I have bought pallets before from a company in SW Ontario that specializes in returns from electronics stores. They never proved to be highly profitable. For the most part they tend to be salvage and the write-offs tend to be high.
I have also bought from a couple of liquidators in the USA. In all instances they proved profitable over time, if you are prepared to arrange the trucking and do the customs clearance.
My suggestions would be: liquidations - yes, salvage - no
Cheers!
Bill
I have also bought from a couple of liquidators in the USA. In all instances they proved profitable over time, if you are prepared to arrange the trucking and do the customs clearance.
My suggestions would be: liquidations - yes, salvage - no
Cheers!
Bill
"Returns" are returned for a reason.
Zellers, Walmart, Sears. The Bay all accept items back from their customers for the flimsiest of reasons. A warning for returns from these stores - returned inventory often suffers more damage in the back of the store before being sold to an "Asset Recovery" company. By the time these companies sell it (generally you are not allowed to get to close a look at what you are buying) it is often near trash condition. For example, a friend purchased a pallet of assorted lamps in closed boxes on a shrink wrapped pallet. When the boxes were opened virtually all had destroyed glass shades or the bases were broken. $350 down the toilet.
Future Shop has their own techs go through all returns meticulously to determine what can be salvaged in store. If it can't it is shipped back to a central depot and accumulated until it can be sold by the truck load to an asset recovery firm in St Catherines. You may think you are buying a valuable pallet of assorted stereo or computer hardware but most of it is only valuable as a door stop or boat anchor. Sears, The Bay and Zellers don't have the expertise to check these things out in the stores and the asset recovery places know it. That's why Future Shop pallets sell for $300 - $500 (depending on the mix) and Sears/Bay/Zellers pallets sell for almost double that amount.
My last comment would be that you have to be a serious risk taker if you are going to buy pallets from asset recovery companies. Be prepared to lose money on some pallets, break even on most and make money on the odd one. You should also have a van available to haul a lot of stuff off to the dump.
Bill
Zellers, Walmart, Sears. The Bay all accept items back from their customers for the flimsiest of reasons. A warning for returns from these stores - returned inventory often suffers more damage in the back of the store before being sold to an "Asset Recovery" company. By the time these companies sell it (generally you are not allowed to get to close a look at what you are buying) it is often near trash condition. For example, a friend purchased a pallet of assorted lamps in closed boxes on a shrink wrapped pallet. When the boxes were opened virtually all had destroyed glass shades or the bases were broken. $350 down the toilet.
Future Shop has their own techs go through all returns meticulously to determine what can be salvaged in store. If it can't it is shipped back to a central depot and accumulated until it can be sold by the truck load to an asset recovery firm in St Catherines. You may think you are buying a valuable pallet of assorted stereo or computer hardware but most of it is only valuable as a door stop or boat anchor. Sears, The Bay and Zellers don't have the expertise to check these things out in the stores and the asset recovery places know it. That's why Future Shop pallets sell for $300 - $500 (depending on the mix) and Sears/Bay/Zellers pallets sell for almost double that amount.
My last comment would be that you have to be a serious risk taker if you are going to buy pallets from asset recovery companies. Be prepared to lose money on some pallets, break even on most and make money on the odd one. You should also have a van available to haul a lot of stuff off to the dump.
Bill
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