From First-Day Outfits to Must-Have Backpacks, Whatnot has Back-to-School Covered
Photo Courtesy: @remiandfriends
Back-to-school season comes with plenty of excitement, from fresh starts, new routines, to back-to-school outfits. But it can also be one of the most stressful and expensive moments of the year, especially for families coming off a summer of vacations, camps, and childcare costs. In fact, 58% of parents say back-to-school shopping is more stressful than the holidays*, with parents planning to spend upwards of $900 on related purchases.**
But back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to feel as stressful or expensive. Whatnot gives parents a fun, engaging way to discover a wide variety of products and deals right from their phone, with many live auctions starting as low as $1. Parents can shop directly from sellers they love, ask questions in real time, and see items up close before purchasing — all without setting foot into a crowded mall.
And this shopping activity is showing up across the platform. Within the last month, “Back to School” search demand is up roughly 70% year over year . Some of our fastest-growing sales items include school uniforms and clothing (+341% YoY), school supplies (+304% YoY), and kids shoes (+208% YoY). Backpacks and book bags are leading in order volume, with shoppers drawn to a mix of nostalgic characters and recognizable brands. Character and franchise backpacks — including Shopkins, My Little Pony, and Monster High — are among the most popular, while brand-names like Sprayground, JanSport, Lululemon, and Nike are also generating strong search demand.
The back to school shopping momentum is especially evident in Baby & Kids Clothing, one of the top-selling categories within Whatnot's fashion vertical. Just over halfway through 2026, our Kids Clothing category has already passed its full-year 2025 sales, with sellers moving more than twice as many items as this time last year.
The category is also welcoming a wave of new sellers who are growing successful businesses on Whatnot. Nearly three out of four sellers are new to the category this year, and they are already driving more than a quarter of sales.
Behind this growth is a community of parents building real businesses, some as side hustles and others as full-time jobs. All three sellers featured below joined Whatnot within the last 18 months. Collectively, they have gone from closet clean-outs to designing their own clothing brands, showcasing how anyone can get started and scale a business on Whatnot.
Rilee Thompson, @remiandfriends: Granbury, Texas
Rilee’s path to selling started with a love of fashion and shopping small. After her daughter Remi was born, she became a brand representative for some of her favorite children’s clothing companies, which eventually inspired her to open her own boutique. After hearing a friend rave about how fun it was to sell on Whatnot, she decided to give the platform a try.
Rilee joined Whatnot in early 2025 and was struck by how quickly inventory moved, giving her the creative freedom to take risks and test new ideas with a supportive community.
This has helped her grow Remi and Friends into its own private label. Rilee develops the design concepts herself, works with an artist to hand-draw them, and partners with a manufacturer to produce each collection. The business now generates more than $100,000 in sales each month and has amassed over 30,000 followers on Whatnot, with Rilee and her mom running nearly every part of the business themselves.
For Rilee, the best part of the Whatnot experience is going live. “I love being able to interact with my customers, talk with them, and really get to know them on a deeper level,” she says. “It makes the experience feel so much more personal and allows me to build genuine relationships with the people who support our brand.”
Kelly Rogers, @LittleRogersCo: Rockmart, Georgia
Kelly, a mom of two and ER nurse, first joined Whatnot as a buyer. However, watching other small-business owners design and sell premium kids clothing inspired her to think, I can do this too, and eventually launch her own brand, Little Rogers Co.
As a mom of children with allergies and sensitive skin, Kelly wanted to create clothing that was soft, gentle, and high-quality without sacrificing style. She built Little Rogers Co. around premium bamboo fabrics, and works directly with artists and manufacturers to design each collection.
Kelly started on Whatnot less than a year ago, and Little Rogers Co. has already generated more than $30,000 in sales. Whatnot is now her largest sales channel with a community of more than 3,000 followers.
For Kelly, the Whatnot community is the best part. “Selling through a traditional website can sometimes feel transactional; someone visits, places an order, and that may be the only interaction you have with them. Whatnot is completely different,” she says. “Some customers have been through so many shows with us that it genuinely feels like hanging out with friends while I’m working.”
Ali Daugherty, @evergreenkidsco: Tumwater, Washington
For Ali Daugherty, selling her kids’ outgrown clothes started as a simple way to clear out their closets. But the kindergarten teacher and mom of two soon discovered how much she loved selling on Whatnot, especially the community she found with other moms on the platform.
After seeing early success, Ali dove into building her own business, Evergreen Kids Co. She started by wholesaling new children’s clothing and is now exploring custom manufacturing for her own designs. She often goes live after her kids are asleep, balancing the business with her full-time teaching job.
In under a year, Ali has sold $70,000 in kids’ clothing and grown her Whatnot following to over 5,000. Some of her top shows bring in around $1,700 in just a couple of hours. This success has created opportunities for Ali and her family beyond reinvesting in the business — from taking her family to Disneyland and giving her daughter a bigger birthday celebration this year.
Affordability remains central to how Ali approaches her business. “Not everyone can afford to spend so much on kids clothing, so I really try to find quality items that are budget friendly,” she says.
And for anyone considering selling on Whatnot, Ali’s advice is simple: just start. “If you truly connect with your customers, you will succeed. Keep going and don’t give up.”
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*Beyond Finance Back to School Consumer Survey (2026)
** PWC Back to School Shopping Consumer Survey(2026)
