Whatnot started with trading cards and collectibles and now covers fashion, sneakers, vintage, toys, coins and more. The model is different from every listing-based marketplace: you sell in real time, on camera, to people who chose to watch you. That makes it one of the fastest ways to move inventory in volume — and one of the hardest to start, because on day one you have no audience.
Getting approved
- In the app, go to Sell → Get Started. You answer questions about your selling experience, choose a primary category, agree to the community guidelines, and give your legal name and a return address.
- Whatnot says access is granted within minutes in most cases. Some categories, such as luxury bags and wholesale, need a separate approval.
- Complete seller verification before your first show. You don’t have to show your face on camera — plenty of card and coin sellers show only their hands and the item.
- The full Seller Hub unlocks after your first show.
Whatnot fees (September 2026)
Two fees apply to every sale. Commission is a percentage of the item price only (not shipping or tax) and depends on category and tier. Payment processing is 2.9% + $0.30 on everything the buyer pays, including shipping and tax.
| 28-day sales tier | Fashion | Sports / TCG | Other collectibles | Coins | Everything else |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard ($0–14,999) | 8% | 8% | 8% | 4% | 8% |
| Tier 1 ($15k+) | 7% | 7.75% | 7.25% | 3.9% | 7% |
| Tier 2 ($35k+) | 6.5% | 7.5% | 6.5% | 3.8% | 6.5% |
| Tier 3 ($50k+) | 5.5% | 7.25% | 6% | 3.7% | 5.5% |
| Tier 4 ($100k+) | 5% | 7% | 5% | 3.6% | 4% |
| Tier 5 ($250k+) | 4.5% | 6.75% | 5% | 3.55% | 4% |
| Tier 6 ($500k+) | 4.5% | 6.5% | 5% | 3.5% | 4% |
How tiers work: your total sales across all categories in one 28-day period set your tier for the next period, and that rate is locked for the period. Each sale is then charged its own category’s rate — the show’s category for live sales, the product’s category for marketplace sales. Private shows, local pickup and cancelled orders don’t count toward the total. Existing sellers moved to this structure on September 21, 2026; sellers approved after that move over the week of September 28.
Don’t game the category
Putting items in a lower-rate category to cut your commission counts as fee avoidance under Whatnot’s rules and can lead to enforcement. Categorize your shows honestly.Two extras: Whatnot’s high-value promotion charges no commission on the part of a single order above $1,500 in eligible categories (TCG, coins, sports singles, comics and anime, toys and hobbies, entertainment cards, bags and accessories, jewelry and watches) — processing still applies to the full amount, and Whatnot calls it limited-time. And sellers in the Premier Shop program keep their 10% commission discount on top of the new rates through October 31, 2026.
Worked examples (Standard tier)
| Sale | Commission | Processing | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25 jacket (Fashion), buyer pays $7.75 shipping | 8% × $25 = $2.00 | 2.9% × $32.75 + $0.30 = $1.25 | $21.75 |
| $100 card (TCG), buyer pays $4.47 shipping | 8% × $100 = $8.00 | 2.9% × $104.47 + $0.30 = $3.33 | $88.67 |
| $2,000 card (TCG, high-value promo), shipping ignored | 8% × $1,500 = $120.00 | 2.9% × $2,000 + $0.30 = $58.30 | $1,821.70 |
Sales tax the buyer pays raises processing slightly. At Tier 2 in Fashion, the $25 jacket’s commission drops to $1.63.
Show formats
- Auctions. You set a starting bid, an auction time and a counter-bid time: any bid in the final 10 seconds resets the clock to that counter time. Buyers can pre-bid before the show. Once an auction starts it can’t be cancelled, so only run items you’re willing to sell at the starting bid.
- Sudden death. An optional auction setting where the clock ends at 00:01 with no extensions — faster and more exciting, but last-second snipes don’t push the price up.
- Buy It Now. Fixed-price listings, with multiple quantities and optional offers. They also sit in your profile shop, so you sell between shows.
- Giveaways. Up to five minutes, winner drawn at random, entrants must be in the show with a saved address and payment method. You pay giveaway shipping, can’t give away cash or charge for entry, and must post official rules including “NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.” Buyer-appreciation giveaways reward people who buy in the show.
$1 starts: know the risk
Many sellers open with $1-start auctions to build energy in the room. It works when you have enough viewers to bid items up. With five people watching, a $1 start is often a $1 sale — start small shows at a price you’d accept.Shipping
Every listing has a shipping profile with the packed weight (and sometimes dimensions). Buyers pay shipping based on it by default; you can choose to cover it. After the show Whatnot generates prepaid labels in 8.5×11 or 4×6 — set 4×6 if you use a thermal printer. Use your own labels only if approved for Whatnot’s bring-your-own-label program.
Whatnot’s Smart Bundling combines a buyer’s purchases into one shipment based on weight, size and carrier price, which is why buyers happily win ten cheap items in one show. Weigh with your packaging, not just the item: set the profile too low and carrier adjustments come out of your earnings; too high and buyers overpay and bid less.
Getting paid
In the US, earnings become available up to four hours after the carrier confirms delivery, and bank payouts take one to two business days. Labels you bring yourself pay out seven days after tracking is entered. Established sellers can qualify for Early Payout, which releases earnings when you generate the label; the eligibility thresholds are in Seller Hub.
Getting your first viewers
Whatnot’s own guidance, plus what works for sellers we know:
- Schedule shows in advance with a 9:16 thumbnail (1080×1920) that shows the best item, a clear title, tags and show notes.
- Load listings early so followers can browse and pre-bid, and share the show link on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook groups or wherever your buyers already are.
- Keep a repeat schedule. Same days, same time. The For You feed shows only live shows, and ranks them partly on watch time, orders and seller quality — shipping speed, refunds and cancellations.
- Narrow the theme. “Y2K denim night” or “$5 Pokémon singles” finds its audience faster than “random stuff.”
- Talk to the room. Greet people by name, explain the item, show flaws. Whatnot buyers buy the seller as much as the item.
- Ship fast. Fast shipping and few cancellations feed straight back into how Whatnot ranks your future shows.
Common mistakes
- Starting auctions below what you’ll accept with a small audience.
- Guessing shipping weights. Adjustments on a hundred orders add up quickly.
- Running giveaways without the official rules or with paid entry — that’s a legal problem, not just a policy one.
- Inconsistent scheduling. A show every few weeks at random times never builds a regular crowd.
- Ignoring the tier math. If you’re near $15,000 in a 28-day period, a strong final week can lower your rate for the whole next period.
- Forgetting processing is on shipping and tax too. The headline 8% is not your whole fee.
Whatnot works best alongside a listing marketplace for items that don’t sell live. See our crosslisting guide and fee comparison.
Check your Whatnot fees by category and tier
FAQ
What are Whatnot’s seller fees after September 21, 2026?
Whatnot now charges a commission on the item price that depends on the category and your sales tier, plus payment processing of 2.9% + $0.30 on the full order including shipping and tax. At the Standard tier (under $15,000 in the previous 28-day period) most categories pay 8% and coins pay 4%. Higher tiers lower the rate, for example Fashion drops to 7% at $15,000+ and 4.5% at $250,000+.
How do Whatnot sales tiers work?
Your total sales across all categories in one 28-day period set your tier for the next period, and the rate is locked for that period. Each sale is then charged its own category’s rate at that tier: the show’s category for live sales and the product’s category for marketplace sales. Private shows, local pickup orders and cancelled orders do not count toward the total.
How do I get approved to sell on Whatnot?
Apply in the app from Sell, then Get Started. You answer questions about your selling experience, pick a primary category, agree to the community guidelines and give your legal name and return address. Whatnot says access is usually granted within minutes, but some categories, such as luxury bags, need separate approval, and you must complete seller verification before going live.
Who pays shipping on Whatnot?
Buyers pay shipping by default, based on the shipping profile (packed weight) on each listing, and Whatnot generates a prepaid label in 8.5×11 or 4×6. Whatnot combines a buyer’s purchases from the same show into one shipment where it can. If you set the weight too low, carrier adjustments come out of your pocket. Giveaway shipping is always paid by the seller.
How do I get my first viewers on Whatnot?
Schedule shows ahead of time with a clear 9:16 thumbnail, tags and show notes, load listings early so people can pre-bid, share the show link before you go live and keep a repeat schedule. Whatnot’s For You feed shows only live shows and ranks them partly on watch time, orders and seller quality such as shipping speed, so going live consistently and shipping on time compounds.
Sources
Fees, rates and policies change. We checked these pages in September 2026 — confirm on the official page before relying on a number.
- Whatnot Help: Whatnot seller fees
- Whatnot Help: Reduced commission on high-value orders
- Whatnot Help: Apply to sell on Whatnot
- Whatnot Help: Start selling on Whatnot
- Whatnot Help: Auctions
- Whatnot Help: Buy It Now listings
- Whatnot Help: Giveaways
- Whatnot Help: Giveaway official rules
- Whatnot Help: Shipping profiles
- Whatnot Help: Shipping labels
- Whatnot Help: Smart Bundling
- Whatnot Help: Getting paid
- Whatnot Help: Scheduling and promoting a show
- Whatnot Help: How the For You feed works
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