Loss Prevention Magazine says that more than $550 billion has been spent by consumers online with merchants in the US, which is 14% of the total amount of US sales in retail.
On the face of it, this seems like an impressive amount, but maybe we need to look at the percentage of these sales that were actually returned. This will tell another story of people who made online purchases but were not happy with them.
For instance, eCommerce returns for the period 2019 to 2020 increased more than twofold. An amazing $102 billion items bought online were sent back. Have you ever wondered what happens to everything that has been returned? A small amount is sent back to actual stores.
Unfortunately, though, most of the big online retailers find that the inspection, repackaging and relisting of all these returns is just not cost effective. This usually means that the returned items are liquidated, despite the fact that they are neither damaged nor faulty. There are lots of reasons why people return goods and this means that many of them are still new and even unopened.
The big online retail stores sell returned products to liquidators by the pallet, and it is possible to get access to these products by using online liquidation marketplaces. Just keep reading here to find out more.
Amazon return pallets
These are pallets containing items that have been sent back to Amazon. If you are prepared to take a risk on purchasing items unseen, it is possible to buy things with a huge discount. With a little bit of refurbishment and enthusiastic reselling, there is potential for making substantial amounts of money. In fact, the more you buy, the cheaper it is.
Amazon’s liquidated products are usually sold by the pallet or even by the truckload.
What is so good about buying Amazon return pallets?
There are some really good reasons for considering buying these return pallets.
Firstly, it doesn’t need a huge initial investment. Probably just a few hundred dollars will be enough to make a start. It’s also possible to start by using a line of credit.
There are plenty of opportunities for reselling, too, such as flea markets and platforms used especially for resale, like eBay, OfferUp, Poshmark and Thredup. The purchase of return pallets is also an excellent way of gaining stock if you are starting up or already own your own business, as they usually contain different kinds of products, ranging from electronics or clothing to beauty products.
Some people decide to specialize in one particular type of product, whereas others choose lots of different categories to try to get an idea of what will be popular with their customers.
What is the best ways to get Amazon return pallets?
Generally, returns can be found on the websites of liquidation companies. So it’s a good idea to start by visiting their websites to find out which vendors are selling the liquidation stock.
Then it’s just a matter of finding “Amazon” under “Marketplaces” or “By Seller”.
Here we’re going to look at various liquidation companies.
Amazon Liquidation Auctions (US)
This is a good choice for buying a wide range of different items for your business and it is open to anyone with a business registered in the US.
Less Thank Truckloads
This is used by buyers based in the US who bid on overstock merchandise, including:
- Homeware items
- Books
- Clothing
- Groceries
- Electronic items
- Accessories
- Footwear
It is necessary to register and get approval from Amazon, and then it’s easy to bid on and purchase overstock inventory in bulk.
Liquidation with B-Stock (UK)
B-stock was chosen by Amazon as its returns seller in the UK. Although it carries out liquidation auctions in many countries, Amazon products are only sold to Europe and the US.
However, you need to be aware that the condition of the products being auctioned varies from pallet to pallet, sometimes ranging from brand new right through to salvage.
It’s also worth knowing that buyers need to apply to the marketplaces on an individual basis, as each one uses different criteria.
Sellers also vary in their shipping rates and options, with some basing their calculations on each pallet and others offering flat-rate or free shipping.
Buying from other websites
There are also some other websites that sell Amazon return pallets, as well as pallets from various other retailers.
Liquidation
The company Liquidation.com sells clearance lots from various online companies, including Amazon, by the box, pallet or truckload. The stock is mostly from the clothing, houseware, electronics, computer, industrial and vehicle categories.
Lots are auctioned with bids usually starting at about $100. It’s also possible to purchase some lots immediately.
In order to bid or purchase something, buyers need to register with liquidation.com first. Wire transfer is necessary for any customers who are not from the US, or for purchases greater than $5,000.
BULQ
This is another liquidation company based in the US dealing with sellers and retailers directly, including Amazon.
All new sale items are listed three times daily and prices will vary according to each seller. Some of the prices will be fixed and some may run over a 48-hour auction.
Buyers can browse through the clearance section for free, but must register if they want to purchase anything.
All customers will be provided with a resale certificate, but it’s not possible to get exchanges or returns on lots or pallets.
Items will only be shipped to addresses in the US and, even then, there may be $30 flat shipping fee. The shipping cost varies according to dimension, weight, and distance between warehouse and delivery address.
Tips for reselling Amazon returns
The easiest part is buying the returns pallet. The hard part comes with knowing how to upscale the contents of the pallet in order to make as much profit as possible.
The items contained in an Amazon pallet are largely untested, so this means that they will be in different states. Some of the items will be ready for immediate sale, whilst others may need considerable repair.
Here are some tips for making as much profit as possible from the purchase of an Amazon returns pallet.
Sort and Bundle
The first thing that needs to be done is to find out exactly what there is in the pallet. Sort everything into two piles: one for the items that can be sold straight away as they are, and one for the items that need some repair before they can be sold.
It’s also possible that some items might be more attractive being sold as a bundle.
Repair
Don’t be surprised if some of the items need some degree of repair or refurbishment, particularly electronic items. If you are able to carry out repairs and refurbishment yourself, then this will obviously save you some money. In fact, most repairs will turn out to be small and quick and easy to do. Taking some time to do this will ensure that the products are up to factory specifications again and, therefore, have a higher resale value.
If you’re really clever, you can sometimes use the different components from several faulty items to repair others, making them ready to sell.
It’s also a good idea to keep any items that are broken, as they can be used for spares and repairs in the future.
Replace missing accessories
One of the main reasons for returning products is the lack of vital accessories, like chargers or headphones. These are actually quite cheap and easy to replace, and it’s much better to be able to resell something that has all the necessary accessories, as it adds value. A small initial outlay will result in a higher selling price.
Repack
The original product packaging will often be damaged, so don’t be surprised if it needs to be repackaged. It’s best to try to use the original replacement packaging, as this can have an effect on the resale value. For instance, 67% of American consumers prefer the look of paper or cardboard-based packaging compared to other materials.
If it’s not possible to use the original packaging, try to use good quality packaging that is both plain and in pristine condition.
Inspect
Make sure that products are inspected very carefully, as they all have to be given a grade when they are advertised for reselling.
Items need to be allocated to one of these categories:
- New factory-sealed: brand new and still in original packaging. It is still unopened, in the plastic wrapping from the factory, and in pristine condition.
- New open-box: new and in perfect condition, although the packaging has been opened.
- Refurbished: has been inspected, maybe repaired, accessorized, and repackaged.
- Used: functional, but with signs of wear and tear that may include scratches or dents.
A final piece of advice is to remove the original warranty given by the manufacturer, as this will no longer be valid. So make sure that any cards inside the original package are removed and destroyed.
Is it possible to make money from Amazon return pallets?
Yes, it is possible to make money from return pallets, but the amount you make will depend on how much effort you are prepared to put in.
Time spent on the refurbishment, accessorization, bundling, and repackaging of items should result in quite a decent profit. However, it’s advisable to do some research before purchasing an Amazon return pallet.
Try to find the items on eBay or Amazon to get an idea of how much profit could be made. Estimate the cost of each item contained in the pallet and the potential selling price. Don’t forget to include a weighing factor for broken merchandise, too.
Conclusion
Buying and reselling Amazon return pallets can be fun and exhilarating. The best thing about it is that you don’t need to have loads of storage space. Many of the items can also be sent back to Amazon’s warehouses to be resold, or listed on eBay. There’s no need to have any special skills or to make any huge investment in order to get started.
And that’s just about all you need to know about buying Amazon liquidation pallets.