A Major Policy Change for Sealed and Surprise Products
Whatnot is introducing a significant change that affects sellers of mystery boxes, blind bags, breaks, and any sealed surprise products.
Effective November 3, 2025, only Professionally Sealed Surprise Products that appear on Whatnot’s Identified Product List can be sold on the platform—including in “breaks” or live unboxings.
If an item isn’t listed, it must be removed from sale after the effective date.
What Counts as a Professionally Sealed Surprise Product
According to Whatnot, this category covers any product that:
- Is packaged and sealed by the manufacturer, and
- Has contents unknown to both the buyer and seller at the time of sale.
This includes trading card packs, collectible blind boxes, mystery figures, capsule toys, and other factory-sealed surprise items.
New Manufacturer Requirements
Manufacturers now need to apply for approval to have their sealed products added to the Identified Product List.
The process includes:
- A detailed submission form through Whatnot’s Help Center.
- Possible independent third-party audits of manufacturing, packaging, and quality-control processes.
- Verification of public checklists, business structure, and authenticity measures.
Only manufacturers (or entities operating as such) can submit products for inclusion.
If you create your own sealed mystery boxes, you are considered the manufacturer under this rule and must complete the approval process.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply
After November 3, 2025:
- Non-listed sealed surprise products cannot be sold or offered on Whatnot.
- The rule applies to breaks, bundles, and individual sealed products.
- Whatnot will introduce in-app reporting tools so buyers and sellers can flag unapproved listings.
Failure to comply could lead to listing removal, suspension, or account penalties.
What Resellers Should Do Now
- Review Your Inventory.
Check all sealed or mystery-type products and confirm whether they’re on the Identified Product List. - Contact Your Suppliers.
If you source from third-party manufacturers or repackers, verify they’ve submitted for approval. - Prepare to Adjust Your Listings.
After the cutoff date, only approved items can remain active. If your items aren’t listed, remove them or reclassify them as open, known-content listings. - Stay Updated.
Bookmark Whatnot’s Professionally Sealed Surprise Products policy page for the latest updates and Identified Product List changes.
How List Perfectly Can Help
With List Perfectly, you can:
- Quickly delist or update your Whatnot inventory in bulk.
- Crosslist compliant listings to eBay, Poshmark, or Mercari with one click.
- Use AI Listing Assistant to rewrite descriptions and titles when re-categorizing your surprise products.
- Track true profits with the Sales & Analytics Dashboard.
List Perfectly’s tools make compliance changes easier—saving you hours when marketplaces introduce new rules.
Final Thoughts
This update marks a major shift toward transparency and product authenticity on Whatnot. While it adds a layer of compliance, it also helps protect buyers and legitimate sellers alike.
Start preparing now so you can continue selling confidently after November 3, 2025.
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