Resellers used to have two basic formats: a fixed-price listing or a timed auction that ran for days. Live selling adds a third, in which a seller streams from a phone, shows each item and runs fast auctions or flash sales for whoever is watching. It began as a niche for trading cards and other collectibles.
The 2025–2026 numbers suggest it is becoming a mainstream reseller channel. This Trend Report pulls together what eBay has disclosed about eBay Live, what TechCrunch has reported about Whatnot, and what that means for a reseller deciding whether to go live.
Trend Signal
80/100 Strong momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
eBay Live GMV up roughly eightfold in a year
eBay said eBay Live GMV grew roughly eight times year over year across seven markets in Q2 2026, and TechCrunch reported in July 2026 that Whatnot sellers had passed a billion orders.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- ~8xeBay Live GMV growth year over year in Q2 2026, across seven marketseBay
- $3B+Whatnot annual livestream gross merchandise value, as reported in January 2025TechCrunch
- 20MBuyers Whatnot added in the year before its 2025 Series F funding roundTechCrunch
- 80MCumulative scans by eBay’s AI card-scanning tool as of Q2 2026eBay
The numbers behind the shift
eBay has expanded eBay Live quarter by quarter. With its fourth-quarter 2025 results it said it had taken the live-stream shopping experience to Germany and Australia and run its largest-ever slate of eBay Live holiday events. In the first quarter of 2026 it added France, Italy and Canada. For the second quarter, eBay said eBay Live posted another record, with GMV growing roughly eight times year over year across its seven markets.
eBay does not disclose eBay Live’s dollar volume, so the eightfold figure measures growth from an undisclosed base. For scale, the whole eBay marketplace handled $22.4 billion of GMV in Q2 2026, up 14% on an FX-neutral basis.
Whatnot, a live-first marketplace launched in 2019, supplies the other data points. TechCrunch reported in January 2025 that its annual livestream GMV had passed $3 billion, up from more than $2 billion reported in October 2024, and that it had raised $265 million at a $4.97 billion valuation. In July 2026, TechCrunch reported that Whatnot sellers had passed a billion orders, and that a $225 million Series F in 2025 valued the company above $11 billion after it added 20 million buyers in a year.
| When | Platform | Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | Whatnot | Annual GMV above $3 billion; $265 million raised at a $4.97 billion valuation |
| Q4 2025 | eBay Live | Expanded to Germany and Australia |
| Q1 2026 | eBay Live | Expanded to France, Italy and Canada |
| Q2 2026 | eBay Live | GMV up roughly 8x year over year across seven markets |
| July 2026 | Whatnot | More than 1 billion orders; valued above $11 billion in a 2025 round |
Why collectibles came first
Collectibles suit the format. The value of a sealed pack or a mystery lot is uncertain until it is opened on camera, and watching that happen is part of what buyers pay for. An eBay seller profile from February 2026 describes a card breaker who streams six hours a night, six days a week, opening packs of baseball and football cards and selling memorabilia; he said some viewers join every night “like watching their favorite TV show.”
Tools have followed the demand. eBay said its AI card-scanning feature passed 80 million cumulative scans in Q2 2026, up from 30 million reported with its Q1 results. Whatnot’s formats include sudden-death auctions and flash sales, and TechCrunch reported that it launched more than 35 new categories in 2025 and more than 45 in the first half of 2026, reaching into art, golf and vinyl.
That category push matters most to resellers outside cards. A format that proved itself in collectibles is being extended to hobby and lifestyle goods, and how those newer categories perform will decide how wide the channel gets.
What going live asks of a reseller
Live selling trades listing time for camera time. Instead of photographing and writing up each item once, the seller presents it live, answers questions and runs the sale in real time. The card breaker eBay profiled built a team that includes a sorting manager and shipping staff, which shows how quickly a successful show turns into a fulfillment job.
Competition for attention is real. TechCrunch reported that Whatnot’s systems process more than 500,000 hours of live video a week, so a new seller is one stream among many and needs a reason for buyers to stay: a niche, a regular schedule and inventory that looks good on camera.
The paperwork scales as well. The IRS says payment apps and online marketplaces issue Form 1099-K when a seller’s payments for goods exceed $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, and that all selling income must be reported whether or not a form arrives. A busy live seller may reach that transaction count sooner than a listing-only reseller.
The gear is cheap; the hours on camera and the packing afterward are the real cost.
Counter-signals, and who should wait
The strongest numbers come from the platforms or their funding rounds. eBay’s eightfold growth has no disclosed base, a valuation is not revenue, and order counts say nothing about margins. None of these figures shows what a typical seller earns per show.
Resellers with a steady supply of similar, visual items, such as cards, sneakers, vintage clothing or vinyl, and the time to stream on a schedule are the ones the format rewards now. Those who sell a few one-off items a week, or whose goods need close inspection of condition, lose little by staying with fixed-price listings while the newer live categories prove themselves.
What to watch next
- eBay’s Q3 2026 results, with GMV guided to $22.0 billion to $22.4 billion, and whether eBay Live keeps posting record quarters
- Whether Whatnot’s newer categories beyond collectibles draw enough buyers to sustain regular shows
- Any live selling features at Depop, the fashion resale marketplace eBay finished acquiring on July 30, 2026
Where to start
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A basic phone-based live selling setup
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Phone tripod with ring light | Fits solo sellers streaming at a desk | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Wireless clip-on microphone for phones | Fits noisy rooms and long shows | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Rotating display turntable | Fits showing items from all sides | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Phone tripod with ring light
Where to look: Amazon
The minimum upgrade over a handheld phone. Check that the mount holds your phone both vertically and horizontally, since platforms and item types differ.
- Even light on items
- Frees both hands
- Ring glare on glossy cards
- Light stands wobble at full height
Wireless clip-on microphone for phones
Where to look: Amazon
Buyers on a live show listen as much as they watch. Check the connector and whether the receiver blocks your charging port during long shows.
- Clearer voice over room noise
- Lets you move around
- Another battery to charge
- Connector must match the phone
Rotating display turntable
Where to look: Amazon
Useful for sneakers, figures and small goods where buyers want to see every side. Check the load rating against your heaviest item.
- Shows condition without handling
- Works for photos too
- Limited to small items
- Motorized ones need power
More: Small Business and Side Hustles trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- eBay Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results — eBay Inc.
- eBay Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Results — eBay Inc.
- eBay Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results — eBay Inc.
- Breaking cards and building community on eBay Live — eBay Inc.
- Livestream shopping app Whatnot raises $265M, pinning valuation at nearly $5B — TechCrunch
- Whatnot acquires Shaped to power real-time live shopping recommendations — TechCrunch
- Understanding your Form 1099-K — IRS
Questions readers ask
Is live selling worth it for resellers in 2026?
Demand is growing: eBay reported eBay Live GMV up roughly eight times year over year in Q2 2026, and TechCrunch reported in July 2026 that Whatnot sellers had passed a billion orders. It suits sellers with repeatable, visual inventory and time to stream on a schedule.
What kinds of items sell on live shows?
Collectibles led: Whatnot built its business on collectibles such as trading cards, comics and sneakers, and eBay’s live examples center on card breaks. Whatnot added more than 35 categories in 2025 and more than 45 in the first half of 2026, including art, golf and vinyl.
Where is eBay Live available?
eBay says eBay Live runs in seven markets. It added Germany and Australia in Q4 2025 and France, Italy and Canada in Q1 2026.
Will a live seller get a Form 1099-K?
The IRS says platforms issue Form 1099-K when payments for goods exceed $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, and that sellers must report all selling income whether or not they receive the form.
