The Whatnot App is an online marketplace specializing in live auctions selling collectibles, toys, and many other categories.
Think of Whatnot as the modern-day QVC, except you bid and buy through the Whatnot app instead of calling a 1-800 number.
With its user-friendly interface and built-in tools, the Whatnot App makes it easy for sellers to list and sell their items.
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Unlike other reselling platforms, on Whatnot, you must go through an approval process to sell items rather than immediately listing them upon sign-up. Here are the steps to apply to be a seller on Whatnot:
Download the Whatnot app and create an account
The seller application process on Whatnot involves the following steps:
1. Preparation: Before beginning the application, sellers should have the following items readily available:
2. Agree to the Rules: The application process starts with agreeing to the rules and uploading a payment method. Sellers are required to enter their full name that matches their government-issued ID for the application.
(Image source: Whatnot)
It’s also mentioned that sellers cannot use APO addresses.
3. Accept Terms of Service and Provide Phone Number: Sellers need to accept the Terms of Service and provide their phone number, which should be associated with their Whatnot account. Additionally, sellers must be at least 18 years of age to sell on Whatnot.
4. Social Media Engagement and Selling History: Sellers are required to select their biggest social media account and provide a direct link to their social media profile. They are also asked to select the platform where they have made the most sales and have the most feedback. If sellers have an established selling history on Whatnot or a third-party platform with overwhelmingly positive feedback, it can strengthen their application.
5. Return Address and Category Selection: Sellers need to select the category they are most interested in selling in and ensure that their inventory photos reflect products within the selected category. It’s emphasized that the inventory photos should match the selected category to avoid application denial.
Once the application is submitted, the Whatnot team reviews it and makes a decision within two weeks.
Ready to start crosslisting to Whatnot? Sign Up for Vendoo and start today!
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Once you’ve been approved as a seller, I highly recommend actually doing some preparing instead of just hopping on a live show and winging it.
Here are the step-by-step instructions on setting up, hosting, and managing a Whatnot show.
When running a Whatnot show, one of the first crucial steps is selecting the featured inventory. People on Whatnot can get bored really easily, so it’s important to have a wide variety of brand selections to keep the viewers engaged.
For instance, if you are a women’s clothing reseller, you can offer a diverse selection of brands, such as Lily Pulitzer, Lululemon, Lacoste, and others.
This approach allows for flexibility, as viewers can request specific items, thus catering to their preferences.
Tips:
At Whatnot, they offer a flat rate Priority Mail shipping of $8.35 for up to five (5) pounds.
You might also be interested in Best Items to Flip in 2024 Using Vendoo
To set up a Whatnot show, the first step is to navigate to the Whatnot profile page and schedule a livestream.
Here’s a quick YouTube tutorial on how to schedule a live stream: click here to watch
Crafting a captivating show title might seem like a daunting task, but it's crucial to the success of your Whatnot live show.
A well-crafted title can entice potential buyers to tune in and join your livestream, leading to increased sales and a wider audience.
Tips:
A title example would be: “$100 in giveaways. $1 pre-loved Lululemon, Free People, and Victoria's Secret”
Please make sure that you add a thumbnail and select the appropriate category and tags.
Following the show setup, the next step is creating auctions for the items to be featured.
Unlike traditional reselling platforms where the more photos of the item the better, it is the complete opposite in Whatnot. This is because you can show more of the item during your livestream.
Therefore, I recommend focusing on these only:
Adding giveaways to your auction is the same step as above.
To increase your Whatnot channel followers, make your giveaway exclusive to followers only.
Also, to encourage buyers to purchase more during your livestream, select the ‘buyer appreciation’ option.
To ensure a smooth livestream, it's best to organize your setup beforehand to avoid fumbling around for the next item to show or frantically looking for your phone charger.
Here are some recommendations:
Make sure to create a playlist if you plan to have background music.
(Image source: Pexels)
When you're all set to showcase an item, just pick it from your inventory and hit 'pin'. This will pop the item's title up on the screen for your viewers.
You have the option to select the length of time of the auction. It is highly recommended by successful Whatnot sellers to choose between 15 and 20 seconds.
If a bid is placed in the last 10 seconds of the auction, extra time is added to the clock. This gives other bidders a chance to react and place higher bids, potentially leading to a more engaging and competitive bidding environment.
Whoohoo, congratulations on your first livestream! Now it’s time to ship your sales ASAP! It is best practice to ship the next day so you can start building loyal buyers.
(Image source: Pexels)
Whatnot makes shipping your items very easy. Just note, that you can only do this on a desktop or laptop.
Head over to your dashboard, click on the "shipping" tab, and pick the show you need to generate shipping labels for.
You have the option to either generate one shipping label for every single item. Or generate all shipping labels (including the packing slips).
If you have a giveaway, the shipping will always be zero, and if you have combined shipping, it’ll just charge the customer up to what you have allocated.
After you drop off the packages at the Post Office, make sure to go back to your Whatnot dashboard and hit “bulk confirm USPS drop off.”
These invaluable insights have been carefully curated to help you achieve success in the Whatnot platform:
I hope this blog is helpful, and if you are planning your first Whatnot live show, feel free to tag us on Instagram!