How to Sell on Whatnot: Easy-to-Follow Steps to Success

If you want to sell collectibles, vintage clothing, toys, cool gadgets, memorabilia, or virtually anything else to a wide audience via live stream, Whatnot is the online marketplace for you! As a Whatnot seller, you'll be able to sell a wide variety of items on your own live stream, reach a huge number of potential buyers, and get paid quickly after shipping sold items. This guide will teach you how to sell on Whatnot from start to finish, and give you tips for Whatnot success.

Quick Guide to Selling on Whatnot

Download the Whatnot app and create an account.
Tap + and fill out the seller application.
Schedule your first live show and add products to your inventory.
Verify your account by scanning your ID.
Go live at the scheduled time to display and promote your products.
Once you make a sale, ship the item within 2 business days.
Your payment will be available for transfer within 4 hours of the item's delivery.

Section 1 of 8:

Apply to Sell on Whatnot

Download Article

1
Create your Whatnot account. Before you can sell items on Whatnot, you'll need to create an account and become an approved seller. If you haven't already signed up, you can do so now by downloading the Whatnot app from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Play Store (Android), launching the app, and following the on-screen instructions. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Using a computer? Head over to whatnot.com, click Sign Up in the upper-right corner, and follow the on-screen instructions. Just keep in mind that you can only sell on Whatnot using the mobile app on your phone.
2
Start your WhatNot application. Once you have an account, you can apply to sell by tapping + Sell and agreeing to the terms. From there, tap Get Started, and review the terms before opting in.

Advertisement
3
Enter your selling information and preferences. The application contains a few questions about the type of products you'll be selling, whether you're an individual or a business, and other sites you've already been using to sell your products.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- If you indicated that you sell on Other platforms, you'll be asked to select which online marketplaces (Amazon, Poshmark, etc.) you're using.
- You can sell on Whatnot regardless of the options you choose.
- Depending on the option(s) you select, you may be asked to provide additional information so Whatnot can give your seller account a boost.
4
Add your return address. When prompted, tap Add Return Address to provide the address from which you'll be shipping (and to which you'll receive returns). Whatnot will use this information to help calculate shipping costs.
- You can enter a PO box address if needed.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- Once you complete this step, the application process is complete. From here, you'll need to go through Whatnot's "Seller 101" process, which walks you through setting up your first show and adding products.

Section 2 of 8:

Schedule Your First Show

Download Article

1
Start the Go Live walkthrough. After you finish your application, you'll be taken to the Get Ready to Go Live page. If you closed it, you can reopen it by tapping + Sell at the bottom of Whatnot, or by tapping Get Started on the main Whatnot home screen. This tool will walk you through scheduling your first show and adding products to your shop. You'll need to go through this process before you gain access to the Seller Hub.
2
Schedule your first show. Tap Create your show, then tap Next to continue. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter a title for your first show and select a date and time to go live. Tap Next again, and you'll be able to choose additional options for your show.
- When prompted, select the category that best represents the products you plan to sell the first time you go live.
3
Select a show format. There are a few different types of shows you can create:^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Auction shows allow buyers to bid on the items you're selling.
- Buy It Now shows allow you to set a specific selling price so users can instantly buy your items.
- Surprise Sets shows allow you to curate a selection of similar items from which the buyer will receive a random item from that set.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
4
Add a thumbnail (optional) and tap Finish. If you want, you can add a show thumbnail, which is an image that represents your show on Whatnot. You can take a photo of the item you're selling or design a custom image. If you're not quite ready, just tap Add later to skip this step. Then, tap Finish to complete the setup.
- Your first show on Whatnot is now scheduled!

Section 3 of 8:

Adding Products to Your Store

Download Article

1
Weigh the items you want to sell. The weight of your product will determine the shipping cost, so you'll need to have that information when adding products. It's important not to estimate, as the package could be rejected or returned.
- If you're having trouble getting an accurate weight, Whatnot says it's better to overestimate an item's weight than underestimate.^{[6]
  X
  Research source}
- You must create a shipping label via Whatnot to ship items. This requires having a printer. Unfortunately, you cannot create your own labels or label packages by hand.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
2
Open the Shop to add an item to your inventory. Tap + at the bottom of Whatnot, then tap Shop in the bottom-right corner. The first time you do this, you'll be taken through several info screens before you arrive at your storefront.
3
Tap + and select a listing type. Now you'll need to choose a way to list the product:^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Choose Create Quality Listing to add a product that remains for sale even after your live stream ends. This is a good option for long-term visibility and if you want this product to be available for future shows. You'll need to add more product details for this option.
- Choose Create Temporary Listing to add a product for the current show only. For this type of listing, you won't have to enter as much descriptive detail about the product. This type of listing will expire when the live stream ends.
- No matter the type of listing, it will be helpful to add descriptive keywords to your item's description to make it easy for people to find.
4
Enter product details and show format. Fill out the form for the product you're selling as needed. The options you see will depend on the type of listing you're creating. If you're selling multiple items, you can create additional listings as needed.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- For a quality listing, you'll need to provide an image of the item, as well as a detailed description of the product.
- You must select a show format (Buy it Now or Auction) for each item as you list it.
  - For Buy it Now, enter a fixed price. You can also enable "Accept Offers" to allow viewers to make offers lower than your asking price.
  - For Auction items, enter the amount of time the auction should run, as well as a starting bid.
- Fill out the form completely, then tap Publish or Add Listing when you're finished.
- Add additional products as needed.

Section 4 of 8:

Verifying Your Seller Account

Download Article

Become a verified seller on Whatnot. You must complete the verification process before you can start selling on Whatnot. To start the verification, tap + at the bottom of Whatnot, then tap Verify Account at the bottom. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your ID, phone number, and payment method.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- As part of the verification process, you'll need to scan a valid photo ID and take a selfie, both of which you can do with your phone.
- Whatnot uses Stripe and biometrics to verify your identity. The verification process should be quick as a result.
- Once your verification is complete, you can go live and start selling!

Section 5 of 8:

Going Live

Download Article

1
Tap + at the bottom of the app and select Start Show. When you're ready to start your live stream, it's as easy as that!^{[11]
X
Research source}
- If needed, tap Go Live to start the stream.
- Once you go live, anyone who bookmarked your scheduled show will receive a notification in the app.
2
Display your product(s) clearly and answer questions as they come in. If viewers have questions or comments, they'll appear in the chat. Answer questions honestly, and interact with your viewers as much as possible to keep the show engaging.^{[12]
X
Research source}
3
Auction off items (if running an auction). If you're doing an auction, tap the Shop icon at the bottom-right to open your shop, tap the Auction tab, then tap Start Auction on the first item you want to auction. Enter the starting price if needed, as well as the desired auction length, then tap Start Auction again to begin the auction.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- As people bid, the number of bids will update at the bottom of the stream.
- Once the auction time completes, the winner will be announced.
4
End your live stream. When you're ready to end the show, tap the down-arrow at the upper-right corner, then tap End show.^{[14]
X
Research source}

Section 6 of 8:

Fulfilling Orders

Download Article

1
Go to your Shipments on the Whatnot website. Even though you must go live using the mobile app, Whatnot's label creation features are only available on larger screens. Log in to your account on Whatnot.com, click the account icon at the top-right, then select Shipments.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- You must have a printer to print Whatnot shipping labels.
- Ship items to buyers/auction winners within 2 business days of the sale.
2
Update your shipping label preferences. You must ship items using Whatnot's shipping labels, which requires a printer. Click the Open Sidebar button the right side of your Shipments page to display your default label options at the bottom. Here, you can adjust the paper size, label size, packing slip size, and return address as needed before generating a label.^{[16]
X
Research source}
3
Generate and print a shipping label. Select the order you need to ship, then click Generate Label on that order. Make any changes needed, and then click Print Shipping Label to send the label to your printer.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- If you want, you can also print a packing slip to include in the package. Click Export Shipping Labels / Slips under "Shipping Actions," check the box next to "Packing slip," and print the slip.^{[18]
  X
  Research source}
4
Pack your order. Pack the item securely using appropriate packaging. Once safely packed, insert the packing slip (if using), seal up the box, and apply the shipping label.
- See Whatnot's shipping guidelines for category-specific packing instructions.
5
Ship the item within 2 days of the sale. When bringing the package to the carrier, request a receipt–you'll want to have one in case any shipping issues arise.^{[19]
X
Research source}
- You will receive payment within 4 hours of when the item is delivered to the buyer.^{[20]
  X
  Research source}

Section 7 of 8:

Getting Paid

Download Article

1
Open the Seller Hub in the Whatnot app. Once you've made a successful sale, you'll see the Seller Hub option at the bottom of Whatnot.
2
Scroll down and select Payouts. This opens your Payout settings.
3
Link your account to Whatnot. Tap Add a Payout Method, then follow the on-screen prompts to verify your preferred payout method with Stripe. Once verified, you can initiate a payout as soon as you have funds available to cash out.^{[21]
X
Research source}
4
Initiate a payout. In Seller Hub, tap the menu ☰ and select Payouts from the list. Tap Start Payout to begin transferring the funds to your account.
- You should receive your funds within 1-2 business days of starting a payout.

Section 8 of 8:

How to Be a Successful Seller on WhatNot

Download Article

The best way to learn how to run a successful live show on Whatnot is to see what's working for other people. Watch plenty of live shows in the categories you plan to sell in to get ideas for your own streams.
2
Use catchy show titles and a great thumbnail image. When potential buyers are browsing their favorite categories, you'll want to make sure your show catches their eyes.^{[22]
X
Research source}
3
Perfect your live streaming setup. For a professional live stream that brings in the sales, level up your recording setup with a tripod, desktop phone stand or phone mounting kit. Lighting also matters, so invest in lighting enhancements like panel lights and a mounting pole. You'll also want to make sure people can hear you clearly–a clip-on mic kit ensures your voice sounds great and you can move around freely.^{[23]
X
Research source}
4
Share your Whatnot shows on other social media platforms. Before you go live, share a link to your show in your Instagram, TikTok, or other social media bio. The wider the net you cast, the more sales you're likely to get!