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How to sell on Whatnot: from approval to your first sold-out show
Whatnot is a live auction app. You go on camera, show your cards, and buyers bid in real time. Below is the whole path for card sellers. Want it shown step by step? Get the free video training.
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About 18 minutes. It plays right after you sign up. See the class.
- A strong application. What to show in your photos.
- Your first show with zero followers. How to open, pace and close it.
- Starting bids that don't lose money. The fee math, card by card.
Updated October 2026
The short answer
To sell on Whatnot, apply as a seller in the app, get approved, then schedule a live show and auction your items on camera. Whatnot handles payment and gives you shipping labels. You pay a commission plus a payment processing fee only when an item sells.
- Apply to sell and pick your category (trading cards).
- Add your payout account and shipping details.
- Stock your first show: 40 to 100 items you can describe fast.
- Schedule the show with a clear title and thumbnail.
- Go live: auctions, a few Buy It Now items, a giveaway to pull people in.
- Ship fast, bundle orders per buyer, and ask for reviews.
- Go live again on a fixed schedule.
In this guide
Getting approved to sell on Whatnot
Unlike eBay, you can't just list. Whatnot reviews every new seller. The application asks for:
- Who you are. You must be 18 or older, in a country Whatnot supports, with a valid government photo ID.
- Your category. Pick trading cards and, if asked, the games you'll sell.
- Proof you have product. Clear photos of real inventory.
- Your selling history. Links to an eBay, TCGplayer or social account with feedback can help.
What helps an application is showing that you can go live soon and keep going. A stack of real cards in good light beats a perfect bio. Many sellers get access within minutes; some go to a manual review, and Whatnot gives no fixed timeline.
What sells on Whatnot (for card sellers)
| What you sell | Why it works live | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Singles | Fast to show, easy to bid on, good margins on cards you bought well | Condition questions: show front and back up close |
| Graded slabs | Buyers trust the grade, so bidding moves fast | Price floors: a $1 start on a slab is a real risk |
| Sealed packs and boxes | Instant demand on hot sets, and buyers love a live rip | Thin margins at retail price. Product is hard to get. |
| Lots and bulk | Turns cheap cards into one decent sale | Describe exactly what's in it |
| Breaks | The biggest sellers on the app run breaks | Legal and policy rules. Read this first. |
Not sure what your cards are worth before you start them? Look them up in our Pokémon card price checker, or check One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh and Gundam prices.
See a real show plan, start to finish
The free video training walks through a first show minute by minute.
Whatnot fees, with real math
Whatnot's fee page lists two fees, and both are charged only when something sells:
- A commission on the item price: 8% for most sellers. Since September 21, 2026 it's tiered by sales volume, so sellers doing more than $15,000 in a 4-week period pay less, down to 6.5% for trading cards.
- Payment processing of 2.9% plus 30¢, charged on the whole order: item, the shipping the buyer paid, and tax.
| Card sells for | Commission (8%) | Processing (2.9% + 30¢ on card + $5 shipping, before tax) | Whatnot takes | Share of the sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.80 | $0.74 | $1.54 | 15.4% |
| $50 | $4.00 | $1.90 | $5.90 | 11.8% |
| $200 | $16.00 | $6.25 | $22.25 | 11.1% |
Two things fall out of that table. Cheap items cost you more in percentage terms because of the flat 30¢. And your real cost per sale also includes the sleeve, toploader, mailer and your time. Price with all of it in mind. Fees change, so check Whatnot's current fee page before you set your floors.
Your first show
Your first shows will be small. That's normal. The goal is to learn your pace and build a few regulars who come back.
The setup
- A phone on a stand, pointed down at a clean mat, so cards fill the frame.
- Good light. A cheap ring light or panel. Glare on holos kills bids.
- Clear sound. A clip-on mic beats the phone mic in a noisy room.
- Everything pre-sorted in the order you'll sell it, with your floor price written down.
The run of show
- Open with a giveaway (follow Whatnot's giveaway rules; you pay the winner's shipping). It pulls people in and tells the app your show is active.
- Start with crowd-pleasers. Cards people know, at prices that get bidding going.
- Keep the pace steady. Dead air loses viewers. Say the card, the condition and what it's selling for elsewhere, then run it.
- Mix in Buy It Now for higher-value cards you won't risk at auction.
- Close with a reason to come back: the next show date and what you'll have.
Starting bids and pricing
"$1 starts" are how many big sellers build crowds. Low starts get people bidding, and bidding draws viewers. But a $1 start means you must be fine selling at $1. Use low starts on cards where the worst case doesn't hurt. Protect expensive cards with a sensible starting price or Buy It Now.
Before you list, know three numbers for every card: what it recently sold for (not asking prices), your all-in cost, and your floor after fees. If you're buying collections to sell, the money is made when you buy, not when you sell.
Shipping
Whatnot creates a prepaid label after each sale, and you must ship within 2 business days. It counts as shipped when the carrier scans it. For cards:
- Penny sleeve, then a toploader, then a team bag, then a bubble mailer.
- Combine every order from the same buyer into one package.
- Ship the next business day if you can. Fast shipping earns reviews, and reviews earn trust.
Breaks: big money, real rules
In a break, buyers pay for a spot (a team, a character, a random slot) and get the matching cards when the box is opened live. The largest sellers on the app run breaks, and the numbers are huge.
Read this before you break. Randomized breaks are being challenged. A lawsuit filed in 2025 and arbitration claims filed in 2026 argue that random and repack breaks are illegal lotteries; Whatnot rejects those claims, and no court or arbitrator has ruled on them. Whatnot also tightened its rules on repacks in November 2025. If you break, follow Whatnot's current breaks policy to the letter, use formats where the buyer knows what they're buying (like pick-your-team), and check the rules where you live. This is not legal advice.
Growing an audience
- Pick a schedule and keep it. Same days, same time. Regulars plan around you.
- Clip your best moments into Shorts, Reels and TikToks with your show time on screen.
- Raid and collab with sellers in nearby niches.
- Specialize. "The vintage Pokémon guy" or "the One Piece singles show" is easier to remember than "cards."
- Treat regulars like regulars. Learn names. Hold cards they'd want.
Mistakes that cost new sellers
| Mistake | What it costs | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| $1 starts on expensive cards | Selling a $60 card for $9 on a slow night | Starting price or Buy It Now on anything you can't lose |
| Pricing off asking prices | Overpaying for stock, then underwater | Use recent sold prices only |
| Random show times | No regulars | A fixed weekly schedule |
| Slow shipping | Bad reviews, fewer repeat buyers | Ship next business day |
| Breaking without reading the rules | Account or legal trouble | Follow Whatnot's breaks policy and local law |
Already selling elsewhere? Our guide to where and how to sell Pokémon cards compares Whatnot with eBay, TCGplayer and local shops.
The full program
Whatnot Seller Masterclass
Everything in the free training, plus the full system: sourcing, scripts, pricing sheets and growth. Built by former resellers for people who want to sell cards live and keep doing it.
- ApprovalThe application and photos that give you the best shot, even with no selling history.
- SourcingWhere card sellers find stock: collections, card shows, wholesalers and buy lists.
- The setupA phone kit that looks professional, and when it's worth upgrading.
- The show scriptOpeners, pacing, giveaways and closes that keep viewers in the room.
- Pricing and feesStarting bids, floors and the fee math for every price point.
- Shipping and reviewsA packing station that ships a show's orders in one sitting.
- GrowthSchedules, clips for Shorts and TikTok, collabs and regulars.
- Breaks and the rulesFormats, Whatnot policy, and how to stay on the right side of both.
- Bonus: show-planning checklist and run-of-show template
- Bonus: fee and profit calculator spreadsheet
- Bonus: title and thumbnail templates for your first 10 shows
Start here
Free
Watch the 18-minute training first. You'll see how to unlock the full class after.
Watch the free training- 8 recorded lessons
- Templates and calculator
- Watch anytime, on any device
Is this for you?
Who this is for
- You have cards and want them soldA collection, a closet of sealed, or a stack of singles.
- You sell on eBay and want faster salesLive auctions move cards in minutes, not weeks.
- You run a shop or show tableWhatnot is a second register open every night.
- You want a get-rich-quick buttonLive selling is work. We show you how to do it well.
- You won't go on cameraWhatnot is a live video app. You'll need to be on it.
- You only want to run random breaksWe teach the rules and safer formats, not shortcuts.
Who's teaching
Former resellers. Now we help sellers grow.
We started as resellers. We tracked every drop, learned every store's restock day, and figured out which sets sell out and which ones sit. Now Greedy TCG helps card sellers, shops and collectors with the parts of the business that aren't cards: selling, systems and getting found. Meet the team.
Greedy TCG is independent and not affiliated with Whatnot. We don't promise sales numbers. Nobody honest can. We teach the work.
Questions
Common questions
Is it free to sell on Whatnot?
Whatnot's fees are charged when an item sells: a commission (8% for most sellers, less for high-volume sellers) plus payment processing of 2.9% + 30¢ on the order total. On a $50 card with $5 shipping that's about $5.90.
How long does Whatnot seller approval take?
Many sellers get access within minutes. Some applications go to a manual review, and Whatnot doesn't give a fixed timeline. Clear photos of real inventory give you the best shot.
Do I need followers to start selling on Whatnot?
No. Whatnot shows live streams to people browsing your category, so new sellers can get viewers on day one. A giveaway at the start of your show and a fixed weekly schedule help you turn those viewers into regulars.
What sells best on Whatnot for card sellers?
Singles of popular cards, graded slabs, sealed product from in-demand sets, and well-described lots. Breaks sell in big volume but come with legal and policy rules you need to follow.
Is the training really free?
Yes. The video training is free. At the end we'll tell you about the paid Masterclass. Buying it is optional.
Are you affiliated with Whatnot?
No. Greedy TCG is independent. Whatnot is a trademark of its owner.
Free video training
Ready to sell your first cards live?
Free, about 18 minutes. It plays right after you sign up.
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