paid by the buyer. A thermal printer runs off 4 × 6 in labels one after another without ink or trimming, which speeds up the evening after a busy show.
Buyers who win several items in one show usually get them combined into one package. Check your order list for each buyer before you pack, and ship within the time Whatnot asks of sellers.
Kit for this step
Single cards go in a penny sleeve and toploader, then a rigid mailer. Sealed product and figures go in a box with padding all around.
Keep supplies within arm's reach of the label printer, so a busy show doesn't turn into a slow night of packing.
Run shows at a regular time so buyers learn when to find you. Keep a short list of what sold and at what price, so you can plan stock for the next show.
As orders rise, add a second shelf of packing supplies and pack in batches by mailer type. Cross-list slower stock on eBay or Mercari rather than holding it for shows.
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
Step-by-step help for the jobs that come next.
Whatnot sells through live shows. Buyers watch you open packs or hold up items and bid in real time, so they judge your camera, light and sound along with the stock.
Most Whatnot sellers in the US start with sports cards, Pokémon or small collectibles from a desk. Buy an overhead phone mount, glare-free light and a clip-on mic first, then packing supplies: a good show can leave you with 40 orders to ship the next morning.
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
Whatnot generates prepaid USPS labels for your orders, and the buyer pays shipping at checkout. You can print 4 × 6 in labels on a home inkjet at first, but once a show brings in more than a dozen orders, a thermal printer saves you cutting, taping and buying ink.
A ring light is fine for your face, but it reflects off holo cards, slabs and glossy boxes. Two LED panels angled in from each side give you even light with no hotspot in the middle of the card. If you sell sealed product and singles, start with the panels.
Whatnot takes a commission on the sale price, about 8% in most categories, plus a payment processing fee of about 2.9% plus $0.30 on the order total. Some categories carry a lower rate. Rates change, so check Whatnot's seller fees page before you set starting bids.
Whatnot sets no required length. Start with a short show, see what sells and build from there.
It's optional. A second device for chat lets you keep the camera steady and still answer buyers.
Sell stock you know well and can talk about, because Whatnot buyers bid with sellers who know their category.
