Whatnot’s Wholesale Category is designed to support high volume transactions and reseller product sourcing, which includes the sale of entire pallets, casepacks, and bundled inventory. Given the nature of these transactions, Whatnot has implemented specific policies to promote transparency, consistency, and trust between sellers and buyers.
Whatnot’s Wholesale Category is currently limited to sellers in the U.S., France and Germany. The Wholesale Category in France and Germany is currently in beta testing; for more on selling Wholesale in Germany or France, see below.
On this page:
- What is sold in the Wholesale category US
- Buyers in Wholesale Category (US)
- Seller Requirements - Wholesale Category (US)
What is sold in the Wholesale category (US)
In the Wholesale Category, there are two subcategories:
- Pallets
- Casepacks & Bundles
Selling in the Pallets subcategory
A pallet is a bulk collection of items in wholesale quantities (typically 100+ items). Pallet inventory can be wholesale (e.g., direct from manufacturer or distributor) or liquidation inventory (e.g., overstock, returned, past-season stock, etc.). A pallet is typically organized on a wooden pallet, which may include multiple boxes or individual items. Pallets will ship via Freight (and our external partner, Blue Grace)
Selling in Casepacks & Bundles subcategory
Casepacks & bundles are lots of 10+ units intended for resale. Typically casepacks are made up of multiples of the same unit while bundles are mixed inventory. These lots are organized in a box and will ship via standard Whatnot shipping labels.
Buyers in Wholesale Category (US)
Buyers should carefully review the seller’s manifest (as applicable), listing, and ask relevant questions to the seller to understand what they’re buying (e.g., direct from manufacturer, liquidation inventory that may be returned, overstock), as well as the condition of the items.
Buyer shipping considerations
- Pallets:
- Sellers will ship out the pallet within three (3) business days of the order
- Freight carriers will reach out to buyer within three (3) business days of the order
- Average pallet shipping time once it has been shipped is 1-3 weeks
- Buyer phone number for shipment: Please note that your phone number will be shared with the seller you purchased from for the purpose of coordinating your pallet delivery with the freight carrier.
- Casepacks & bundles:
- Sellers must ship out casepacks & bundles within two (2) business days, in accordance with Whatnot’s general shipping policy.
Seller Requirements - Wholesale Category (US)
Disclosure / manifest
When selling wholesale, sellers must be in possession of the pallet, casepack, or bundle and show it during their show. All sales within the Wholesale Category must comply with our policies, including our Surprise Product Policy. Given the nature of pallet sales, we have stricter disclosure requirements for the sale of pallets than casepacks and bundles. Please see below for more information.
Pallet disclosure: To ensure buyers understand what they are purchasing, we require sellers in the Pallet Category to create a listing for each pallet with a detailed manifest in the listing outlining the following:
- Type of items (e.g., shoes)
- Brand(s) included
- Quantity of items
- Condition of items
- [Optional] MSRP of whole lot
- [Optional] Estimated # of unique SKUs in pallet
Casepack & bundle disclosure: Unlike pallets, we do not require a detailed manifest for casepacks and bundles. However, If all items in the casepack or bundle are not shown, sellers must ensure they comply with Whatnot’s Single Surprise Product policy which requires sellers not to present the case pack with the possibility of a prize, and to include an accurate description of the contents of the casepack or bundle with enough detail that individuals know what to expect from their purchase. For example, the brand, item type, condition and quantity.
Condition Details
To ensure buyers understand what they are buying, and to limit refund requests, sellers must:
- Accurately disclose condition: As always, sellers must accurately describe the condition of all items. Please see Listing Conditions and Expectations for more on specific category conditions and requirements for apparel, cards/funkos, coins & money, cosmetics, electronics, jewelry, luxury goods, plants, and sneakers.
- Flag flaws or callouts: Sellers must include as much detail as possible in their listing (or manifest) about any items contained in the pallet or pack with defects or flaws, which may include damage, missing accessories, signs of use, scuffs, scratches, dents, discoloration, signs of wear and tear, etc.
No individual items listed in Pallet category
- Sellers must only sell pallets in the pallets category.
- Sellers cannot sell individual items pulled from pallets in this category (ie “pallet pulls”).
- If a seller would like to sell a mixture of bulk inventory lots and single items they must do so in the Casepacks & Bundles subcategory or in another category on the platform.
Prohibited or Restricted Items
Like all sellers on Whatnot, sellers in the Pallet Sales Category must comply with Whatnot’s Prohibited or Restricted Items Policy, including Whatnot’s Counterfeit Policy.
Given the specific nature of the Wholesale Category, please note that the following items are not permitted in this category (and sellers will be billed back to cover any refunds related to these items in the Wholesale category):
- Expired items: Sellers must not sell any items with an expiration or sell-by date (determined by the date listed on the item) received by the buyer with less than three months before the relevant expiration or sell-by date.
- Cosmetics: Sellers must not sell any cosmetics that are more than three years old, even if they are not expired (as set out in our Cosmetics Policy).
- Not for resale: Sellers must not sell any items marked as ‘not for resale’ or similar.
Shipping in Wholesale
Shipping Pallets
- Sellers must ship their pallets within three (3) business days of the sale.
- Sellers are responsible for coordinating freight and shipping via Blue Grace Logistics and updating tracking numbers on Whatnot through BYOL (Bring Your Own Label).
- Sellers must be clear in their communications with buyers that this is being shipped by a third party shipping company, and estimated time of delivery.
- Sellers in the Wholesale Category may only sell within the contiguous US.
Shipping Casepacks and Bundles
Sellers must ship their casepack & bundles within two (2) business days, in accordance with Whatnot’s 2 business day shipping requirement.
Refunds
Sellers are responsible for refunds as set out in Whatnot’s Buyer Protection Policy.
Tax Exemption
- Apply for Tax Exemption Before Purchasing: To make tax-exempt purchases on Whatnot, you must submit a completed sales tax exemption certificate, a government-issued photo ID, and your business permit/resale certificate. Ensure all documentation is accurate and complete to avoid processing delays. Learn more about tax exemption and apply here.
- No Retroactive Refund: Whatnot cannot retroactively apply sales tax exemptions to past orders. If you fail to apply for tax exemption before purchasing a pallet, you will not receive a refund for sales tax paid on those transactions.
Helpful Walkthroughs and Resources
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- Whatnot Wholesale Category Policy
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- Whatnot Listing Guidelines
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- Flash Sales
- Understanding Listing Conditions and Expectations on Whatnot
- Apparel on Whatnot: Best Practices
- Cloning Items
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