Why a giveaway costs more than the prize
Nothing is sold in a giveaway, so the cost is yours: the prize, plus the giveaway’s shipping, which Whatnot lists as a seller cost deducted from your order earnings. That money has to come back from the paid sales in the same show, and every paid sale gives up 8% commission and 2.9% + $0.30 processing first. So the real question is how much more each spot or sale has to bring in.
In a break: what the giveaway adds per spot
The calculator above is our Whatnot break calculator, prefilled with this example. Change the giveaway field to your own budget.
| Giveaway budget | Total break costs | Break-even spot price | Added per spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $652.50 | $24.75 | $0.00 |
| $10 | $662.50 | $25.13 | $0.38 |
| $20 | $672.50 | $25.50 | $0.75 |
| $40 | $692.50 | $26.25 | $1.50 |
| $60 | $712.50 | $26.99 | $2.24 |
A $40 budget adds $1.50 to the break-even spot price here (computed). That is a bit more than $40 divided by 30 spots ($1.33), because each spot’s fees also rise when its price does. With fewer spots the same giveaway weighs more on each one.
Outside a break: sales it takes to pay for giveaways
For a regular show, compare the giveaway cost with the profit on a typical sale. Our example assumes figures you should replace with your own.
| Giveaways in the show | Giveaway cost | Sales whose profit it uses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.00 | 0.5 |
| 3 | $24.00 | 1.5 |
| 5 | $40.00 | 2.5 |
| 10 | $80.00 | 4.9 |
If a giveaway brings in viewers who buy, it can pay for itself. If it doesn’t, it comes straight out of the show’s profit. Tracking cost per show is the only way to know which.
What to count as giveaway cost
- What you paid for the prize, not what it might sell for.
- The giveaway’s shipping, plus the mailer and supplies.
- Any Boost spent to promote the giveaway show, which the break calculator has its own field for.
Giveaway rules on Whatnot, including what can be given away and who can enter, are set by Whatnot and can change. This page covers cost math only and is not legal advice.
Estimates, fees as of Oct 2026. Not affiliated with any marketplace. Prize and shipping costs in the second table are assumptions.