Whatnot is a place where people come together to connect over shared passions and discover the things they love, from Pokémon and trading cards to fashion, collectibles and beyond. We want every buyer to feel good about their experience on Whatnot: the things they purchase, the people they meet, and the time and money they spend here. What we see are people who are engaged and confident in what they purchase, tuning in to sellers they follow, and connecting with others who share their interests.

We're committed to building a positive, trustworthy experience where people feel confident buying and connecting. As part of that commitment, we give every user clear visibility into their total watch time and spending – information that most marketplaces don’t surface at all.  Our Account Controls let users set custom reminders and limits for both watch time and spend. Once a limit is met, users can't watch or spend until the time frame they've set has passed. We built these tools because we believe transparency is good for buyers and for our business. 

The live format is engaging, and it's also one of our strongest protections. Sellers put their face, voice, and reputation on the line every time they go live, so buyers can see the exact item, ask questions, and request a close-up before they bid.

Behind that, our trust and safety team is the largest department in the company. About 1 in 3 of our 1,000+ employees work in it, and it more than doubled in 2025. Every seller completes ID verification before going live, our fraud models proactively ban tens of thousands of accounts a week, and buyers are covered by Buyer Protection and High Value Loss Reimbursement if something goes wrong with a sale. Pair that with the spend and time controls every user gets, and the goal is simple: keep it fun, and keep people confident in what they buy.

Gambling isn't allowed on Whatnot, and we strictly enforce this policy. 

Any new pack of trading cards is a blind pack. Whether you buy it on Whatnot or off the shelf at a store, you don't know which cards are inside until you open it. That has always been part of collecting. Whatnot offers Breaks and Surprise Products, which bring a long-standing part of collecting and retail online: opening a sealed pack at a card shop, or grabbing an end-of-season box at checkout. With Surprise Products, sellers list the specific items that could be in a set before anyone buys. Whatnot is a shopping platform, and buyers receive products when they purchase. 

Our policies set strict requirements for selling sealed packs, Card Breaks, Surprise Products, and Professionally Sealed Surprise Products. Breaking these rules has consequences: billbacks so sellers don't profit, plus warnings, suspensions, loss of selling privileges, or removal depending on severity and account history. We enforce using both technology and human review.

Since 2020, we've raised the bar for collectors with higher standards and stronger protections, and we keep evolving to deliver the best experience for our community. We were first in the hobby with High Value Loss Reimbursement: if a high-value card from a break isn't delivered, the buyer is reimbursed at full market value, regardless of their purchase price, and the seller is held accountable. As repacks grew more popular, we updated our requirements so buyers get clear, consistent, reliable information: Professionally Sealed Surprise Products must be on our Identified Products List and keep the manufacturer and seller separate. Whatnot also requires sellers to give buyers a clear picture of what a series contains before purchase. In some cases, we require passing a third-party audit.