After spending $5k on Whatnot and becoming a seller myself, I’ve started questioning how ratings really work on the platform”

I started using Whatnot at the beginning of 2026 and probably spent $4,000–$5,000 before realizing it had become more of a game than shopping.
I bought mostly electronics—speakers, earbuds, handheld game consoles, smartwatches, toys, and other gadgets. Looking back, only a handful were actually useful. Most were low-quality items I probably wouldn’t have bought if I had seen them in person first.

At some point I decided to try selling some of it. After a few unhappy customers and bad reviews, I stopped and rethought my approach. It didn’t feel right selling products without being upfront about their flaws.

Now I source products myself and run my shows more like reviews. I spend a few minutes showing each item, explaining both the good and the bad. The problem is that Whatnot viewers seem to prefer fast-paced, high-energy streams. My shows are slow and detailed, so sales are slower, but I also get fewer complaints.

What I can’t figure out is how some large sellers move huge volumes of products that seem lower quality than mine, often at higher prices, while maintaining strong ratings.

One thing I’ve noticed is constant giveaways—sometimes 10+ per hour. It creates a lot of engagement and happy winners leaving 5-star reviews, which seems to offset negative feedback.

So I’m curious:
Do giveaways distort seller ratings?
Does Whatnot encourage impulse buying of low-quality products?
Have other buyers or sellers noticed the same thing?
Interested in hearing both sides.