Tips for Making Money on Liquidation Merchandise

By Staff Reporter

Oct 23, 2019 01:18 PM EDT

Tips for Making Money on Liquidation Merchandise(Tips for Making Money on Liquidation Merchandise) (Credit: Getty Image)

If something is being liquidated, it's being sold for a price that is far lower than normal. This is usually the result of a store closing, but in many cases. stores can sell pallets of returned products at liquidation prices. Such pallets tend to not list what items go into them, but they can still be profitable for the prudent buyer. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you want to make money with liquidation merchandise.


First, decide who to buy from when starting your liquidation resale business. Two sales of similar-looking items could be from completely different sources, making it important to do some research into the seller of the liquidation. Direct Liquidation is one website that lists various products in bulk from a number of sources at a discount, and various lots are purchased by the highest bidder. Given that the pallets are purchased by the highest bidder and that the precise composition of the lot is usually unknown, it's important to note that buying wholesale liquidation in this manner goods can be a risky proposition without some market research. A couple of ways to gauge the size of a given market include analyzing established surveys and using focus groups. Dealing with wholesale in particular requires quite a lot of research and analysis despite how simple it might seem on the surface.

If you have determined that a lot of wholesale goods cannot be sold with enough of a profit margin to be worthwhile, there may be a few other things to consider. The most profitable way to buy liquidation goods is directly from the company that's selling them. Failing this, you should try to remove as many layers between the original company's liquidation and your purchase of the merchandise. Seasonal factors are also worth considering, if you're willing to wait some period of time before you sell your product. Outdoor seasonal products such as lawnmowers, for example, are cheaper in the winter months when nobody needs to use them, and many retail stores will liquidate their overstock of such items. A liquidation resale business can take advantage of this phenomenon in the spring or summer when such items are in demand and undercut the competition. If you can buy directly from the company that's liquidating, you might even be able to negotiate your purchase price. Additional strategies in this vein include asking for a discount for damaged or expired products and waiting for greater discounts the closer the store is to its final closing date. With a little legwork, you can make your liquidation resale business that much more competitive.

In addition to the liquidation resale end of the business, a few basic issues apply to all sorts of companies in general as well. Basic necessities such as your budget, taxes, and physical space where you store your product should never be overlooked. It may be worthwhile to consider automating some internal business tasks with smart payables checks to reduce human error when you need to deal with a large volume of calculations or paperwork. Keeping track of all the small details involved in running a business is no easy task, and making too many mistakes might have financial and legal repercussions.

Liquidation merchandise is not always a predictable market, but it can be profitable once you get a handle on it. Make sure you have a good grasp of what you're selling and how to sell it. As long as you keep track of everything that goes on in your business, you will be continually learning more about how to run it even if you fail in the short term. 

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