WhatNot Addiction? Dangers of Fast-Paced Auction Site
Clinical Review by:
Published:
Jan 7, 2025
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04:48 p.m.
ET
Updated:
Jan 12, 2025
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09:56 p.m.
ET
Ebay is a name that most people know and associate with online auctions for hard-to-come-by items. WhatNot is an updated, modern version that allows people to bid on items such as baseball cards, collectors items and unique clothing items in fact-paced social auctions. WhatNot adds a layer of socialization that is missing from other online auction sites, using live-streaming to entice and engage buyers in a community of people with similar interests.
The dark side of online auctions like WhatNot can lead some people down the path of addiction when their bidding becomes compulsive and unstoppable.
What is WhatNot? What is it used for?
WhatNot is a social marketplace where buyers can discover and potentially bid on some of their favorite collectors’ items such as sports cards, sneakers, luxury items, clothing and more. WhatNot was founded in 2019 and was a first of its kind to showcase a live-stream auction platform that allows sellers to host events and sell items live. After an initial focus on some specific niche collectibles, Whatnot has since expanded into a wide variety of ecommerce categories including trading cards and memorabilia, comics, action figures, clothing, footwear, electronics, jewelry and even some perishables like food.
WhatNot is also popular for volume selling, or selling a lot of product in a short amount of time, for a lower price point than higher auction individual items that you find on other sites. Sellers also have the option to use the Sell It Now (SIN) option in their storefront or even gift items as giveaways.
WhatNot is an ecommerce site that is similar in many ways to Ebay, but with a more social aspect via more live audio and chat functionality than other auction apps and sites. The live-stream aspect of WhatNot allows people to interact, make friends, gain business partners and create bonds that would not happen if bidding only happened with the click of a button.
Is WhatNot Addiction real? Can you really get addicted to it?
Collecting sports cards or other collectibles is not a new hobby for many, but the ability to purchase items on a live and fast-paced platform that is thrilling with social aspects have made WhatNot especially alluring for novice and expert collectors alike.
Auction site addiction and compulsive bidding are issues that existed well before WhatNot. Compulsive bidding stems far beyond a dedicated buyer with a passion for a certain type of item and is characterized by an uncontrolled need to place an excessive amount of bids, detaching oneself from the purpose of buying the item but relying solely on the thrill of the potential win.
Bidding on auction items can trigger endorphin boosts from the reward center of the brain, which makes it difficult to stop bidding. When our brains are used to spikes of endorphins, we crave that same feeling and experience strong urges to continue a behavior that our brain finds rewarding.
What makes WhatNot addictive?
WhatNot makes bidding on items easy with its face-paced nature, swipe to bid feature and incentivization to buy more and more. The live-stream aspect adds another layer of pressure on buyers as they interact in real-time with both the seller and other buyers, often creating a fun - but at times intense - environment depending on the item and the time of the auction. Some are as short as five seconds, while others are multiple minutes. As you’d expect, the shorter the auction, the more high pressure the environment can become.
WhatNot’s “Swipe to Bid” allows buyers to bid with a simple, quick flick of a finger to automatically bid higher than the last bidder. This feature allows buyers to quickly bid on items without having to check the amount they will need to outbid someone else. This type of bidding can be dangerous because it takes the thought process out of the action and can quickly escalate to a higher-than-intended amount, especially in short “sudden death” auctions when many are trying to get in the final bid before the time on the countdown clock expires.
This all can create a mindless bidding pattern if a buyer attempts to win auctions for multiple items, leading to more money spent than intended if they win multiple. Additionally, WhatNot’s “Buy Now, Pay Later” option lets buyers pay in installments for items, easing the initial financial burden of a purchase up front but usually with a notable percentage of interest added. This can become a slippery slope if a buyer chooses this option for multiple items that they don’t realize they can’t afford.
WhatNot also uses incentives such as free shipping for first time buyers, flash sales, giveaways, status boosts and discounts to frequent buyers. All of these tactics used to increase bidding activity may contribute to users developing an addiction to WhatNot.
What are “breaks” in the world of sports cards?
A ‘break” is when someone opens up and distributes cards from a pack, box, case or assortment of cards. Card breaking is a great way for people to buy rights to part of what’s usually an expensive pack without having to pay for the whole thing.
A benefit of buying a break of a pack of cards is that you may pay $10 for a portion of a $100 pack, and the most valuable card may fall in your part of the break. However, this is a gamble, as there is no guarantee that the cards unveiled fit into your part (like a team, division, player or even serial number). This dynamic strongly resembles actual gambling, as users are risking real money in hopes of winning something more valuable than what they risked. However, as with real betting, there is naturally a “house” advantage that usually results in losing more than you win.
Card breaks have become very popular on WhatNot, as streamers can leverage the bidding technology before opening the cards to let users compete financially for their preferred category of cards potentially within what they’re about to open. Outside of the bidding option, many streamers use digital randomization wheels – similar to what you’d see in a casino – to assign parts to paying participants ahead of the break.
Signs of WhatNot addiction: Crossing the line from hobby into out-of-control compulsion
Watching auctions and bidding on collector items on WhatNot can be a harmless hobby for many individuals, but sometimes it can develop into a habit that someone is unable to control and negatively impacts other aspects of their life. Incessant bidding and spending time on WhatNot can be one of the first indications that someone may be at risk of or already struggling with an addiction. Other signs of a WhatNot addiction and compulsive bidding can include:
Unable to stop bidding even if you want to
Using WhatNot causes emotional distress or anxiety
Mood swings due to status of items that are being bid on
Neglecting other responsibilities in favor of placing bids
Negative financial impact due to overbidding on items
Feelings of guilt or shame around WhatNot use
Using WhatNot to avoid dealing with emotions or stress
Hiding WhatNot use from friends or family
WhatNot addiction treatment options
Treatment for WhatNot addiction follows a similar treatment plan to gambling addiction. A mental health or medical professional may refer someone to a therapist for individual therapy to help understand their compulsions and create a plan to utilize healthier coping mechanisms to replace compulsive bidding with WhatNot.
If you or a loved one is struggling with WhatNot addiction, Birches Health offers the following ways to get started:
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com
