Buyer’s Guide
This guide explains what a liquidation lot is, how we grade it, what happens between checkout and your dock, and what to do if a lot is not what you need, so you know exactly what you are buying before you pay.
The basics
What liquidation merchandise is
Liquidation merchandise is inventory that retailers and brands sell off in bulk instead of putting back on the shelf. It comes from three main sources:
Customer returns
Items shoppers sent back to the retailer, for any reason.
Overstock and closeouts
New items the retailer bought too many of or stopped carrying.
Shelf pulls
Unsold items removed from store shelves, often seasonal or with tired packaging.
It is cheap because it is sold in bulk and as-is. Unless a listing says otherwise, we do not open, test, sort, clean, repair or repackage anything in a lot. We are an independent reseller, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon or any other retailer or brand named on our site.
Eligibility
Who can buy
Anyone aged 18 or older can buy from us, as a business or as an individual. There is no membership and no minimum order. A resale certificate is only needed if you want a sales tax exemption.
Liquidation suits buyers who can handle variety, have space to process a pallet, and have a way to test and resell mixed goods. It does not suit buyers who need every item to work or who are looking for one specific product. If you try a lot and it is not for you, our 30-day return policy lets you send it back.
Listings
How lots are sold
You buy the whole lot at the listed price, and shipping to any address in the 50 states is free. A listing shows:
- The price in U.S. dollars, for the whole lot
- The category
- Photos
- A description that states the condition of the lot. Where the description names one of our four condition grades, that grade applies; where it names no grade, the lot is sold as Customer Returns
- Whether the lot is manifested. A manifested lot has a manifest file attached to its listing. A listing without a manifest file is an unmanifested lot
- Any pallet count, unit count or weight. These are estimates unless the listing says the lot was counted
- The origin city and state, only if the lot ships from somewhere other than our San Antonio warehouse
A standard pallet is 40 by 48 inches. A full 53-foot trailer usually holds 24 to 26 standard pallets.
Grading
Condition grades
We use four condition grades. The grade describes the lot as a whole, not every item in it.
| Grade | What it means | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| New / Overstock | Unused items in original retail packaging | Packaging may show shelf wear, stickers or markdown labels |
| Shelf Pulls | Unsold store stock removed from shelves | Unused, but packaging may be opened, dented, faded, stickered or out of season |
| Customer Returns | Items shoppers returned to the retailer | A mix of working, used, damaged, defective and incomplete items. Missing accessories, manuals and packaging are common |
| Salvage | Items known or expected to be damaged, defective or incomplete | Best for parts, repair or recycling. Expect most items not to work as sold |
A few things are true of every grade:
- If a listing names no grade, the lot is sold as Customer Returns: expect a mix of unopened, used, damaged, incomplete and non-working items.
- Unless a listing says otherwise, we do not test items. No grade is a promise that any item works.
- We do not promise any percentage of working or sellable items.
- If a listing combines grades, it says so and names them.
- Electronics in Customer Returns and Salvage lots may be locked to an account, password-protected, or missing chargers and cables.
Manifests
Manifested and unmanifested lots
A manifest is an itemized list of what is in a lot, supplied by the retailer or source. A lot is manifested only when a manifest file is attached to its listing, where you can open it before you buy. A listing without a manifest file is an unmanifested lot, and most of our lots are unmanifested.
| Manifested | Unmanifested | |
|---|---|---|
| Item list | Yes: descriptions, quantities and usually estimated retail value | No |
| How it is sold | By the manifest | By category, grade and pallet count |
| Unit count | Up to 5% of manifested units may be missing or different | Any count or weight shown is an estimate |
| Shortage claims | Yes, if more than 5% of manifested units are missing or different | Only for missing pallets or cartons |
| Typical price | Higher | Lower, with more variety and more risk |
We do not open sealed pallets to re-count them. On a manifested lot, up to 5% of the manifested units may be missing or different from the manifest. That is normal and is not a claim.
A manifest lists what the items are. It does not describe the condition of each item; the condition grade does that for the lot as a whole.
What the numbers mean
Retail value and photos
Estimated retail value (sometimes shown as MSRP) is supplied by the source and is a reference only. It is not what you pay, and it is not what the items will sell for. We make no promise about resale value or profit. Any refund we issue is based on the price you paid, never on retail value.
Photos are representative of the lot type and condition grade unless the listing states that they show the specific lot you are buying. A photo is not a list of contents, and a difference from a representative photo is not a claim.
Your responsibilities
Dated, regulated and restricted goods
You are responsible for reselling lawfully. Before you buy, keep these points in mind:
- Dates. Health and beauty, grocery and drugstore lots may contain short-dated or past-date items unless the listing states a date range. Check dates before you resell.
- Recalls. Check items against recall notices at cpsc.gov and fda.gov. Do not resell a recalled product. We do not knowingly list recalled products.
- Personal data. Returned phones, computers and smart devices may still hold a previous owner’s data. Wipe every device before you resell or donate it.
- Marketplace rules. Amazon, eBay, Walmart Marketplace and other platforms restrict some used or returned goods and may require brand approval. Our invoice shows your lot purchase; it may not meet a marketplace’s invoice or brand-authorization rules. Check their rules before you buy.
- Resale conditions. If a listing carries conditions, such as removing retailer labels, those conditions are part of your order.
Step by step
How to buy
- Read the listing. Check the description and condition, any manifest file, any counts given and any origin stated (every lot ships from San Antonio unless its listing says otherwise).
- Add the lot to your cart, or ask for a quote by email. Email sales@directpalletoutlet.com for a quote. A quote is needed for a lot whose listing says quote only, and for delivery to a U.S. territory or another country. A quote fixes the price, and the shipping cost for a U.S. territory or international destination, for 3 business days. It does not reserve the lot.
- Enter your delivery address. In the order notes box at checkout, tell us whether the address is residential and whether you have a loading dock or forklift. If you tell us nothing, we book curbside delivery with a liftgate at no charge. To collect the order yourself instead, email us your order number before it ships and we switch it to local pickup.
- Review your total. Shipping is free to all 50 states and Washington, D.C. You see the lot price and, where it applies, sales tax before you pay, and the total shown at checkout is what we charge for the order as placed. The only charges that can arise later are the carrier charges listed in section 7 of our Shipping Policy and storage fees on a pickup order that is not collected within 7 days.
- Pay. Choose your method at checkout: credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) paid at checkout, bank wire or ACH transfer, Zelle, Apple Pay and Chime. A card is charged at checkout. For a transfer or app payment we email the instructions with your order number right after checkout, and your lot is held for 3 business days for the payment to arrive and clear. We do not offer cash on delivery or payment terms.
- Watch your email. You receive an order receipt at checkout, an order confirmation as soon as your payment clears (at once for cards), then a shipping confirmation with tracking, or a notice that your order is ready for pickup.
A card payment reserves your lot at checkout. For a transfer or app payment the lot is held for 3 business days after checkout; it is yours once the payment clears. You may cancel free of charge until we send the shipping confirmation.
Tax
Sales tax and resale certificates
We charge sales tax where the law requires it. Where it applies, it is added and shown at checkout before you pay; if no tax line appears at checkout, no sales tax is charged on that order. If you are buying for resale and want an exemption, send us your resale certificate before you order. Email your certificate to sales@directpalletoutlet.com. We review it and reply within 2 business days, and once it’s approved, your orders to that state are placed without sales tax. .
Timing
How long delivery takes
| Stage | Business days |
|---|---|
| Handling, after payment clears | 1 to 2 |
| Transit, parcel or freight | 2 to 5 |
| Total delivery time | 3 to 7 |
These times apply to every address in the 50 states and Washington, D.C., Alaska and Hawaii included, by parcel and by freight. A payment that clears after 2:00 p.m. Central Time, or on a day that is not a business day, starts handling the next business day. A business day is Monday to Friday, excluding U.S. federal holidays. Pallets ship by LTL freight, truckloads by dedicated truck, and a lot ships by parcel only when its listing says so.
Before the truck arrives
Getting ready for a freight delivery
Freight delivery is different from parcel delivery. Plan for it before the truck arrives.
- Delivery is curbside. The driver brings the pallet to the back of the truck or the curb. The driver does not carry it inside, unwrap it or break it down.
- No loading dock or forklift? Tell us in the order notes at checkout, or by email before the order ships, and we book liftgate delivery at no charge. If you tell us nothing, we book liftgate delivery anyway. Liftgates have size and weight limits; if a lot cannot be delivered by liftgate, we tell you before it ships and you may cancel for a full refund.
- Home, farm, school, church, storage unit or job site? Tell us in the order notes at checkout or by email before the order ships. Residential and limited-access delivery are included in free shipping.
- Be there to sign. An adult must be present to inspect and sign for the delivery. The carrier calls to schedule a time.
- Truckloads. You unload the trailer, so you need a dock or a forklift. Carriers usually allow 2 hours of free unloading time and charge for delay after that.
- Give accurate details. If a carrier bills extra because the delivery details were wrong or a delivery was missed, that charge is yours, at the carrier’s actual cost. Section 7 of our Shipping Policy lists these charges.
At delivery
Inspect before you sign
The delivery receipt you sign is the main evidence in any damage or shortage claim. Take five minutes at the truck:
- Count the pallets or cartons and compare the count with the delivery receipt.
- Look at each pallet for torn or replaced wrap, crushed corners, leaning, wet cartons or open boxes.
- Write any damage or shortage on the delivery receipt before you sign. Be specific, for example “1 of 4 pallets crushed, wrap torn”. “Subject to inspection” is not enough.
- Photograph all four sides of each pallet, the labels and any damage.
- Keep your copy of the signed receipt.
In most cases you should accept a damaged delivery and note the damage, not refuse it. If the delivery is clearly the wrong lot or a total loss, call us from the dock at (210) 268-5542 before you decide.
Returns and claims
If something is wrong
You have two ways to get your money back, and neither carries a restocking fee.
30-day returns. If a lot is not what you need, for any reason,you may return it within 30 calendar days of delivery or pickup for a refund of the lot price. The lot must come back complete and in the condition you received it, with a return authorization from us, and it must ship within 14 calendar days of that authorization. You may unwrap the pallets and open cartons to inspect the lot. You pay the return shipping: we can book it at our carrier rate and deduct the actual cost from your refund, or you can ship it yourself or bring it back to our warehouse.
Eligible Claims. If the problem is ours or the carrier’s, we pay the return freight too, and you can choose a full refund, a pro-rated refund or a replacement lot. The four Eligible Claims are:
Report shipping damage, a shortage or a lot that is not as described within 7 calendar days of delivery or pickup. Non-delivery has no 7-day limit. If the 7 days have passed, you can still return the lot under the 30-day return policy.
To start a return or a claim, email sales@directpalletoutlet.com with your order number, photos, the delivery receipt and a short description. We acknowledge every request within 2 business days and decide claims within 5 business days of receiving complete information.
Keep the lot together until the return or claim is settled. Do not resell, list or throw away any part of it.
These are not Eligible Claims, although the lot can still be returned under the 30-day return policy:
- Individual items that do not work or are incomplete in a Customer Returns or Salvage lot
- Worn packaging
- A manifest difference of 5% or less
- The item mix in an unmanifested lot
- Resale results
Our Returns & Refund Policy has the full rules.
Collect it yourself
Local pickup
Pickup at our warehouse at 7402 Reindeer Trail, San Antonio, TX 78238 is free and by appointment. Place your order online, then email us your order number before it ships and we switch it to pickup. Bring your order number and a photo ID. We load your vehicle; you secure the load.
Please collect your order within 7 calendar days of the ready-for-pickup notice. From day 8 we charge storage of $10 per pallet per day. If a pickup order is cancelled after the pickup window closes, we refund the lot price less the storage fees. There is no restocking fee.
Getting started
Tips for first-time buyers
- Start with a single pallet. If you want to compare what arrives with a list, choose a lot that has a manifest file on its listing.
- Work out your cost per unit, and assume some items will not be sellable. Shipping is free, so the lot price is your landed cost.
- Set up a space to sort, test and clean before the pallet arrives.
- Inspect the lot as soon as it arrives. Shipping damage and shortages must be reported within 7 calendar days, and the 30-day return window starts on the delivery date.
- Check the rules of any marketplace you plan to sell on before you buy a category.
- Ask us before you order if anything in a listing is unclear. We answer messages within 2 business days.
Reference
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lot | The unit sold in one listing: a pallet, a group of pallets or a truckload |
| Manifest | The itemized list of a lot’s contents, supplied by the source |
| MSRP / estimated retail value | The source’s reference retail price. Not a resale forecast |
| LTL | Less-than-truckload freight: your pallets share a truck with other shipments |
| Truckload (FTL) | A dedicated trailer carrying only your order |
| Bill of lading (BOL) | The carrier’s shipping document listing what was handed over |
| Delivery receipt | The document you sign at delivery. Also called proof of delivery |
| Liftgate | A platform on the truck that lowers a pallet to the ground |
| Accessorial | An extra carrier service, such as liftgate or residential delivery |
| Return authorization (RA) | The number we issue when we approve a return. It must be marked on every returned pallet |
| Eligible Claim | One of four problems we fix at our cost: shipping damage, shortage, not as described, non-delivery |
| Business day | Monday to Friday, excluding U.S. federal holidays |
Contact us
Direct Pallet Outlet
Phone
Hours (Central)
Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sat 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday
Ready to buy your first lot?
Prices are on every listing. No membership, no minimum order.