From One to One Billion
Whatnot sellers just hit one billion orders.
A billion is a big number. But what makes this milestone special is what it represents.
Every one of those orders started with a seller going live to share something they're passionate about and a buyer choosing to show up. That billion includes first sales, businesses that went full-time on Whatnot, teams that grew from one person to many, and communities built around shared interests.
No matter where a seller is in their journey, they helped make this happen.
When we launched in 2019, we were a marketplace for Funko Pops, and most people had never even heard of live shopping. In six and a half years, Whatnot grew from those first orders to one billion, making it one of the fastest-growing marketplaces ever to reach this milestone.
The marketplace looks very different than it did when we started. Today, Whatnot spans hundreds of categories. Fashion has become our biggest category by order volume. Buyers are jumping between categories more than ever, up 170% over the past year alone. Today, more than 20 items are sold every second.
But underneath all the numbers, it's about the community.
Behind every order is a seller who knows their buyers by name and what they like, and buyers who keep coming back as much for the seller as for what they're offering. Whether it's a vintage seller in London flipping through a rack of 90s clothing while buyers call out sizes, a jewelry seller in Dallas holding a ring up to the light, or a TCG seller opening the first pack for their live show in Sydney, the same thing is happening across Whatnot every day: people building communities around shared interests.
This milestone means something different to every seller. Here's what a few of them told us:
🇺🇸 US: @theghqcrew (Golf)
“Whatnot has completely transformed my life by giving me a platform to reach golfers across the country, grow our business beyond the walls of our local shop, and create opportunities for our team that I never imagined possible. My biggest milestone was surpassing $2 million in sales on the platform because it validated that a small golf shop in West Texas could build a national community, create jobs, and thrive by serving people well.”
🇬🇧 UK: @jameslakelandofficial (Women’s Fashion)
“The milestone I'm proudest of isn't a number, it's the community. We've built up some of the biggest regulars on the app, people who come back week after week because they trust the quality and know exactly what they're getting. We've had shows where people are crying with laughter and telling us they've never had so much fun. After thirty years in this industry, that connection with people is what means the most.”
🇩🇪 Germany: @deineeinzelstuecke (Luxury Handbags & Accessories)
"I built this business out of a genuine passion for luxury and the stories behind the individual pieces. Before Whatnot, that knowledge lived mostly in my head and in a showroom in Düsseldorf that not everyone could get to. What makes me truly proud is the trust I've built with my buyers. In luxury resale, trust is everything. Without it, nothing works. The fact that customers keep coming back, show after show, and bringing friends with them, tells me that this is a real community."
🇫🇷 France: @lmvintage (Luxury Vintage Fashion)
“One of my proudest milestones on Whatnot has been growing LM Vintage to the point where I was able to expand my team. The success of our live sales allowed me to create new opportunities, delegate key tasks, and continue growing the business in a sustainable way. For me, this milestone is about much more than sales - it represents the trust of our community and the ability to turn a passion into a real business that supports multiple people.”
A billion orders is a huge moment, but it's really just the beginning. If anything, milestones like this are a reminder of how much opportunity is still ahead.
To everyone who's been part of the first billion orders: thank you. Here's to the next billion.
– The Whatnot Team
Join the Conversation: Whatnot Sellers Hit 1B Orders!
Tune in to hear some of the moments behind this milestone from a few sellers live on @whatnotsellers next Wednesday, June 24 at 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM GMT.
