Why I Think Small Pokémon Sellers Should Give Whatnot a Chance
When I first looked at Whatnot, I honestly didn’t think it was for me.
Most of the streams I came across seemed very high energy. Fast auctions, lots of shouting, lots of pressure to get bids moving.
There’s obviously a market for that, but it didn’t really fit my personality.
I’m quite a laid-back person. I enjoy chatting about cards, talking about new sets, and helping people find things they’re interested in. I wasn’t interested in becoming an auctioneer.
So I put off trying Whatnot for a while.
Eventually I gave it a go anyway.
The Numbers
Since October 2025, I’ve:
- Sold 5,000+ items
- Generated £30,000+ in revenue
- Built a community of regular buyers and collectors
And I’ve done it with a very simple routine:
- 1 stream per week
- Around 2 hours live
- Around 1 hour packing orders
That’s pretty much it.
No daily streams.
No marathon sessions.
No aggressive sales tactics.
What Surprised Me Most
The thing that surprised me wasn’t the sales.
It was discovering that there are plenty of buyers looking for something different from the stereotypical Whatnot experience.
A lot of my regular viewers tell me they enjoy the streams specifically because they’re relaxed.
We chat about cards.
We look at new Japanese releases.
People ask questions.
Sometimes somebody is looking for a particular Pokémon and I’ll keep an eye out for them over the following weeks.
Sometimes people just hang out and watch.
The Opportunity I Think Most Sellers aren’t aware of
I’ve realised over time that this is actually the opportunity.
Most people assume they need to compete with the biggest sellers on the platform.
I don’t think that’s true.
The biggest sellers are serving one audience.
You don’t need to serve the same audience.
There are collectors who:
- Want somebody who will answer questions properly
- Appreciate a seller remembering what they collect
- Enjoy seeing interesting cards rather than thousands flying past
- Prefer conversation over pressure
- Like buying from someone they trust
As a smaller seller, that’s your advantage.
You can be more personal.
You can be more curated.
You can actually get to know your customers.
That’s much harder to do once you’re running huge streams.
What My Streams Actually Look Like
Honestly, they’re pretty simple.
I sit down.
Shuffle through a pile of cards
and chat
We’ll talk about:
- New Japanese releases
- Interesting cards I’ve picked up
- Upcoming sets
- Recent purchases
- Whatever people in chat want to discuss
If somebody sees something they like, great.
If they don’t, that’s fine too.
My goal is to keep a constant flow of cards being started as auctions, that way people always have an opportunity to purchase something they like
Not everyone will feel confident / want to message you in the chat to ask for cards. that’s why it’s important to keep running new auctions and keep the stream interesting.
Is Whatnot Perfect?
No.
Like any platform, there are good sellers and bad sellers.
There are streams I’ll happily watch for hours and streams I’ll leave after thirty seconds.
But I think Whatnot often gets judged by its loudest examples.
My experience has been very different.
The platform has allowed me to turn a hobby into a genuine side business while spending only a few hours each week on it.
Why I’m Writing This
Because Whatnot are currently running one of the strongest new seller promotions I’ve seen.
If you’re accepted as a seller and complete the required onboarding and selling milestones, you can currently receive a £150 seller bonus.
That’s a pretty decent incentive to find out whether the platform is a good fit for you.
Especially if you’re already:
- Selling on eBay
- Selling through Facebook groups
- Selling on Instagram
- Trading at local card shows
- Sitting on binders full of cards
My Advice
Don’t try to become somebody else.
You don’t need to be louder.
You don’t need a huge collection.
You don’t need expensive equipment.
You don’t need thousands of followers.
You just need something interesting to sell and a willingness to spend a couple of hours talking to people who enjoy the same hobby.
There are plenty of collectors looking for a more relaxed experience.
Ready To Give It A Go?
If you’ve been curious about Whatnot but assumed you weren’t the “Whatnot type”, I hope this has shown there’s more than one way to make it work.
You can build your own style.
You can build your own community.
And you can do it without shouting.
👉 Apply through my referral link here:
And if you do decide to join, feel free to send me a message on Instagram (@pokepopscards). I’m always happy to answer questions and help new sellers get started.