What You Need to Know About Walmart Auctions & Returns

Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world. And when you consider their $524 billion in revenue, you might also wonder what happens to their overstock, and customer-returned inventory.

Many business-savvy people are looking to buy this inventory directly from the retailer to resell for a profit. This inventory is great for:

• Small businesses offering discount gear
• Small businesses just getting started
• Online shops looking for low priced, high-quality inventory
• eBay sellers
• Discount store owners
• Amazon sellers
• Flea market vendors

By purchasing directly from the source you are buying high-quality merchandise from retailers who want to move the inventory as quickly as possible and simply get the fair market price. Until recently, unless you had a direct relationship with big-name retailers or are a large company yourself, obtaining this merchandise was difficult. That’s what makes Walmart liquidation auctions the perfect solution.

Buy Walmart Returns From the Source

Official Walmart liquidation isn’t as hard to come by as you might think either! All the big companies you know – Amazon, Lowe’s, and Target, among others, sell overstock and customer returns (aka liquidation inventory) via their own B2B marketplaces. Buying directly from the source ensures the merchandise is shipped only once, from retailer to you (eliminating middlemen and markups). This translates to better profit margins that flow directly to your bottom line. For more reasons you should ditch the middleman liquidator, read this blog!

Walmart liquidation lots are often sold by the truckload with bulk options in a variety of categories made available to you. 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 electronics, health and beauty products, and toys that tend to move quickly.

A few reminders about buying Walmart return lots:

You must plan ahead

If you’re considering a full truckload of inventory, bear in mind this is going to arrive in an 18-wheeler. When receiving a full truckload of goods, you’ll need the equipment and space to unload the truck, and also room to unpack, sort, and store your new merchandise. You’ll probably also want to have helpers on hand to deal with such a large volume of goods all at once.

Walmart auction shipping costs

There are benefits to going the full truckload route. The number one benefit is shipping cost savings.

Binding shipping is the most frequently used shipping method by retailers on the B-Stock platform. With binding shipping, the cost will vary depending on a few different variables including 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!

Consider your storage space

All that being said, space is always going to be the determining factor. If you don’t have enough space to store it you may want to start smaller! There are plenty of top retail auction marketplaces that offer single pallets and less-than-truckload shipments. However, if you know someone with warehouse space or were looking into storage options anyway, buying more inventory all at once offers the most bang for your buck.

If you’re more comfortable starting small, you can work up to a full truckload later on in your buying journey. B-Stock Supply is a good alternative that connects SMB sellers and buyers – allowing you to start small in your purchasing. You can buy and sell across hundreds of product categories, brands, and conditions – all in one place. Or, you can keep things local and find in-person auctions or ones within driving distance to avoid hefty shipping costs.

Walmart Auctions

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! Auction lots up for bid can range from a pallet, LTL (less-than-truckload) up to a full truckload of merchandise.

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. Since each retailer has its own approval criteria, you will need to apply to each marketplace separately.

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!

Why Buy from an Authorized Walmart Liquidation Marketplace?

With authorized marketplaces, you can trust you’re getting quality products at bargain prices.

It is also worth pointing out that some third-party sellers of this liquidated merchandise may try to take the quality and undamaged inventory for their own profit and leave the rest to auction. Avoid the scams and fake sellers by always checking reviews from sellers who you don’t recognize. If something seems off, it’s better to pass. Better safe than sorry!

Whenever possible, go with an authorized marketplace that works directly with the stores you’re looking to source from. Walmart Liquidation Auctions is only open to buyers in the United States. You can head over to liquidations.walmart.com to see the best auctions available and rest easy knowing it’s operated by yours truly – B-Stock! You’ll get access to lot manifests and can check the condition of the merchandise being liquidated and assess what your potential profits would be before placing a bid. Always do your homework and see what current prices are going for and if you could easily move the auctioned merchandise.

Start Sourcing Inventory via Walmart Auctions

Taking advantage of Walmart returns, overstock, and liquidation merchandise is a no-brainer if you’re looking to source inventory for your resale business. When you go with an authorized marketplace, there’s no need to worry about scams or bad deals. You have a reputable source for buying Walmart return pallets right at your fingertips!

Walmart Liquidation Auctions is part of The B-Stock network. B-Stock enables resellers to buy liquidation and overstock inventory directly from reputable enterprise retailers like Walmart, Sam’s Club, and others. By offering liquidation merchandise directly from retailers and manufacturers, B-Stock provides buyers access to inventory they ordinarily would have to purchase from middlemen and wholesalers. These liquidation sales are exclusive to B-Stock-approved buyers.

Join B-Stock’s network of small business owners and individual online resellers and get started bidding in Walmart auctions today!