Walmart seeks to turn itself into “the ultimate destination for hobby fans everywhere” through a weekly livestream called Collector’s Night, streaming on Walmart Live.
Walmart Live is an ecommerce feature on the retailer’s ecommerce website and app that the retailer launched in 2021. In December 2020, Walmart had begun livestreaming on TikTok. Through Walmart Live, consumers can watch livestreamed shopping events that influencers and celebrities host. TalkShopLive, a livestream commerce platform, will provide the technology for the weekly series, it announced Sept. 3. The first Collector’s Night ran Thursday, Sept. 4.
The livestreaming series partners with WeTheHobby, a U.S.-based sports card and collectible community. WeTheHobby also streams through Whatnot, a livestream-focused ecommerce marketplace, and through Fanatics Live. Fanatics is an Apparel & Accessories retailer that largely sells sports-related merchandise, and Fanatics Live is its livestream ecommerce platform.
The new Walmart Live show “Collector’s Night” displays collectibles for sale. | Image credit: Walmart website
Walmart is No. 2 in the Top 2000. The database is Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of North America’s online retailers by their annual ecommerce sales. Fanatics is No. 15.
Additionally, Walmart is No. 8 in the Global Online Marketplaces. That database ranks the top such marketplaces by their annual third-party gross merchandise value (GMV).
Why Walmart Live is focusing on collectibles
“Collectibles represent a critical and exciting area of investment and growth for Walmart,” said Mayank Hajela, general manager of collectibles for Walmart U.S., in a statement announcing the launch. “With demand continuing to surge, we’re committed to building experiences that not only serve collectors but redefine what they expect from us. ‘Collector’s Night’ is a powerful step forward in making Walmart a true destination for this growing category.”
Justin Breton, director of brand experiences and strategy at Walmart, said in the statement that the retailer’s livestream platform focuses on “creating experiences that inspire discovery.”
By zeroing in on collectibles, Walmart Live “is surprising customers with offerings they may not have expected to find here,” he said.
TalkShopLive said powering Collector’s Night reflects its goal to make online shopping a “more immersive and connected experience.”
“We’re proud to help Walmart bring the collectibles community into a new era of shoppable content,” said Bryan Moore, co-founder and CEO of TalkShopLive. “By enabling distributed shoppability, our technology makes it possible to meet collectors wherever they are and create experiences that connect passion with purchase.”
The growing collectibles market
In online marketplace eBay’s fiscal Q2 in 2025, collectibles were the largest contributor to GMV growth, its CEO Jamie Iannone told investors on an earnings call.
Within collectibles, trading cards stood out, marking a 10th consecutive quarter of GMV growth, Iannone said. Pokémon card sales grew in the triple digits for the second straight quarter, while Magic: The Gathering and sports cards also posted double-digit gains, he said.
Additionally, Fanatics is narrowing the gap between itself and Nike, the top retailer in the Apparel & Accessories category of the Top 2000 Database.
Fanatics has accomplished this growth in the 2020s through a variety of means, relevant to both its sports apparel and collectibles business. First, it has signed deals expanding its reach across leagues and fandoms. These have included professional player-, team-, and league-level agreements, in addition to working with apparel brands such as Lululemon and Nike. Moreover, it has made major acquisitions, including its 2022 Mitchell & Ness deal, the 2023 acquisition of the wholesaler Fexpro and others. It has also branched into livestream shopping with its Fanatics Live platform.
Percentages may not align due to rounding. Check back for more earnings reports.
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