Whatnot Seller Profit Calculator
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How to Calculate Your Whatnot Seller Profit
Selling on Whatnot can be a highly lucrative way to move inventory, but understanding the fee structure is critical to maintaining a healthy business. Unlike some platforms that have hidden costs, Whatnot's fees are relatively straightforward, consisting of an 8% commission and a payment processing fee.
Understanding the Whatnot Fee Breakdown
To accurately predict your take-home pay, you need to account for three primary buckets of expenses:
- Whatnot Commission: A flat 8% fee taken from the final sale price of your item. This applies to all categories.
- Payment Processing: Whatnot charges 2.9% plus a $0.30 flat fee per transaction. This covers the cost of handling the credit card or payment transaction.
- Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): This is what you originally paid for the item. If you bought a card for $10 and sold it for $50, your COGS is $10.
- Miscellaneous Costs: Don't forget bubble mailers, tape, thermal labels, and any shipping costs you choose to cover for the buyer.
Example Profit Calculation
Imagine you sell a vintage toy for $100.00. Here is how the math works out:
- Sale Price: $100.00
- Whatnot Commission (8%): $8.00
- Processing Fee (2.9% + $0.30): $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20
- Total Fees: $11.20
- Revenue After Fees: $88.80
If you bought that toy for $40.00 and spent $1.00 on a box and padding, your final net profit would be $47.80.
3 Tips to Maximize Profit on Whatnot
1. Bundle Your Shipping Supplies
Buying bubble mailers in bulk (packs of 100 or 500) can drop your packaging cost from $1.00 per item to as low as $0.20 per item. Over hundreds of sales, this adds significantly to your bottom line.
2. Be Careful with "Free Shipping"
Offering free shipping is a great way to attract more bidders, but on Whatnot, shipping costs for heavy items can be expensive. Always use the calculator to see if your profit margin can absorb a $5.00 or $10.00 shipping hit before toggling that option.
3. Watch the $1.00 Starts
The "Buck Start" is a staple of Whatnot culture. While it builds excitement and "hype," ensure you aren't selling items with high COGS for $1.00, as the $0.30 flat processing fee and the commission can quickly turn a low-value sale into a net loss after accounting for your time and materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Whatnot take a fee on shipping?
Generally, Whatnot calculates their 8% commission based on the sold price of the item. However, it is always wise to check current seller terms as platform policies can update regarding bundled shipping and taxes.
When do I get paid by Whatnot?
Whatnot typically releases funds to your seller account after the item has been delivered to the buyer and verified, though "Trustworthy" or high-volume sellers may qualify for earlier payouts.