Whatnot First Show Checklist: Everything You Need Before Going Live

Your first Whatnot show is equal parts exciting and terrifying. You've watched other sellers rake in hundreds or thousands of dollars on live streams, and now it's your turn. But there's a nagging question: what if nobody shows up? What if you freeze? What if you price everything wrong?

Good news: your first show doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to be prepared. The sellers who crush their debuts aren't more talented or charismatic — they just followed a checklist. This is that checklist.

Before You Even Start: The Honest Truth About First Shows

Let's set realistic expectations. Your first show will probably:

• Have 5-15 viewers (not 500)
• Generate $50-$300 in revenue (not $3,000)
• Feel awkward for the first 10 minutes
• Have at least one technical hiccup
• Be over faster than you expected

This is completely normal. Every top Whatnot seller started with a small, messy first show. The goal isn't to go viral — it's to get your first show done, learn from it, and improve for show #2.

1 Week Before: Account & Category Setup

✅ Seller Account Approved

Whatnot requires seller approval. If you haven't applied yet, do it NOW — approval can take 3-7 days. You'll need:

• Valid government ID
• Bank account or payment method for payouts
• Social Security Number (for tax reporting)
• Photos of sample inventory

✅ Category Selected

Pick ONE category for your first show. Don't try to sell vintage clothing, Pokémon cards, and electronics in the same stream. Whatnot's algorithm promotes you to buyers interested in your category, so staying focused means more relevant viewers.

Best categories for first shows (high demand, forgiving pricing):

• Trading cards (Pokémon, sports, Yu-Gi-Oh) — huge built-in audience
• Funko Pops — easy to price using PPG, collectors are active bidders
• Vintage clothing — high margins, visual appeal on camera
• Sneakers — passionate buyer base, strong comps

✅ Show Scheduled

Schedule your show at least 3-5 days in advance. This gives Whatnot time to promote it to potential buyers. Choose a time slot when your target audience is online:

Category	Best Days	Best Times (ET)
Trading cards	Tue, Thu, Sat	7-10 PM
Funko Pops	Wed, Fri, Sun	6-9 PM
Vintage clothing	Thu, Sat, Sun	5-8 PM
Sneakers	Fri, Sat	7-10 PM
General collectibles	Any weekday	6-9 PM

✅ Show Title & Description Written

Your title should be specific and keyword-rich. Bad: "My First Show!" Good: "Pokémon Vintage Lot Breaks + Modern Hits | $1 Auctions Starting"

Include in your description:

• What you're selling (specific items or categories)
• Starting price range ("Starting at $1!")
• Free shipping threshold ("3+ items = FREE shipping!")
• Show length estimate

3 Days Before: Inventory Preparation

✅ 30-50 Items Minimum

For a 1-2 hour first show, you want 30-50 items. This gives you enough variety to keep the show moving even if some items don't get bids. Better to have too much inventory than awkwardly running out after 20 minutes.

✅ Every Item Photographed

Take clear photos of every item. You'll need these for Whatnot's listing requirements and for your own reference during the show. Good lighting, clean background, multiple angles for valuable items.

✅ Items Priced (Starting Bids Set)

For your first show, price aggressively low. Your goal is sales volume and reviews, not maximum profit. Here's a framework:

Item Value (comp price)	Starting Bid	Why
Under $10	$1	Gets bidding started fast
$10-$30	$1-$5	Attracts value hunters
$30-$75	$5-$15	Still feels like a deal
$75-$200	$15-$40	Protects your floor
$200+	$50-$100	Serious buyers only

✅ Items Organized in Show Order

Plan which items you'll show first, middle, and last. Start with eye-catching, low-priced items to get early viewers bidding. Save your best items for 30-45 minutes in, when viewer count peaks. End with a few strong items to keep people watching until the end.

✅ Items Loaded in Whatnot

Pre-list your items in the Whatnot seller dashboard. Having items pre-loaded means you can queue them up during the show instead of typing descriptions live. This alone saves you 30+ seconds per item.

Equipment Checklist (Budget & Pro Tiers)

Budget Setup (~$50)

• Phone with decent camera — iPhone 12+ or equivalent Android. Your phone camera is fine for starting.
• Phone tripod/mount ($15-25) — steady camera is non-negotiable. Shaky handheld video looks amateur.
• Ring light ($15-30) — good lighting is the single biggest quality upgrade. A basic 10" ring light transforms your video.
• Clean background ($0) — a blank wall or simple backdrop. Clutter distracts from your items.

Pro Setup (~$200-400)

• Everything above, plus:
• External microphone ($30-60) — lavalier mic clips to your shirt. Crystal clear audio makes you sound professional.
• Larger ring light or softbox ($40-80) — 18" ring light or two softbox panels eliminate shadows
• Display stand/turntable ($20-40) — for showing items from all angles without handling them
• Second phone/tablet ($0-200) — use one device to stream and another to read chat and manage orders

The One Thing That Matters Most

Lighting. Seriously. A $500 phone in bad lighting looks worse than a $200 phone with a ring light. If you buy one thing, buy a ring light.

Day Before: Show Structure & Pricing

✅ Show Outline Written

Don't wing it. Write a basic outline:

1. Opening (5 min): Welcome, introduce yourself, explain what you're selling, mention free shipping threshold
2. Early items (20 min): Start with 8-10 low-priced crowd-pleasers to get bids flowing
3. Mid-show (30-40 min): Mix of mid-range and high-value items. This is your revenue core.
4. Late show (15-20 min): Strong closing items + "last chance" energy
5. Closing (5 min): Thank buyers, mention when your next show is, remind about free shipping

✅ Free Shipping Threshold Set

Offering free shipping at a threshold (e.g., 3+ items) dramatically increases how much each buyer spends. Most successful Whatnot sellers use a 3-item threshold for categories with items under $30, and a dollar threshold ($50-$75) for higher-priced categories.

✅ Backup Plan Ready

Things that will go wrong (and your backup):

• Internet drops → have mobile hotspot ready
• Phone overheats → take the case off, have a small fan nearby
• No one bids on an item → move on quickly, don't dwell. "No worries, let's see the next one!"
• Technical issue with Whatnot → close and reopen the app. Tell chat "Technical difficulties, be right back!"

Show Day: The Hour-by-Hour Game Plan

3 Hours Before

• Set up your streaming area (tripod, lighting, background)
• Organize items in show order on a table within arm's reach
• Set up your bin system for sold items (numbered bins/bags ready)
• Test your internet speed (you need at least 10 Mbps upload for smooth HD streaming)
• Charge your phone to 100%

1 Hour Before

• Do a test stream (Whatnot lets you preview before going live)
• Check audio levels — can you be heard clearly?
• Check lighting — are items well-lit without glare?
• Check framing — is the camera at a good angle to show items?
• Have water within reach (you'll be talking nonstop)

15 Minutes Before

• Open BundleLive dashboard (if using) for order tracking
• Queue up your first 5 items in the Whatnot app
• Take a deep breath. You've prepared. You're ready.
• Post on social media: "Going LIVE on Whatnot in 15 minutes! [link]"

During Your Show: Engagement Essentials

The First 5 Minutes

The opening sets the tone. Here's your script:

1. "Hey everyone! Welcome to the show. I'm [name], and tonight we've got [number] items in [category]."
2. "If you're new here, hit that follow button — I go live every [schedule]."
3. "Quick reminder: 3 items or more gets you FREE shipping tonight!"
4. "Let's jump right in — first item coming up!"

Engagement Rules

• Read chat constantly. Acknowledge every comment by name. "Thanks for joining, @Mike!" This makes people feel seen and keeps them watching.
• Narrate what you're showing. Don't just hold up an item silently. Describe it, give context, mention condition, compare to recent sales.
• Keep energy up. You don't need to be a hype beast, but monotone = viewers leaving. Smile, be enthusiastic about your items.
• Move quickly. If an item gets no bids after 30-45 seconds, move on. "This one's not finding a home tonight — let's see what's next!"
• Celebrate wins. When someone wins an item, congrats them by name. "Nice grab, @Sarah! That's going to look great in your collection."

Handling Slow Moments

Every show has lulls. When energy drops:

• Pull out a surprise item: "Okay, I wasn't planning to show this tonight, but..."
• Do a $1 auction on something fun to re-engage bidders
• Ask chat a question: "What do you guys want to see next?"
• Mention the free shipping threshold: "Reminder — 3 items = free shipping! Who's at 2?"

After the Show: Shipping & Follow-Up

✅ Consolidate Orders Immediately

Don't wait until tomorrow. While the show is fresh, consolidate multi-item orders and confirm bin assignments. BundleLive does this automatically — each buyer's items are grouped and ready to pack.

✅ Print Labels & Pack

Follow the fast shipping workflow — batch print labels, assembly-line pack, and have everything ready for morning dropoff. Same-day or next-day shipping is critical for your first reviews.

✅ Thank Your Buyers

A quick message to your buyers goes a long way: "Thanks for joining my show tonight! Your order is packed and shipping tomorrow morning." This sets expectations and makes buyers feel valued.

✅ Review Your Performance

After your first show, write down:

• Total revenue and items sold
• Peak viewer count and average viewers
• Which items got the most bids (your winners)
• Which items got zero bids (your losers)
• What felt awkward or slow (fix for next time)
• What felt great (do more of this)

✅ Schedule Your Next Show

Consistency beats perfection. Schedule show #2 within the next week while you're motivated. The algorithm rewards regular sellers, and buyers who enjoyed your first show will come back — but only if they know when you're live next.

Tools That Give New Sellers an Edge

You don't need tools for your first show, but the right tools eliminate the learning curve and make you look like a pro from day one:

• BundleLive — Bin management, order tracking, Smart Chat for automated free shipping reminders, and shipping integration. The bin system alone saves 30+ minutes of post-show chaos. Free 7-day trial.
• Pirate Ship — Free shipping label platform with discounted USPS and UPS rates. Saves 15-25% on every shipment.
• ROLLO thermal printer — Prints peel-and-stick shipping labels. No more printing on paper and taping to boxes.
• Whatnot seller app — The built-in tools are actually decent for managing your first few shows.

First-Show Mistakes Everyone Makes (And How to Avoid Them)

1. Starting Without Enough Inventory

Showing up with 15 items for a "1-hour show" means you run out in 20 minutes and have to end early. Bring 40-50 items minimum. It's better to have leftovers than dead air.

2. Pricing Too High

Your first show is not the time to maximize per-item profit. Price low, move volume, collect reviews. A seller with 50 five-star reviews and a track record gets way more viewers than a seller with zero history and "fair market" prices.

3. Ignoring Chat

If someone says "hi" in chat and you don't respond, they leave. Whatnot is a social platform. The chat interaction is half the experience. Even a quick "Hey, welcome!" keeps people engaged.

4. Bad Audio

Viewers will tolerate mediocre video. They will NOT tolerate bad audio. If they can't hear you clearly, they leave in seconds. Test your audio before every show. A $30 lavalier mic is the best investment you can make.

5. Not Mentioning Free Shipping

Free shipping is the #1 driver of multi-item purchases on Whatnot. If you don't mention your threshold at least 3-4 times during the show, buyers don't know about it. Say it in your opening, say it when someone wins their second item, say it in the last 15 minutes.

6. Forgetting to Schedule the Next Show

The moment your first show ends, schedule the next one. Momentum is everything on Whatnot. A two-week gap between shows means your first audience forgets you. A three-day gap means they're excited to come back.

7. No Shipping System

Selling 30 items is exciting until you realize you have to pack and ship 30 items. Have your shipping supplies ready before the show. Set up bins. Have labels ready to print. The fast shipping guide covers this in detail.