Bulk Lot & Pallet Analyzer
Before you buy that pallet, know your REAL numbers. This calculator factors in trash rate, shipping, handling time, and realistic sell-through to show true profit potential.
The Pallet Reality Check
Pallet Buying Strategy
Start with Manifested Lots: Pallets with item lists let you research before buying. "Uninspected" pallets are gambling—fun for YouTube, bad for business. Pay the premium for transparency until you know the game.
Know Your Categories: Don't buy electronics pallets if you've never sold electronics. Stick to categories where you can quickly identify value. Experience from individual sourcing transfers directly.
Have a Disposal Plan: What do you do with the 30% that's trash? Donate for tax write-off, recycle, or bulk sell as "parts lots." Never let unsellable items eat storage space indefinitely.
Common Questions
What is a liquidation pallet?
Liquidation pallets are bulk lots of customer returns, overstock, or shelf-pulls sold by weight or piece count. Retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart sell these through liquidators. Prices are typically 5-20% of retail, but quality is highly variable.
What's a realistic "trash rate" for pallets?
Customer returns typically have 20-40% unsellable items (broken, missing parts, heavily used). Overstock/shelf-pulls are better at 5-15% trash rate. "Uninspected" or "as-is" lots can be 50%+ unsellable. Always factor in worst-case scenarios.
How do I calculate true cost per item?
Total cost (pallet + shipping + handling) ÷ sellable items = true cost per item. If you pay $500 for a pallet with 100 items but 30 are trash, your cost is $500 ÷ 70 = $7.14/item, not $5. This calculator does this math for you.
Should beginners buy pallets?
Generally no. Pallets require: storage space, capital to tie up for months, experience to assess quality, and ability to move volume. Start with smaller lots (10-50 items) or thrifting to learn categories before scaling to pallets.
Related Tools
Pallet profitability varies widely based on source, category, condition, and your ability to process and sell. Trash rates and sell-through are estimates. Always research specific liquidators and read reviews before purchasing.