The Whatnot Raid Train Pre-Show Checklist

24 hours before your slot

• Confirm your slot. Re-read your confirmation email so the slot time and time zone match your calendar.
• Load your inventory into your Whatnot show, following the organizer's required item count and any photo standards. Most organizers expect items loaded by this 24-hour mark.
• Set your show banner so the audience landing on your stream knows what to expect. Include the train name if the organizer allows it.
• Prep your buyer giveaway. Have the item ready, photographed, listed, and visible during your slot. Make sure it meets the train's minimum value.
• Update your featured item on the lineup if the train offers one. A photo, caption, and direct Whatnot link drives pre-bids before you go live.

1 hour before your slot

• Check the lineup page to verify the seller ahead of you is on schedule. Look for any organizer announcements about delays or swaps.
• Test your setup — camera, microphone, lighting, and internet. Restart your phone or stream device if anything feels off.
• Lay out your physical inventory in selling order. Reaching for items mid-stream kills pace.
• Charge your phone or plug in. You do not want to die mid-auction.
• Hydrate and pee. Genuinely — you cannot leave once you're live.

5 minutes before your slot

• Go live. Whatnot streams take a moment to stabilize; do not wait until your exact slot time.
• Watch the seller before you in a separate browser tab so you can see their raid coming.
• Have your first item ready to start the second the raid arrives — your opening item sets the tone.
• Pre-write your raid-out message with the next seller's handle so you're not typing during the handoff.

While you're live

• Welcome the raid by name— say the previous seller's handle and thank them out loud
• Run your auction pace tight — buyers are warm but they will leave fast if you stall
• Plug your giveaway repeatedly — every new viewer needs to hear the hook
• Watch the clock — your raid-out timing is the most important moment of your slot

Raiding out

At the end of your slot, raid out immediately to the next seller using Whatnot's built-in raid feature. Announce who you're raiding to, encourage your audience to follow them, and hit the button on time. A late raid steals minutes from the next seller and frustrates the buyers.

If the next seller isn't live yet, hold for 30 seconds and raid to whoever the organizer has designated as the backup (often the host).

New to raid trains? Start with What is a Whatnot raid train? for the full mechanic, or How to join a Whatnot raid train for the signup process.