By purchasing shelf-pull or overstock items, you will be able to offer items that are not generally found in other dollar stores. This is a truly great angle that you can use to differentiate your business, and get people shopping at your location and spreading the word!

While you may not be able to consistently offer the same selection of liquidation merchandise, you can help build a reputation for your store as a place that has limited time offers on discounted goods that cannot be found so affordably anywhere else. It’s a great way to get people to keep coming to your store, checking to see what you’ll offer next. Also, as is typical in dollar stores, once you have them through the door, they’re likely to find something relevant to them and buy it.

This approach also provides a great opportunity for generating big profits by purchasing liquidation seasonal goods off-season, and then keeping them until the market is hot again. Purchasing small seasonal items that will not cost much in storage is a way to try this out if you are on a smaller budget. For example, many Christmas ornaments/decorations that are not large in size can be bought cheaply after the Christmas season and held until next November when they will be popular again. This is of course true for items geared towards Halloween, Valentines Day and basically any holiday that the mainstream public decorates or buys goods for.

Also, you can purchase general below wholesale dollar store merchandise through a variety of closeout companies as well. There are several mentioned in our guide, Wholesale Liquidations Exposed.

Of course, if you’re purchasing items for a dollar store, you have to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting, as people will expect their goods to be in good condition. Stay away from salvage goods, and stick to overstocks, shelf pulls and other good quality closeouts. Communicate with your source so that you know exactly what to expect. As always, you may want to consider a few small purchases until you trust that the goods you will be receiving are of the nature you require.

For example, the promise of repeat sales from someone who is looking for a long term business relationship can be an incentive for a supplier to reduce their price for you. Naturally, if you have used the supplier in the past and already have such a relationship, make sure to continue to (politely) push for any possible discounts. Furthermore, be sure to seek discounts for large volume purchases, as the savings should grow when you buy in bulk.

It’s also important to shop around if possible and if you find a better deal (with proven similar quality merchandise) let your supplier know as he may be willing to lower the price in order to keep your business. It may also be possible to commit to a longer term agreement of repeat purchases with the supplier in order to ensure both parties are satisfied with the end result of the negotiation.

It’s also important to never accept an initial quote as the final, since most suppliers consider this to actually be the starting point and expect to lower their prices somewhat. Furthermore, if you’re new to the closeout industry, and negotiating in general, just remember that practice makes perfect and you’re bound to become a better negotiator over time.

No matter what type of closeout merchandise you are looking for at Liquidation.com there are hundreds of Retailers, Manufacturers, Distributors, Public Sector Agencies, Wholesalers, Financial Institutions, Reverse Logistic Companies and Depot Repair Companies auctioning off closeouts, surplus, customer returns and salvage merchandise daily.

Liquidation.com is a marketplace where professional buyers can source commercial surplus inventory and government surplus assets in an online environment. Bulk lots are sold by the truckload, pallet, or small package, and conditions range from new in a box to customer returns and used. Liquidation.com has wide variety of product categories includes apparel, computers, electronics, housewares, industrial equipment, vehicles, and much more.

One great function of the auction site is you can search for merchandise close to your home. I have purchased through Liquidation.com and sold merchandise through this internet auction source…….Check out their auctions today and Register at Liquidation.com to find merchandise to sell on Ebay or at your store!

Via Trading (877)-202-3616 Via Trading sells customer returns and overstocked merchandise in several categories. I have purchased at least 30-40 pallets of high end apparel without one problem.

Concord Enterprises (800)960-0896. Concord offers major department store closeouts and first quality wholesale merchandise is distributed from a half a million square foot Los Angeles, CA warehouse. They sell closeouts which are palletized and packed via mixed categories, usual 2 to 4 (i.e. Stationary & toys).

Four Seasons General Merchandise (877)446-4746. In 1984 two friends, Bruce Gabbai and John Pourmoradi, decided to pull their resources and talents together to form a new business. Bruce at that time was involved with his growing import business, while John on the other hand had his own successful retail discount store. Gabbai and Pourmoradi both saw a need to establish a general merchandise wholesaler/distributor niche that would cater to just about everyone who sells something. From dollar stores, 99 cent stores, discount stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, supermarkets, drug stores, distributors, dollar item suppliers, wholesale dollar stores, international importers to gift shops, and even charities. And thus Four Seasons General Merchandise was born.

American Merchandise Liquidators (866)479-1100. American Merchandise Liquidators, Inc. is a solid bricks-and-mortar, ten-year plus company, contracted and trusted nationwide to move millions of dollars in distressed merchandise. They sell a variety of quality merchandise at below wholesale prices, and have one of the largest inventories in the business.

General Surplus (916)983-8257 You never know what merchandise will be available at General Surplus, from apparel to general merchandise pallets. What stays consistent is the customer service and honest advice when it comes to purchasing customer returns and closeout merchandise. Out of all the liquidators on the internet I have spent between $100,000 – $200,000.00 buying from Brian Serena at General Surplus. Give him a call and see what is available.

I would venture to say that a lot of readers here are researching a liquidation or closeout company to buy from with the hopes of making a first initial purchase. It really does not matter if you are planning to buy a pallet or a small lot of general merchandise, electronics or even apparel most of you new closeout buyers are anxious to get your “feet wet”. I remember when I bought my first small lot and then pallet and worked my way up to truckload buying, it was exciting to say the least.

Here is a simple idea which will allow you to get started without a lot of effort…Have a garage or yard sale with your first purchase. Buy a pallet and then advertise in your local newspaper for a Saturday and Sunday sale. I know we are coming up to great weather, in fact my wife and I went yard sailing today. Yes I said “Yard Sailing”, its a phrase we coined as we travel from yard sale to yard sale buying all kinds of treasures.

I have had several of my clients buy pallets of merchandise from our company and hold a garage sale with great success. I would recommend buying a pallet of general merchandise which usually is an assortment of housewares, hardware and home décor merchandise. You should be able to at least double your investment as I know from experience when my wife and I have had our own yard sales we have sold our own junk laying around the house and made a tidy profit.

If you have merchandise leftover another option would be Ebay. Some closeout buyers will buy pallets of salvage merchandise and first list items on Ebay and then “Yard Sale” the leftovers…either way you will have fun getting your feet wet with a first purchase.