The Whatnot platform has become increasingly familiar to many, having been around for quite some time. In the past year, Whatnot has witnessed a surge in new sellers and customers. While I primarily focus on the Sports Card facet, I’d like to share my insights and encounters to potentially assist other Whatnot users.
From a buyer’s perspective, I’ve encountered multiple instances of deception on Whatnot. The most recent incidents revolved around “Pull Box” or “Wheel Spin” rewards. In one instance involving a pull box purchase combined with a wheel spin, the streamer claimed that only three chase cards could be won by landing on specific sections during the wheel spin, among around 150 other options, making landing on a chase card quite rare.
The wheel also had options allowing multiple card pulls from the box, such as x2 or x3, up to x6. When it was my turn, unbelievably, the wheel landed on a chase card. The streamer seemed stunned, eventually muttering that I had won the chase card. Each chase card was displayed on the wheel, and I had landed on a Black Ice /10 Bowman prospect.
Following this, the streamer asked me to select a number from 1 to 3. Confused, I inquired why. At that moment, it became apparent that he intended to scam me. He stated it was for a hit draft to win one of the chase cards. This was a deviation from the original game rules and was altered simply because he hadn’t anticipated someone landing on a chase card so early in the game.
He claimed that after the stream ended, he would conduct another stream the next day to allow others to hit the chase cards, enabling the draft to commence. However, I realized this was a falsehood when the next day, he ran a football stream with identical rules. When I confronted him, he mentioned he wouldn’t be focusing on baseball anymore and suggested I request a refund.
This conduct is unacceptable on numerous levels. What’s more disheartening is that the stream had a flawless 5-star rating and had sold thousands of items. Had the seller been able to persist without anyone hitting a chase card all this time? Were they solely selling what was in the pull box—mostly base cards, some not even featuring recognized players?
At the time I won the card, it was valued at a couple of hundred dollars. However, by the time Whatnot responded, the card’s value had plummeted due to a poor season. Their compensation offer of $7 was inadequate and didn’t rectify the situation.
What could have rectified the situation was holding the seller accountable by either demanding they send the card or banning them for misleading advertising and scamming.
Moving forward…
Another deceitful incident involved a seller offering Mystery Bags. The minimum was $50, matching the cost. The maximum value could reach several hundred dollars. This concept is reasonable if the cards offered hold a certain value, ensuring the buyer receives adequate value for their money. However, not all cards inside were valued at $50 or more. The card I won turned out to be a PSA 9 Nolan Syndergaard base card, valued at $0, with a PSA 10 having sold for $5.
Upon opening the bag, the seller feigned confusion, pretending it was a valuable card, exclaiming, “OMG, how did that get in there!” When I informed them of the card’s lack of value, they promised to rectify the situation by sending a $50-valued card, which never materialized. Multiple attempts to reach out to them yielded no response.
These stories highlight the importance of not solely relying on ratings or sales figures. Conduct thorough research before diving headfirst into transactions. Ask yourself whether they’re genuinely offering value or just attempting to offload low-value cards with a deceptive twist.
Running dollar auctions for cards within the $1 to $10 range, like Bowman Firsts, Numbered, or Rising Rookies, is one thing. But auctions for $0.05 cards don’t hold the same merit.
Remain vigilant!