How to read your Whatnot Seller Weekly Orders Report
Decode the official Whatnot CSV: transaction_amount, buyer_paid, cost_of_goods, refunds, and an import workflow to run margin and KPIs after every live.
Key takeaways
- The Seller Weekly Orders Report is the official Whatnot seller ledger.
- transaction_amount is net; buyer_paid is what the buyer paid.
- Without cost_of_goods (COGS), you get net revenue but not estimated margin.
- Export after every important live block to keep a clean history.
- Importing the CSV into WhatCopilot turns those columns into actionable KPIs.
- Never confuse the on-stream sales total with the accounting ledger.
Direct answer: if you run your Whatnot shop only on the on-stream sales total, you miss the real ledger. The Seller Weekly Orders Report is the official export that describes every transaction, orders, refunds, tips, shipping, and it is the reliable base for KPIs, margin, and pricing decisions.
We decode the critical columns, common traps, and an import workflow that turns the CSV into a post-show cockpit. WhatCopilot is not affiliated with Whatnot: you upload the file yourself, no account scraping.
What is the Seller Weekly Orders Report?
Each CSV row is a seller ledger transaction. It is not a simplified receipt: it is marketplace accounting detail. WhatCopilot imports this file to rebuild net revenue, trends, products, buyers, and livestreams.
- Covers order_earnings, order_refund, tips, shipping charges, and other ledger movements.
- Follows Whatnot’s export cadence, export after important live blocks.
- Independent of Seller Analytics screens: useful for archives, multi-shop, and external analysis.
- Lets you cross-check fees and commissions against observed net.
The columns that actually matter
You do not need every column. Three fields drive most seller decisions: net, buyer view, and purchase cost.
transaction_amount, the net
transaction_amount is a net figure: Whatnot commission, payment processing fees, and typical seller shipping are already deducted. Refunds carry a negative amount and subtract from the total naturally. Aggregate this column for net revenue.
buyer_paid, the buyer’s view
buyer_paid is what the buyer actually paid (item price + shipping − coupon). It drives buyer-facing revenue and average order value. Do not confuse buyer_paid with transaction_amount: the gap is mostly marketplace fees.
cost_of_goods, no COGS, no margin
cost_of_goods is only populated if you entered it in Whatnot. Without COGS, WhatCopilot can compute net revenue but not estimated margin, so fill that field before exporting. Next: How to calculate your real Whatnot seller margin.
| Column | Use it for | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| transaction_amount | Net revenue / refunds | Treating it as gross sales |
| buyer_paid | AOV, buyer-facing revenue | Assuming it hits your bank account |
| cost_of_goods | Estimated margin | Leaving it blank then wondering why margin is missing |
| transaction_type | Filter earnings vs refunds vs tips | Summing every row without filtering |
Worked example: one line, two readings
Here is why the same lot can “do $80” on stream and ~$65 in the ledger. Figures are illustrative, exact rates change; always verify the Whatnot Help Center.
- buyer_paid = $80 (what the buyer sees)
- Commission + processing + shipping ≈ $15 (illustrative)
- transaction_amount ≈ $65 (ledger net)
- cost_of_goods = $40 → estimated margin ≈ $25
- Without COGS → you see $65 net, margin = ?
$80
buyer_paid
Buyer view / AOV
~$65
transaction_amount
Ledger net revenue
~$25
Estimated margin
If COGS = $40
~19%
Gross → net gap
Before COGS even lands
Common mistakes reading the CSV
- Summing buyer_paid and treating it as cash in the bank.
- Ignoring order_refund rows (negative amounts) in totals.
- Exporting without filling COGS on strategic lots.
- Comparing two lives on stream gross without CSV net.
- Mixing exports from two shops into one workspace.
Recommended import workflow
Enter COGS
On important lots, before the show or right after. Without this, margin stays a blind spot.
Export the report
Download the Seller Weekly Orders Report from the Whatnot seller area.
Import into WhatCopilot
Upload the CSV into the correct shop workspace, no scraping.
Read the KPIs
Check net revenue, estimated margin, top products / buyers, and livestream comparison.
Adjust the next live
Floor pricing, inventory, and pace: decide with the ledger, not chat vibes.
Go deeper
Reading the net is only step one: also map Whatnot fees & commissions, compare Seller Analytics vs WhatCopilot, and follow the complete Whatnot seller guide. Next: increase sales · real margin.
FAQ
- Where do I download the Seller Weekly Orders Report?
- From the Whatnot seller area (exports / Seller Weekly Orders Report). Export regularly after important lives to keep a clean history.
- Which column is net revenue?
- Aggregate transaction_amount on order_earnings and order_refund rows. Use buyer_paid for average order value and buyer-facing revenue.
- Why is estimated margin empty in WhatCopilot?
- Estimated margin needs cost_of_goods filled in Whatnot before export. Without COGS, WhatCopilot still computes net revenue but not margin.
- Should I export every week even with no lives?
- If there are no sales, an empty export adds little. As soon as you have orders, refunds, or tips, export to freeze the ledger state.
- Do tips and shipping appear in the CSV?
- Yes, the ledger typically includes tips, shipping charges, and other movements. Filter by transaction type before aggregating.
- Can I use multiple shops?
- Yes. Import each CSV into the WhatCopilot workspace for that shop. Do not mix files across shops.