How to Sell on Live Shopping Platforms in the UK

Live selling is the closest thing retail has to standing on a market stall, except the stall fits in your pocket and the crowd can be anywhere in the country. If you have stock that suits it (clearance lines, returns pallets, end-of-line, collectables, handmade), a phone is genuinely all the equipment you need to start.

This guide covers the practical side for UK sellers: requirements, costs, payouts and the shape of a first show. We build Biddurs, so the specific numbers below are ours, the checklist applies anywhere.

What you need to start

• A smartphone, shows are shot vertically on a phone camera. On Biddurs you can also stream from a PC with OBS if you prefer a fixed setup.
• Stock beside you, roughly sorted into the order you will run it.
• A verified seller account. UK platform-reporting rules (HMRC) mean marketplaces must verify seller details, and payouts need a connected bank account, on Biddurs that is a Stripe onboarding you complete once.
• Postage materials and a plan: one parcel price, dispatch within your stated window, tracked only.

What it costs

Platforms earn a commission on the hammer price. Biddurs charges 6%, and the first 50 founding sellers pay 0% for their first six months, locked to 6% after. Payment processing is handled inside that; there is no listing fee, no show fee and no monthly charge, so an empty show costs you nothing but the hour.

Compare that honestly wherever you sell: some platforms layer payment fees on top of commission, and the difference compounds across hundreds of lots. If you sell as a sole trader, be aware of HMRC's reporting thresholds, platforms are required to report seller earnings past a point, and Biddurs prompts you for your UTR only when you actually approach it.

Your first show, in one paragraph

Schedule the show a few days ahead with a cover image so followers can set reminders. Load your listings in advance, on Biddurs each listing carries its start price, bid increment and clock so going live is one tap per lot. Run your best item early to set the tone, keep lots short, talk to the chat by name, and end on time. Afterwards, dispatch everything within your window, your on-time rate is public and it is the single number buyers check. The Host Academy covers show craft in more depth.

Is it worth it?

Live selling rewards the same things a good market trader has always had: stock people want, patter, and reliability. The format's advantage is throughput, dozens of lots an hour with no listing admin per item, and the sudden-death clock means you are never waiting seven days for an auction to end. If that sounds like your kind of selling, applications for Biddurs sellers are open.

Questions people ask

Do I need a registered business to sell?

No, sole traders can sell on Biddurs. You will need to verify your identity, connect payouts, and past HMRC's reporting threshold provide your UTR.

When do I get paid?

On Biddurs, when the buyer confirms delivery or automatically 30 days after dispatch, whichever comes first. Open disputes pause only that order's payout.

Can I sell without showing my face?

Yes. Plenty of sellers shoot the table, not themselves. The camera needs to see the item; whether it sees you is your choice.