Buyer Guide
Common wholesale liquidation terminology explained for new and experienced buyers.
Overstock
Inventory that a retailer or manufacturer produced or ordered in excess of demand. Overstock is typically new and unused.
Shelf Pulls
Products removed from retail shelves due to seasonal resets, packaging changes or planogram updates, despite otherwise being sellable.
Customer Returns
Merchandise returned by customers to a retailer. Condition varies widely, from unopened to used or damaged, and is usually sold as-is.
Salvage
Inventory recovered from damaged shipments, warehouse incidents or insurance claims. Typically the lowest-condition liquidation tier.
Manifested
A pallet or lot sold with an itemized list (manifest) detailing the specific products, quantities and often estimated retail value included.
Unmanifested
A pallet or lot sold without an itemized list. Buyers know the general category but not the exact contents until received.
Pallet
A standard wooden or plastic platform used to stack and transport goods, typically holding one mixed or single-category load of merchandise.
Gaylord
A large bulk cardboard box (usually on a pallet) used to ship loose, unpalletized merchandise, common for smaller or loose items.
Truckload
A full trailer of palletized inventory, typically containing roughly 24-26 pallets. A half truckload is roughly 12-13 pallets.
FOB
"Free On Board" -- indicates the point at which responsibility for goods (and shipping cost) transfers from seller to buyer, commonly the seller's warehouse.
Warehouse Pickup
Collecting your purchased inventory directly from the seller's warehouse rather than arranging freight delivery, often by appointment.