I vividly remember the first time I realized that "retail price" is essentially a fiction for the impatient. It was late 2019, and I was standing in a freezing cold warehouse bay in Pittston, Pennsylvania. I had just won an auction on a whim—a "mixed electronics" pallet for $380. I drove four hours in a rented cargo van, convinced I had just thrown my money into a black hole. When the warehouse worker loaded the pallet and I cut the shrink wrap, the first thing I saw was a pristine,sealed box for a high-end gaming monitor. That single item covered the cost of the entire pallet. The remaining 120 items were pure profit.
That trip hooked me on the world of all surplus deals. Most people assume that returns and overstock just vanish into the ether, or worse, a landfill. In reality, they flow through a complex river of liquidation hubs in places like Indianapolis,Dallas, and Hebron, KY. Navigating this river is how I built a six-figure resale business. It isn't glamorous—you will get your hands dirty—but the margins are unlike anything else in the retail world.
What Are "All Surplus Deals"?
When you search for all surplus deals, you are tapping into the backend of the global supply chain. Retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart do not have the time or space to process every return. If you return a blender because the box is dented, they don't put it back on the shelf. They liquidate it.
The Ecosystem:
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The Aggregators: Companies (like AllSurplus/Liquidity Services) contract with retailers to sell this stuff.
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The Hubs: They aggregate items in massive warehouses in logistics centers.
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The Auction: They sell these items to the public via online auctions.
Here’s where it gets interesting... You aren't just buying junk. You are buying "reverse logistics." I have found everything from industrial restaurant equipment to brand-new designer handbags in these lots. The key is knowing whereto look. Geography matters more than you think.
Opinion Statement: I honestly believe that buying new inventory from a distributor is a sucker's game in 2026. The world is awash in surplus auction goods. If you are willing to test and clean items, there is absolutely no reason to pay wholesale prices when liquidation prices are 10% of retail.
The Northeast Hub: All Surplus Deals Pittston
If you are on the East Coast, all surplus deals pittston is the search term that pays the bills. Pittston, Pennsylvania, is a major logistics corridor. It sits right near major highways and is a stone's throw from New York and Philadelphia distribution centers.
What you find in Pittston:
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Apparel: Massive gaylords of clothing returns.
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Home Goods: Wayfair and Amazon furniture returns often end up here.
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Industrial: Because of the heavy industry in PA, you often see tools and machinery.
My Experience: In 2021, I won a lot in Pittston labeled "Home Improvement - 3 Pallets." I paid $600. I expected a few drills and maybe some tile. It turned out to be 40 boxes of high-end smart home thermostats and locks. I spent the next three weeks listing them on eBay. It was tedious, but that $600 buy turned into $4,200 in sales.
Specific Product Name: I always bring a Milwaukee Cordless Vacuum when I pick up from Pittston. The pallets are dusty. Vacuuming the boxes before I put them in my car keeps my upholstery clean and lets me inspect the goods right there in the parking lot.
The Crossroads: All Surplus Deals Indianapolis
Moving west, all surplus deals indianapolis represents one of the highest volume hubs in the country. Indy is known as the "Crossroads of America" for a reason. FedEx has a massive hub there. Amazon has a massive presence. This means the indianapolis liquidation stores and auctions are flooded with inventory.
The Volume Problem: Because there is so much stuff, quality control can slip. I have found that Indy pallets are often "messier" than other hubs. They are high volume, high churn.
What to look for:
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Discounted bargains on consumer electronics.
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General Merchandise: The "mystery boxes" of the liquidation world.
Honest Failure: I bought a "General Merchandise" pallet from an Indy auction in 2022. I didn't inspect the manifest closely. It was 90% expired K-Cup coffee pods. I spent $250 on coffee I couldn't drink and couldn't sell. I ended up donating what I could to a food bank and trashing the rest.Lesson: If the manifest says "Grocery" or "Consumables," be terrified.
Sourcing with Closo Demand Signals
The biggest risk with all surplus deals is buying things nobody wants. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's an asset. If you buy 500 fidget spinners in 2026, you just bought 500 pieces of plastic trash. I use Closo Demand Signals to vet the manifest before I bid.
The Workflow:
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The Manifest: I download the Excel sheet from the auction site.
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The Scan: I look for the top 5 highest value items.
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The Signal: I run those items through Closo.
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The Decision: If Closo shows a downward trend in search volume for those items, I pass on the pallet, no matter how cheap it is.
I use Closo Demand Signals to protect my cash flow. It acts as a shield against buying "dead" inventory.
The Air Hub: All Surplus Deals Hebron KY
If you search for all surplus deals hebron ky, you are tapping into the Amazon Prime Air ecosystem. Hebron is right next to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), which is Amazon's primary air hub. The inventory here is different. It is faster.
Why Hebron is unique:
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Speed: Returns here often happen quickly after purchase.
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Tech Heavy: Air freight is expensive. They don't usually fly cheap furniture. They fly electronics, small appliances,and high-value goods.
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Condition: Because the items haven't been on a truck for 5 days, the boxes are often in better condition.
Parenthetical Aside: (I drove down to Hebron once to pick up a lot of "undeliverable" mail. Unlike returns, these were items that never reached the customer. They were brand new factory sealed. I found a stack of drawing tablets that were untouched. Hebron is my favorite hub for "New in Box" items.)
The Southern Giant: All Surplus Deals Dallas
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the liquidation lots.All surplus deals dallas is where you go for the heavy stuff.Dallas is a massive distribution point for furniture and heavy equipment.
What dominates Dallas:
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Furniture: Sectionals, dining sets, mattresses.
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Outdoor: Grills, patio sets, lawn equipment.
The Logistics Challenge: You cannot pick up a Dallas lot in a sedan. You need a box truck. The pallets are often double-stacked and oversized.
Anecdote: I won a "Patio Furniture" lot in Dallas. I showed up with a pickup truck. The warehouse guys laughed at me.The boxes were 8 feet long. I had to rent a trailer from a nearby U-Haul just to get the stuff off the dock. It ate into my profit, but I still made money.Lesson: Always check the dimensions of the pallet before you leave your house.
What is a Surplus Auction? (Mechanics of the Win)
A surplus auction is not like eBay. There is usually no "Buy It Now." There is a "Soft Close." This means if someone bids in the last minute, the timer resets to 2 or 5 minutes. This prevents "sniping" but extends the pain.
Bidding Strategy:
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Set a Max: Calculate your "Landed Cost" (Bid + Buyer's Premium + Tax + Gas).
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Stick to it: Do not get emotional.
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Wait: Don't bid early. It just drives the price up. Bid in the last 15 minutes.
Opinion Statement: If you find yourself sweating or heart racing during an auction, close the laptop. Emotional bidding is the fastest way to bankruptcy. There will always be another pallet.
All Around Surplus: Finding Discounted Bargains Locally
You don't always have to go to the big hubs. Search for all around surplus or discount stores indianapolis to find the "Bin Stores" and local liquidators. These are the people who bought the truckloads and are breaking them down.
The "Bin Store" Model:
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Friday: $10 per item.
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Saturday: $8 per item.
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Wednesday: $1 per item.
My Strategy: I go on the $1 days. I look for the stuff they missed. Cables, chargers, weird replacement parts. These discounted bargains are often overlooked because they aren't "cool" items like iPads. But a specialized replacement power supply can sell for $40 on eBay.
Using Closo AI Agents for Mystery Items
In a surplus lot, you will find things without boxes. A weird metal bracket. A circuit board. A obscure tool. The auction listing just says "Assorted Metal Parts." I use Closo AI Agents to identify these mystery items.
The Workflow:
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Photo: I take a picture of the item.
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Ask Closo: "Identify this item and its resale value."
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Result: "This is a mounting bracket for a Starlink satellite dish. Resale value $85."
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Profit: I bought it for pennies in a mixed lot.
Scaling with Closo 100% Free Crosslister
You went to Pittston. You bought 100 items. You drove home. Now you have a garage full of inventory. You need to list it fast. Money is made in the selling, not the buying. I use the Closo 100% Free Crosslister to blast my inventory to every marketplace.
The Strategy:
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List on eBay: Great for the hard goods and electronics.
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Cross-Post: Use Closo to push the clothing to Poshmark and the vintage items to Mercari.
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Speed: I try to list 20 items a day.
I use Closo to automate my cross-listing – saves me about 3 hours weekly – which is the difference between having a "death pile" of unlisted inventory and having a bank account full of cash.
Honest Failures: The "Untested" Trap
I bought a pallet of "Customer Returns - TVs" from a surplus deal. The listing said "Untested." In my head, "Untested" meant "Probably working, they just didn't have time." In reality, "Untested" meant "We plugged it in, the screen was cracked, so we put it back in the box." Out of 10 TVs, 8 had cracked screens. I stripped them for boards (power supply,main board) and trashed the rest. I made my money back, but the labor was intense.Lesson: "Untested" usually means broken. Bid accordingly.
Comparison Table: Hub vs. Bin Store
Common Questions I See
People always ask me... Do I need a business license to buy?
Common question I see... For some platforms like AllSurplus or B-Stock, yes, you often need a state Resale Certificate to avoid sales tax and register. However, many smaller surplus auction sites and local bin stores are open to the general public without a license. Always check the specific auction terms.
Can I return items if they are broken?
People always ask me... Almost never. Liquidation is "As-Is, Where-Is." If you buy a box of broken glass, you own a box of broken glass. The only exception is if the quantity is grossly wrong (e.g., manifest said 50 items, you got 10). In that case, you can sometimes file a dispute, but it's rare.
Is it worth driving 5 hours for a deal?
Common question I see... Only if the margin is huge. Calculate your gas, your time, and vehicle wear. I generally stick to a 2-hour radius unless I am buying a full truckload. Driving 10 hours round trip for a $200 profit is not a business; it's a minimum wage job.
Conclusion
The world of all surplus deals is the engine room of the resale economy. Whether you are backing a van up to a dock in all surplus deals pittston, navigating the massive warehouses of all surplus deals dallas, or hunting for tech in all surplus deals hebron ky, the opportunity is massive. It requires grit. It requires logistics. And it requires tools like Closo Demand Signals to ensure you aren't filling your garage with unsellable junk.
My honest assessment is that you should start by visiting a local indianapolis liquidation store (or one near you) this weekend. Get a feel for the merchandise. If you enjoy the hunt, then register for a local auction and bid on a small lot.
If you are ready to turn those pallets into profit, use the Closo Seller Hub to streamline your listing process.
For more on finding inventory sources, read our Pages Similar to eBay Guide
And if you want to know what products will be flooding the surplus market next year, check out Trending Products Forecast 2026
