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.
Since October 2025, I’ve sold over 5,000 items and generated more than £30,000 in revenue on the platform.
Not through daily streams.
Not through aggressive selling.
Not through spending every evening live.
For most of that time I’ve streamed once a week for around two hours, then spent another hour packing orders afterwards.
That’s pretty much it.
The thing that surprised me most wasn’t the sales. It was discovering that there are plenty of buyers who are 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.
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 take a minute to answer a question properly. People who appreciate a seller remembering what they collect. People who enjoy seeing interesting cards rather than thousands of cards flying past at high speed.
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.
The more I’ve thought about it, the more I think this applies beyond Pokémon as well.
Whether you’re selling cards, collectibles, toys, comics, games, or something else entirely, there are people who prefer buying from a real person rather than a storefront.
That’s what live selling gives you.
If you’re already selling on eBay, Facebook groups, Instagram, Cardmarket, or at local card shows, I think Whatnot is worth experimenting with.
Not because it’s a magic money machine.
Not because you’ll get rich.
But because it gives you a way to build an audience and a community around something you’re already interested in.
And right now there probably isn’t a better time to try it.
Whatnot are currently running a new seller promotion where eligible sellers can receive a £150 bonus after completing the required onboarding and selling milestones.
That’s a pretty decent incentive to see whether the platform is a good fit for you.
If you’ve been curious about selling live, I’d encourage you to give it a go.
You don’t need a huge collection.
You don’t need expensive equipment.
You don’t need to be loud.
You just need something interesting to sell and a willingness to spend a couple of hours talking to people who enjoy the same hobby.
If you’d like to apply, you can use my referral link below:
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.