First-Time Buyer Guide
Everything you need to know before you place your first liquidation order.
Start with the right expectations
Liquidation is not retail. Goods arrive in mixed condition, information varies by lot and results depend on how well you inspect, price and sell. Buyers who prepare do well; buyers who expect every unit to be perfect do not.
This guide walks you through the decisions that matter most for a first order.
Step 1: Define your channel
Decide where you will sell before you buy: an online marketplace, a flea market stall, a shop or an export customer. The channel decides which categories and conditions suit you.
Step 2: Set a budget that includes everything
- Lot price
- Freight or travel for pickup
- Testing, cleaning and packaging supplies
- Marketplace and payment fees
- A reserve for units you cannot sell
Step 3: Choose a small first lot
A single case pack or pallet in a category you know. Prefer New Overstock or Shelf Pulls for a first order.
Step 4: Ask before you buy
Request photos, the manifest if one exists, and a freight quote. Read the condition.
Step 5: Process fast
Receive, count, sort, test and list within days. Cash tied up in unsorted inventory is the most common beginner mistake.
Step 6: Review and reorder
Track cost, sales and time for every lot. Reorder categories that sell fastest and drop the rest.