How to save money on Amazon, Wayfair, Best Buy and more
What do major retailers do with returned items? Sometimes they sell it to you with a huge discount. Here’s how to find a transaction:
The problem has been resolved
- Consumers are saving money by purchasing returns and excess items from third-party companies.
- Retailers save money by offloading returns through these companies and reduce the financial burden of processing.
- These companies often offer deep discounts that offer retail prices of 40-80% off, and provide sustainable solutions by keeping returned products out of landfills.
Sarah Khan decorates her Las Vegas home with counter stools, pool loungers and bathroom vanity, saving regularly on retail prices from 40% to 80%.
Tony Amline of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, raises his eBay store with auto parts for his side hustles and also regularly saves retail prices.
When items are returned to retailers, they often get a sudden discount and are sold by third-party companies. Both Khan and Amrhein benefit from scooping up those items.
While bargain hunters have been liquidating returns for years and finding deals in stores that overattacked items, a new wave of shoppers finding deals on mobile phones and computers while solving problems in retail.
Store returned products from landfill
Companies that take on retailer returns and overstock consumers in a variety of ways and resell, helping retailers by offloading large amounts of returns.
Costs will pay a large amount of money back to retailers. A December 2024 report by the National Retail Federation found that total revenues were expected to exceed $890 billion in 2024. The retailer estimated that 16.9% of its annual revenue in 2024 would be returned.
For consumers, it gives them the thrill of hunting, Beitelspacher said.
“Customers can come across unexpected treasures for just a small portion of their costs. What’s more, keeping unsold inventory flowing, rather than incineration, is a more sustainable model,” she said.
Companies say they will help retailers and shoppers
Emily Hossey founded the Rebels in 2020. This is an online store for open box returns and has overstocked items from major retailers and brands. This site uses its own AI software to set a competitive, deep discount price (usually at least 50% off) with free shipping after a $75 purchase. Extra large items will have additional shipping charges.
Hosie started a company while pregnant and was looking for a discounted baby gear. The company has since grown to provide baby gear and products, and recently expanded to popular household items such as kitchen products, bedding and baths. They have plans to expand into more categories, she said.
“Unfortunately, many returns are disposed of in landfills regardless of their condition,” Hosie said, adding that the cost and complexity of handling retailer returns is unworthy for many companies. “We’re interrupting that and it’s the solution.”
Hosie said the difference between Rebel items compared to other models is that they buy open boxes and unused items, overstock items, so there is a warranty that is not used and includes all parts. If not, you can return it.
Kellen Campbell is the founder of Mac.Bid, an online auction site that purchases thousands of full semi-trackloads of items returned directly from retailers each month and sells them via the website and phone app.
“The advantage of the model at auction is that you don’t have to price anything,” Campbell said.
It all starts at $1. Successful bidders go to the local warehouse and pick up items. The company is expected to have 30 locations nationwide by July.
Large retailers also have their own consumer-oriented return reselling options. An Amazon spokesperson said returns deemed resellable could be sold on the reselling platform. Others may be returned to the donated or liquidated seller partner.
Big savings for shoppers
Morgan Donaldson of Charlotte, North Carolina, began buying baby goods from the Rebels when their children were young. Her best deal was a high-end bassinet that saved $500 from retailers. Once her baby is done using it, she will resell it herself for the costs she paid.
“You really noticed the difference in prices for those expensive items,” she said. “Things like strollers, bassinets, and car seats can get really fast, so finding them in perfect condition for a 30% or 40% off can have a big impact, especially if you need to buy a few items at once.”
When Khan first discovered Mac.Bid, she said she was quickly engrossed in the product range, price and urgency of the online auction bidding platform.
“You searched the site and found all these little gold mines, then there are options like countdowns and urgency, which made me crazy,” said Kahn, who bought items like a counter stool, a pet groom kit, a wine fridge, a Dyson air straightener, a kids’ play desk, and a Dyson air fan/heater.
Mac.Bid really grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, Campbell said.
Some sites, like Mac.Bid, allow customers to pay additional premiums for what is called a buyer’s warranty or the ability to return the product. Other sites don’t offer returns, so shoppers take the chance.
Khan is for electronic purchases, she usually always buys extra protection, but otherwise she takes the chance. Most of the time, she said she was fine and when she got something broken or missing, she came up first about other purchases worth gambling.
Good sources from resellers
Amline, who works for a nonprofit organization during the day, has had an eBay store for 15 years. He sources products from a variety of locations, including flea markets, recycling stores, garages, and real estate sales. He also purchases from Mac.Bid to add diversity to his inventory.
“We can take advantage of a whole new market and enter into automotive parts and industrial equipment,” says Amrhein, among other products.
Amrhein said one of his best deals was to buy plumbing equipment for $3 and sold it for $800.
“Give you a killer deal”
Campbell said his employees use software to scan items and identify them, and if there is damage to the box or product, it will be recorded. Sometimes, some items are either too damaged and not sold or sold for parts, he said. There may also be two or three boxes for the product, and buyers will buy at a sudden discount in hopes that the third box will appear in future auctions, he said.
Campbell said his model would get more products directly to consumers without sifting through a palette of products to find what shoppers want.
“People always come to me and say, ‘Hey, do you have this item?” Campbell said. Check out the auction. If it’s not displayed, you’ll eventually get whatever you’re looking for, so take a look. ”
Campbell says his company doesn’t make money on each item, and sometimes he can’t make money on each truck full of goods.
“We’re giving you a killer deal,” Campbell said. “Most things are sold between 70% and 80% from retail prices.
“We bring items to people who would otherwise not be able to afford them,” he said.
Campbell said he’s even found a deal on things he’s never considered buying until he sees it on the app.
“It could be a $1,000 item and I would never buy it for $1,000. But if I could get it like $200, yeah, I would buy that item,” he said.
Campbell said the most expensive thing sold on Mac.Bid was the $20,000 TV, which is about half its priced TV. And the strangest? Taxied shark.
Khan said when she first discovered the site she went out a bit and bought a lot of things she didn’t need as they were such a good deal. She has reduced some with her purchases, but one of her big wins, the espresso machine, counts the espresso machine that sells for $1,200, which she won for $200 for her friends.
She said she also had some hits and misses. Khan usually pays the premiums for the electronics buyer’s insurance, but sometimes she will take the chance.
“You win some and you lose some,” she said. “I know you often get some great pieces, but some are not what you expect, so you need to cut down some losses.”
This story has been updated to fix typos.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA Today. Contact her at blinfisher @usatoday.com or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @Blinfisher, @Blinfisher.bsky.social.. Sign up for our free daily money newsletter. This includes Friday’s Consumer News.
