If you’re running an online business or brick and mortar store, you may be looking for ways to cut down on how much you spend on merchandise. For example, you might be selling consumer electronics and find that refurbished products are just as popular as new items with customers, due to being more affordable.
You’ve probably seen videos online of YouTubers buying customer returns or liquidated merchandise online and getting pallets shipped to them to go through live on camera. But have you ever thought of how to liquidate extra inventory and how those same liquidation services could be more than an online novelty and actually supply you with the products you need to sell in your brick and mortar stores? Here’s where and how to go about buying pallets of refurbished goods.
Where can you buy refurbished goods by the pallet?
The internet is the easiest place to find refurbished goods and other returned merchandise to buy for your marketplace. For example, Direct Liquidation is one of many liquidation websites offering you access to merchandise that would otherwise just sit in a warehouse. Whether you’re looking for a truckload of general merchandise or just want to purchase a single pallet, a website like Direct Liquidation can help connect you with the right pallet for your retail needs.
For example, you may be looking for closeouts from a major vendor like Home Depot, Toys R Us, Lowe’s, or Walmart. Instead of paying for these items in bulk and then selling them at retail price. a website like Direct Liquidation actually helps you bid on pallets similar to other popular online auction websites. Since you’ll be bidding on merchandise from big-name retailers, it’s likely that you’ll be able to get a great deal on name-brand products, making it easier than ever to restock your store with items customers want.
What are the advantages of buying customer returns and other excess inventory?
As was mentioned earlier, the biggest reason you might want to look into refurbished or liquidation stock is that it can save your business money while still offering you a way to increase your inventory. Liquidation sales can be especially lucrative when you factor in how the price point for each item on your pallet really increases your profit margins. For example, if you’re looking for new products for your clothing store, a liquidation auction site may get your average price per garment down to only a few dollars or less. This means that when you flip the product as an eBay seller or in your brick and mortar store, you’re able to make more money in the long run.
Another major benefit of buying customer returns is that it gets you a much cheaper way to get items in almost new condition. Many people think about returns as items that have a defect. However, in the area of clothing, many people return shirts or pants that don’t fit properly or don’t match the accessories they thought they would. As such, the items that are returned and resold as liquidation stock are more akin to items in new condition.
What are some tips for resellers looking to make money flipping general merchandise on their online marketplace?
One of the most important tips to keep in mind is to factor in the shipping cost of a large pallet! Just because you may qualify for free shipping when buying from other online retailers doesn’t mean the same case will be true when you’re buying heavy pallets of shelf-pulls from large retailers like Lowe’s or Toys R Us. Shipping rates will vary based on the weight of the items as well as where in the contiguous United States you live, but the last thing you want is to lose our on your profits by paying several hundred dollars in unexpected shipping fees.