If you’ve spent even a few minutes watching a live Whatnot show, you’ve probably heard terms that sound like a completely different language.
Between BINs, givvys, sudden death auctions, and manifests, it can be confusing for new users. Whether you’re looking to score deals as a buyer or make money as a reseller, understanding Whatnot’s most common terms can help you get more out of the platform.
If you haven’t joined yet, this is a great time to sign up for Whatnot and claim any available new-user credits through my referral link.
Contents
What Is Whatnot?
Whatnot is a live shopping marketplace where sellers auction products in real time. Categories range from clothing and liquidation merchandise to collectibles, electronics, toys, sports cards, and more.
Buyers can interact with sellers through live chat, bid on auctions, purchase Buy-It-Now items, and even win giveaways.
Interested in trying it? Sign up for Whatnot using my referral link and receive any available new-user bonuses.
Common Whatnot Terms for Buyers
BIN (Buy It Now)
A BIN item is available for immediate purchase at a fixed price.
Instead of waiting for an auction to end, buyers can simply click and buy.
Givvy
Short for giveaway.
Sellers often run free giveaways to attract viewers and reward followers.
Sudden Death
A fast-paced auction format that ends immediately when the timer reaches zero.
Unlike regular auctions, bids placed near the end do not extend the clock.
Snipe
When a buyer places a bid during the final seconds of an auction in hopes of winning before anyone else can react.
Bookmark
Saving an upcoming show so you receive a notification when it begins.
Follow
Following sellers allows you to receive alerts about future shows, giveaways, and special events.
Stack
Purchasing multiple items from the same seller during a show. This can help maximize shipping discounts and reduce overall costs.
Common Whatnot Terms for Sellers
$1 Start
An auction that begins at just one dollar.
Many resellers use $1 starts to increase engagement and attract more bidders to their shows.
Run It
A phrase viewers use when they’re ready for the seller to start the next auction.
You’ll often see the chat filled with “Run it!” during busy shows.
Bundle
Multiple items sold together as a single lot.
Examples include clothing bundles, toy lots, liquidation boxes, or reseller mystery bundles.
Claim Sale
A selling format where buyers claim items rather than bid on them.
Pull Box
A game-style format where buyers purchase a numbered pull from a board or box.
Mystery Show
A show where buyers do not know exactly which item they will receive until after purchasing.
Reseller Terms You’ll Hear on Whatnot
Manifest
A manifest is a detailed list of products included in a liquidation pallet, truckload, or reseller lot.
Some manifests contain item descriptions, quantities, retail values, and SKU information. Many liquidation sellers use manifests to estimate potential profits before purchasing inventory.
MSRP
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price.
Resellers often compare selling prices to MSRP when discussing potential profit margins.
Comp
Short for comparable sales.
Experienced sellers check recent sold listings to determine the current market value of an item.
Retail Arbitrage
Buying products from retail stores and reselling them online for a profit.
Liquidation
Inventory that comes from customer returns, overstock, shelf pulls, closeouts, or store liquidations.
Shelf Pull
New merchandise removed from store shelves due to packaging changes, discontinued items, or seasonal resets.
NWT
New With Tags.
Commonly used when selling clothing and accessories.
NWOT
New Without Tags.
Items are new but no longer have the original tags attached.
Shipping Terms Buyers Should Know
Combined Shipping
Whatnot automatically combines eligible purchases from the same seller to help reduce shipping costs.
Local Pickup
Some sellers offer local pickup instead of shipping. Buyers can collect purchases in person.
Label Printed
The seller has created the shipping label and is preparing the package for shipment.
In Transit
The carrier has received the package and it is moving through the shipping network.
Why Learning Whatnot Lingo Matters
Understanding Whatnot terminology can help you make smarter buying decisions, communicate more effectively during live shows, and avoid confusion when sellers discuss inventory or auction formats.
If you’re a reseller, learning these terms will also make it easier to source inventory, price items correctly, and run successful live auctions.
Ready to get started? Sign up for Whatnot through my referral link and explore live auctions, giveaways, and reseller opportunities today.
Thinking about becoming a seller? You can also use my seller referral link to start your own Whatnot business and begin selling inventory through live auctions.
Featured Image Source: Forbes
