Surprise Sets Policy

At Whatnot, we craft our policies to ensure our community feels confident in their purchases. In order to maintain a trustworthy buying experience, we’ve created guidelines for sellers to demonstrate that they are acting fairly and transparently when selling Surprise Sets (formerly referred to as Mystery Games). Failure to follow these rules, or engaging in any fraudulent or deceptive behavior, will result in account penalties, including permanent bans.

Surprise Sets are a sale format where a seller curates a limited set of specific products and which product a buyer receives from the set is revealed after purchase through random selection. This policy does not apply to personal shopping, or “Build-Your-Own-Box” offers, where items are assembled after purchase.

Surprise Sets must adhere to the following requirements: 

• Accurate labeling: All shows that include Surprise Sets must choose “Surprise Sets” as its Primary Selling Format. Failure to do so may result in account actioning.

• Randomization and visibility: 
  • Distribution of Surprise Products cannot be randomized through a physical machine. In other words, distributing items based on results from items like a vending, gumball, pinball machine, or a raffle drum is not permitted.  
  • All Surprise Products sold must be revealed and shown during the show.
  • All Surprise Products must be kept on screen during the show.
  • You can only sell as many Listings for Surprise Products as there are in the Surprise Set. 

• Full detailed list required: In the listing description sellers must provide a full detailed checklist of all the items in each Surprise Product within each Set. This policy applies regardless of the number of items in a Set or Pull Game. This policy also applies to each Surprise Set, rather than a broader list across a whole show or multiple sets. The description of each item in the checklist must include the following details:
  • Brand/Manufacturer (where relevant)
  • Title/Product Name
  • Condition
  • Quantity, if more than one of the items is available

If you include any additional details (for example, whether an item is graded) you must include that detail for all your item descriptions for consistency.

• In a Surprise Set, an example compliant listing could look like:
  • One Pink Brand Necklace, NWT. One Blue Brand Necklace, Condition: Fair 
  • Two Pink Brand Necklaces, Condition: Fair
  • Two Blue Brand Necklaces, Condition: Good
• No prize: Sellers cannot include a prize in their Surprise Set. Sellers also cannot provide or describe the floor, ceiling, or average of the items in their Set. 
• Same product only: Sellers must include only items of the same type in a Surprise Set. For example:
  • Sports Cards: A Set cannot contain a single Sports Card as one product, and an autographed photo as another.
  • Coins & Money: A Set cannot contain a coin and paper money. 
  • Beauty: A Set cannot contain lipstick as one product, and blush as another.
  • Electronics: A Set cannot contain headphones as one product, and a cell phone as another.
  • Jewelry: A Set cannot contain a bracelet as one product, and a ring as another.
  • Drinks & Snacks: A Set cannot contain coffee as one product, and potato chips as another.
  • Fashion: A Set cannot contain leggings as one product, and a tank top as another.
  • Plants: A Set cannot contain a plant as one product, and a plant pot as another.
  • Toys: A Set cannot contain a plush as one product, and a doll as another. 
  • Trading Cards: A Set cannot contain Digimon cards as one product, and Naruto cards as another.
• No sets that span multiple shows, and no off-platform pre-sales: Surprise Sets cannot span multiple shows. Surprise Set purchases cannot be sold off the Whatnot platform, including as pre-sales or in advance.  
• No related users: No participants can be related to the seller: Individuals who are members of the same household, family members, or seller's employees may not purchase in that seller’s Surprise Set. This prohibition extends to individuals related through other relationships or account use.
• Minimum value requirements: In only the following categories, the value of each item in a Surprise Set must be above a certain threshold.
  • Bags & Accessories: $150 for Bags, and $50 for Accessories.
  • Sneakers & Streetwear: $50 for Sneakers & Streetwear.
  • Sports Memorabilia: $35 for Sports Memorabilia.
• Gated Categories requirements: Selling Surprise Product in Bags & Accessories, and Sneakers & Streetwear requires approval. Click here to learn how to sell Surprise Products in Bags & Accessories or Sneakers & Streetwear. 

• Coins & Money category-only policy requirements: You can read more about our policy for Surprise in Coins & Money here. 

UK Only Surprise Set Rules  

These changes are being rolled out in the UK first, with other markets shortly. There are times that we roll out policies in phases to test and monitor performance.     

• Surprise Sets in-app randomizer required: Sellers must use the Surprise Set Feature to list and distribute Surprise Product Sets. All other forms of randomization are prohibited. The use of physical randomizers, third party randomizers, and concealed containers like bags, boxes, or drawers are not permitted when selling Surprise Sets.
• Full detailed list required: When using the Surprise Set Feature, descriptions must include a full detailed checklist of all the items in each Surprise Product within each set. This detailed checklist must be directly inputted into the feature; proxies such as “tickets 1” or “item #1” are not permitted, even if disclosed elsewhere. This policy applies regardless of the number of items in a set. This policy also applies to each Surprise Set, rather than a broader list across a whole show or multiple sets. The description of each item in the checklist must include the following details:
  • Brand/Manufacturer (or unbranded, if relevant), 
  • Title/Product Name
  • Condition
  • Quantity, if more than one of the items are included in a single surprise product

If you include any additional details (for example, whether an item is graded) you must include that detail for all your item descriptions for consistency.

• Here's an example of how a Sports Cards Surprise Set Feature might look:

Single Surprise Items

When selling a single surprise item that is not part of a set or series (for example, bundles, pallets, storage units, and other individual surprise items):

• The items cannot be presented to buyers with the possibility of a prize. For example, sellers cannot claim that one surprise product sold within a show may contain a very rare item.
• Sellers must include an accurate description of the contents of item(s) with enough detail that individuals know what to expect from their purchase. For example, the brand, item type, condition and quantity. 
• The sale of pallets, casepacks or bundles, should also follow our Wholesale Policy. 
• The requirements of the Surprise Sets Policy do not apply.
• The requirement for Professionally Sealed Surprise Products to be on the Identified Product list do not apply.

Additional policies 

• For restrictions on which Professionally Sealed products may be sold, including sealed trading cards and blind boxes, please review our Professionally Sealed Surprise Products Policy.
• For guidance on policies prohibiting Gambling and Purchase-based Prizes, please review our Gambling and Purchase-Based Prize Policy.