Buying Walmart Returns: What to Expect & How to Get Started

Walmart returns are a great place for businesses in search of bargain inventory for eBay, flea markets, small retail stores or even large clearance chains to start.  In the current economic environment, consumers are looking for ways to save money, and offering high-quality Walmart returns is a great way to serve that need.

The only way for most businesses to buy returns directly from Walmart is via their official liquidation marketplace.  In this marketplace, Walmart lists and sells varying size lots of raw, unsorted returns of general merchandise and electronics. You will find lots ranging in size from a single pallet to a full truckload. The lots sell for prices ranging from $1,000 to $50,000. However, auction prices depend on the inventory. Auctions start at $1 and sell to the highest bidder.

There are two great things about buying returns from Walmart this way: first, everything is auctioned starting at $1 and sells to the highest bidder. This means the winner of every lot has named their own price! Second, you are truly buying directly from Walmart. This means there are no middlemen trying to make a profit by either marking up the prices or cherry-picking the best items out of each lot.  You simply get the unsorted returns just as they come in and get palletized by Walmart. In addition, you get a full manifest of every item in the lot. The manifest will include the reason for return on every item brought back to Walmart.

How to Buy Walmart Returns

Common items sold on Walmart Liquidation Auctions include TVs, electronics, furniture, bikes, appliances, apparel, and more. Almost anything found at a Walmart may be available in bulk on their auction site! When you get to the auction site, you can find lots up for bid that range from a pallet, LTL (less-than-truckload) up to a full truckload of merchandise.

General merchandise truckloads come with 24-26 pallets, which might sound a bit overwhelming, but is really a great opportunity. You can offer your customers variety and increase your chances of getting in-demand inventory like home & garden, health and beauty products, and toys that tend to move quickly.

To buy inventory from Walmart’s official online liquidation marketplace, you will need a registered business and a resale certificate. This allows you, the reseller, to purchase the goods tax-free. After you have your resale certificate, you must apply to the Walmart Marketplace on B-Stock. Likewise, you will need to apply to each marketplace separately since different retailers have different approval criteria.

Shipping Considerations

There are benefits to bidding and buying full truckloads on Walmart’s official liquidation marketplace. The number one benefit is shipping cost savings.

Binding shipping is the most frequently used shipping method by retailers on the B-Stock platform. In other words, the cost will vary depending on a few different variables. This includes zip code, weight, density, number of pallets, how many pallet spaces will be used during transport, and a few other factors.

If you’re looking to buy more inventory, consider the shipping cost of a full truckload versus all the individual shipping rates you’d end up paying by only going with a few pallets at a time. There’s a chance you’d spend more money for less inventory!

Become a B-Stock Buyer

First-time buyer or looking to learn the ropes? Head over to our blog How to Become a B-Stock Buyer for all the details you need to get started! Register now to start buying Walmart returns to grow your business.