Retail Arbitrage is a way for sellers to visit stores, source for cheap or on sale products and sell it for a higher price on Amazon. If you are thinking about this option, you may be wondering, “Where do I go to find items for retail arbitrage?” The short answer: discount stores.
The Best Stores for Retail Arbitrage
Tjmaxx, Ross, Marshall’s, Burlington Coat Factory, Big Lots and other outlet stores are great places to go to find great items that are half the price. You could always visit Walmart and Target as well and visit their clearance section but the other discount stores mentioned, are full of discounted items. Not only do they have a clearance section, but basically everything in the store is cheaper than the MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price).
Tjmaxx, is a store that contacts manufacturers that have an overflow of a product, while also contacting department stores that overbuy. and it jumps on deals at the end of the season, according to Business Insider. So let’s say Nike sold items to Kohls, if Kohls ordered too much or they have to get rid of the inventory that is not selling, Tjmaxx will step in and buy it at a discounted price and sell it in their stores. So if you were to find this item, you would buy it at a discount, while listing it for the full price or even more if it was one of the last pairs. These kinds of stores are usually best stores for retail arbitrage because you are buying it for half the price or even less.
In some cities, there are stores that are full of Amazon returns. For example there are a couple of stores around the Kansas City area that resell unopened Amazon returns for $5. These returns are unopened which means the product isn’t damage. It is usually returned because they ordered too many, received the wrong color etc. There is one in Belton, off of a highway in Kansas City and Olathe. In these stores, they have hundreds of products. Hair care, tech accessories, kitchen appliances and so much more. Some people have even found iPads in these stores! To look for the best stores for retail arbitrage in your area, you can head over to Google and search for “Amazon liquidation near me” or “Discount stores near me”.
When visiting discount stores, it is best to know the time they receive new shipments. You want to be one of the first people there so you can get the best products before it’s gone. To be successful in retail arbitrage, you should keep a spreadsheet of the name of the stores and the day they receive shipments. This way, throughout the week you know exactly what stores to visit. Your week would be planned out instead of trying to drive to all stores in one day.
As always, it is best to use to Amazon Seller App when sourcing in these stores. You don’t want to go in and buy bulk of a discounted product, then get home and realize that it is restricted or gated. When using the Amazon Seller App, you can scan the product bar code or scan the product itself to see if it is allowed and how much it is selling for. Good luck on sourcing items!
Meet the Author: [wbcr_php_snippet id=”18211″]
[wbcr_php_snippet id=”18212″]
[wbcr_php_snippet id=”18210″]