Whatnot is a live-stream shopping marketplace where sellers run video auctions and buyers bid in real time. It was founded in 2019 by Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head, both former operators at the sneaker marketplace GOAT, and it describes itself as the largest live shopping platform in the United States.
How it began
Whatnot started as a marketplace for Funko Pop figurines. In 2020 it began hosting live shows in which sellers show items on camera and answer questions from viewers. That format became central to the business and let it expand well beyond toys.
What a live sale looks like
You browse categories, join a stream, and bid or buy as the host presents each item. Categories now include sneakers, sports cards, comics, trading-card games such as Pokémon, streetwear, watches, vintage clothing and coins, among roughly sixty others.
What sellers pay
A 2026 funding analysis lists an 8% commission in the United States (6.67% in the UK and EU) plus a 2.9% and 30 cent payment-processing fee per transaction. Fee schedules are the company’s to change, so confirm the figures in the seller area before you list.
Tips for first-time buyers
- Decide a maximum bid before the auction starts; fast streams make overspending easy.
- Check the shipping charge shown for each stream.
- Keep payment and chat inside the app so the platform’s buyer-protection process applies.
What we could not verify
We did not buy or sell on Whatnot. Valuation and fee numbers are taken from third-party analyses of the company.
