What is a card break?
A break is a live sale where you buy a spot in a sealed box or case, then watch the seller open it. Here is how one works, start to finish.
Read articleResources
Guides in plain words.
How card breaks work, how to check one, what the fees are and how to ship. For people who buy cards on live streams and people who sell them.
36 results
Break types explained
Random team, pick your team, hit draft, random slots, case breaks and repacks: what each one means and what your spot gets you.
Read articleHow spot prices work
Why a spot costs what it does: the box cost, the number of spots, platform fees and shipping all add up before the seller makes anything.
Read articleHow to check a break was fair
Three things you can check about any break, and how a Breaker OS link lets you do it yourself in under a minute, free and without an account.
Read articleRed flags: how to pick a trustworthy breaker
Warning signs to watch for before you buy a spot, and the habits of sellers you can trust.
Read articleMy hit never arrived: what to do
If a card you saw on stream never shows up, here is what to gather, who to contact first and how to file a claim on Whatnot or eBay.
Read articleWhat to expect with shipping
How cards from a break are packed and shipped, what protection to expect, how long it usually takes and what to do when a box arrives damaged.
Read articleHow to run your first break on Whatnot
A step-by-step plan for your first break: pick a format, price your spots, set up the show, run the randomizer, open the product and ship.
Read articleHow to price spots so you actually profit
A simple method to set spot prices that cover product, fees, postage and supplies, with a worked example from the shared fee schedule.
Read articleWhatnot seller fees explained (2026)
What Whatnot charges sellers in the US: the commission, card processing, the high-value rule and volume tiers, with examples from the shared fee schedule.
Read articleeBay Live seller fees explained (2026)
What eBay Live charges sellers in the US: the commission on item, shipping and tax, the per-item cap, card processing and the small-item promo, with worked examples.
Read articleShipping cards safely and fast
A packing routine that protects cards, keeps postage low and gets every buyer's order out quickly after a show.
Read articleUsing your platform's randomizer the right way
Why you should use the platform's own randomizer, how to run it on screen, and how to save the result so buyers can check it later.
Read articleHandling buyer disputes and claims
How to respond when a buyer says something went wrong, what records protect you, and how a saved history helps you resolve a claim calmly.
Read articleBreak
A live sale where many buyers each pay for a spot in a sealed box or case.
See definitionSpot / slot
Your share of a break.
See definitionHit
A big card that comes out of a pack: a rare, a numbered card, an autograph, or a card the seller calls a highlight.
See definitionChase
The most wanted card or cards in a product.
See definitionRip
Opening a pack, box or case.
See definitionCase
A sealed carton that holds several boxes of product.
See definitionHobby box
A box sold through hobby shops and distributors, usually with guaranteed hits in every box.
See definitionPYT (pick your team)
A break format where each buyer chooses the team or player they want and pays for that spot.
See definitionRandom team
A break format where a randomizer assigns a team to each buyer after the spots are sold.
See definitionHit draft
A format where buyers get a draft order and pick hits from a pool after the product is opened.
See definitionRepack
Product that was opened and re-packaged by a seller or third party.
See definitionBase card
A common, regular card in a set.
See definitionParallel
A version of a card with a different color, finish or pattern, often printed in smaller numbers than the base card.
See definitionNumbered (/99)
A card stamped with its print run, such as 12/99, which means card number 12 out of 99 printed.
See definitionRC (rookie card)
A player's first officially licensed card from a major set.
See definitionSIR / alt art
Short for special illustration rare, a Pokémon card with full-art artwork that tells a small scene.
See definitionRaw
A card that is not graded or sealed in a slab.
See definitionSlab
A graded card sealed in a hard plastic case by a grading company.
See definitionGrade (PSA / BGS / CGC)
A score a grading company gives a card for condition, usually on a 1 to 10 scale.
See definitionComps
Short for comparables: recent sale prices of the same or similar cards.
See definitionBreak number
The number a seller gives to one break, such as Break 212, so buyers and sellers can talk about the same show.
See definitionRandomizer
A tool that assigns teams, slots or draft order at random.
See definitionWhat is a card break?
A break is a live sale where you buy a spot in a sealed box or case, then watch the seller open it. Here is how one works, start to finish.
Read articleBreak types explained
Random team, pick your team, hit draft, random slots, case breaks and repacks: what each one means and what your spot gets you.
Read articleHow spot prices work
Why a spot costs what it does: the box cost, the number of spots, platform fees and shipping all add up before the seller makes anything.
Read articleHow to run your first break on Whatnot
A step-by-step plan for your first break: pick a format, price your spots, set up the show, run the randomizer, open the product and ship.
Read articleHow to price spots so you actually profit
A simple method to set spot prices that cover product, fees, postage and supplies, with a worked example from the shared fee schedule.
Read articleWhatnot seller fees explained (2026)
What Whatnot charges sellers in the US: the commission, card processing, the high-value rule and volume tiers, with examples from the shared fee schedule.
Read article