How to Find Amazon Liquidation Stores Near You and Save BIG in the Process

Updated December 5, 2023 by Kyle
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As an avid Amazon shopper, I’m always looking for ways to save money with the online retail giant. From shopping at their little-known Online Warehouse Outlet, to figuring out how to buy their returns for cheap, I’m always on the search for ways to save. This made me wonder if there were stores in my local area that bought and sold Amazon returns and liquidated Amazon products for cheap. After some digging, I found an Amazon return store, also known as an “Amazon Liquidation Store”, about 10 miles away. So off I drove and quickly discovered that the savings at the store were pretty incredible, so I wanted to show you how to find an Amazon return store in your neck of the woods so you can start saving too. Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know.

How to Find Amazon Liquidation Stores Near You and Save BIG in the Process

What Exactly is an Amazon Return Store?

Amazon return store shoppers

As the name suggests, an Amazon Return Store buys and sells Amazon products that were returned by customers for a myriad of reasons.

They are a great place to shop for bargains on home décor, electronics, toys, tools, clothing, shoes, patio furniture, and small kitchen appliances.

These stores typically don’t only sell Amazon returns, they often source liquidations from Target, Home Depot, and Walmart as well.

See Also: How to Find a Target Salvage Store Near You

How Do I Find a Return Store Near Me?

The best way to find a store near you is through Google and Facebook.

Start by doing a Google search for one of the following,

“Amazon return store near me”

“Amazon bin store TOWN NAME” – this is the exact search that stumbled me onto my local “Bargain Bins” store.

“Liquidation store TOWN NAME”

“Amazon salvage store near me”

“Amazon liquidation store TOWN NAME”

Next hit up Facebook and do the exact SAME searches.

If you have any of these stores near you, Google and/or Facebook will quickly find them for you and you probably won’t have to do more than 2 searches.

See Also: Amazon Warehouse Deals: How to Find the ABSOLUTE Best Deals

Are These Products from Amazon Liquidation Pallets?

Yes.

The vast majority of products are sourced from buying Amazon liquidation pallets from sites like Liquidation.com and DirectLiquidation.com.

What Brands Will I Typically Find Within?

Farberware coffee maker

Depends.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict the brands you might find as every store is different and dependent on the pallet of returned merchandise that they purchase.

But, to give you an idea, from shopping at my local “Bargain Bins” store, I found these brands to name just a few:

– Disney

– Sony

– Anker

– Logitech

– Farberware

– Ryobi

– Cuisinart

– Black & Decker

– Samsung

– Stanley Tools

– Shakespeare Fishing Poles

– 3M

– Nike

– Adidas

How Much Savings is Typical at These Stores?

Easily 50% off the retail price, often WAY more, I personally saw savings close to 90% off the original price.

The “Bargain Bins” store near me works like this:

Thursday – Everything in the store is $12

Friday – Everything in the store is $8

Saturday -Everything in the store is $4

Sunday -Everything in the store is $2

Monday – Everything in the store is 2 for $1

Tuesday and Wednesday – Closed

If your Amazon “bin” store is setup the same way, the BEST strategy is to start by shopping on a Thursday (when the store opens) and see what in-stock products and brands they have, then come back Sunday afternoon and see what is left.

This will give you a great idea at how quickly stuff is sold and at what price point.

Be prepared for a crowd on Thursday and a mad scramble when the doors open, it reminded me of the old Black Friday days.

A saw shoppers scoring microwaves, a mini fridge, large framed art prints, and electronics (think sound bars, headphones, and charging stations) for only $12 each.

Also, if your store is still relatively new, many bargain shoppers might not be aware of it yet, allowing you to take advantage of deals on Sunday and Monday at pennies on the dollar.

If you’re a reseller on eBay the Sunday and Monday bargains could be a great way to source inventory that you can resell for a quick profit.

See Also: 4 CLEVER Ways to Buy Amazon Returns and Save Money

Are the Products Often Defective?

Sometimes, but not typically.

While the items are typically in working condition, they sometimes have scratches, dents, and small imperfections.

I saw a lamp that had been squished, many boxes that had been ripped open at one point, and even a mattress that had some grease on it.

So you’re definitely taking a risk, especially on electronics, but at the low price point the risk is negligible in my opinion.

Are All Purchases Going to Be Final Sale?

Yes.

Because you’re buying products at liquidation prices, you can expect there to be NO return policy in place.

So once you buy the item, and walk out the door, you’re stuck with it.

The good news is you can easily resell the item on eBay if you don’t want it, often at a profit.

Can I Find Amazon Essentials at These Stores?

Amazon Essentials slippers

Yes.

I took the above picture recently when I went to our local “Bargain Bins” Amazon liquidation store with my daughter.

She bought these BRAND NEW leather moccasin slippers for only $4, Amazon sells them for over $20.

Can I Return These Items to Amazon?

No.

If you’re thinking of somehow returning products bought at a discount to Amazon for a profit, think again, it can’t be done.

First of all, you’ll need evidence that you bought the item from Amazon in the first place, and secondly, well….there is no secondly, just don’t do it.

See Also: Amazon Return Policy: Time to Cut Through the Crap and Figure It Out

Ask the Reader: Do you know of any Amazon return stores in your neck of the woods? Let me know in the comments and I’ll start compiling a list of stores to help all of us.


By Kyle James

Buyer Beware: The Amazon “Bait & Switch” Pricing Scam is Real (Here’s How to Avoid It)

Updated October 30, 2023 by Kyle
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Amazon pricing can be REALLY sneaky. There I said it. This is something that I’ve been yelling about for years and over the weekend I discovered a blatant “Bait & Switch” practice that Amazon now employs to lure shoppers into thinking the price is great, only to pull the rug out from underneath us and basically have the low price disappear. Below is the exact scenario that I encountered, along with the response from Amazon, so you can be aware of this new sneaky pricing scam that Amazon is using.

Buyer Beware: The Amazon Bait & Switch Pricing Scam is Real

The Bait & Switch Scenario:

Amazon Ice Maker with low price

My daughter is in college, has a birthday coming up, and has been jonesing for a small ice maker for her dorm room.

So off I go to Amazon and see one for $44.99 with great reviews and I think “I’m all over this one like white on rice”.

I then tap on the ice maker and get taken to the product page and much to my surprise I CAN’T find the $44.99 price anywhere….the price listed is a whopping $89.99.

A HUGE 45 dollar price difference, with the previously mentioned $44.99 price NOWHERE to be found.

See Also: How to Buy Amazon Unclaimed Packages and Save Money

So Off I Go To Amazon Chat…

I typically get good results when starting a live chat with Amazon, especially when I have an issue like not getting my package in 2 days or a return question.

But I was sorely disappointed this time.

The rep started out by telling me that Amazon changes pricing all the time, then she had me add the ice maker to my cart to see if the $44.99 propagated at checkout which of course IT DID NOT.

Then she kept saying I would get lower price when I signed up for the Chase Amazon Visa which I thought was a hilarious spin of the problem. (screenshot below)

Clearly, “Joan” had a hard time understanding my issue and could not give me answers to my questions.

Amazon live chat conversation

I quickly realized this was getting nowhere, so I bid a fond farewell to Joan, and decided to call Amazon directly.

So I Called Amazon Customer Service…

Like it was 1986, I figured out how to make a phone call to Amazon customer service.

The first person I talked to was of little help so I asked to speak to his supervisor.

I was quickly transferred and FINALLY was able to speak with someone who actually understood my issue.

I explained that this was a clear BAIT & SWITCH and Amazon needed to honor the advertised price of $44.99.

I was pretty hot under the collar by this point as I was close to 30 minutes into this ordeal.

She explains that the $44.99 is the price from one of the 3rd party seller who just happened to be charging $45 for shipping making the price the same as Amazon’s.

The 3rd party sellers (also know as the “Other sellers on Amazon”) link was buried on the product page making for a very confusing situation.

But sure enough, after some searching, I was able to find the 3rd party seller that she was talking about and see where the $44.99 price was originating from.

The Word “from” is Clearly the Problem

The word FROM is the problem

Wrongly, Amazon seems fine with using the tiny word “from” on their search results page as it grabs the shoppers attention when they see a low price.

But come on Amazon, don’t put the word “from” right next to the Prime logo as it makes shoppers think they can get that low price with Prime 2-day shipping.

Very deceiving and something that I feel is a clear “bait & switch” that Amazon needs to fix immediately.

At the very least, they should remove the blue Prime logo when it’s a “from” situation to avoid confusion.

See Also: 6 Slick Ways to Score Amazon Prime for Free or Real Cheap

The Solution: Amazon Needs To Be More Transparent

The Amazon rep basically told me that the 3rd party seller was being very deceiving by offering that LOW price but then having incredibly HIGH shipping costs.

I told her that Amazon needed to do something about this and she promised to tell her supervisor about this issue so it could be run up the corporate ladder.

Will anything come of it? Probably not.

But if you notice the same thing, call Amazon at 1-888-280-4331 and voice your concern.

Maybe if enough of us call they will change how the display their pricing in the search results.

How to Avoid This Pricing Scam

I was told that the word “from” appears the most when using the Amazon app and you rarely see it when shopping on the website via your laptop or desktop.

So the BEST WAY to avoid this scam is to NOT shop via the Amazon app but instead to shop directly through Amazon.com.

Also, keep a sharp eye out for the word “from” and know that it means the price you’re being shown is NOT going to be the actual amount you pay and typically won’t include 2-day Prime shipping. 

Ask the Reader: Have you ever noticed this very sneaky pricing scheme that Amazon does? Do you remember what the product and price was? Let me know in the comments, thanks.


By Kyle James

Score Free Stuff on Amazon…Easy Ways to Make It Happen

Updated December 5, 2023 by Kyle
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You can buy virtually anything on Amazon. From home décor to beauty products, snacks, and more, there are truly all sorts of goods you can buy on Amazon. But, did you know you can get free stuff on Amazon? Yes, you can get free stuff on Amazon (even without a Prime membership). From making use of free trials to getting freebies from writing honest product reviews, there are so many ways to get free stuff on Amazon. Or, at the very least, earn some credits off your purchase. If you’re curious about how to save big and score some freebies on Amazon, read on.

Get Free Stuff on Amazon (Here's How to Make It Happen)

Does Amazon Really Offer Free Products?

Yes, you really can get free products on Amazon.

The too long/didn’t read breakdown is by using various free trial programs, and programs that give you points and reimbursements, you’ll get free Amazon products.

Plus, I have some BONUS TIPS at the bottom of this article to score free stuff that you probably NEVER thought of.

So…What Are These Free Products?

You can score quite a few freebies on Amazon.

Here’s a handy list of free stuff (or at the very least credits/discounts) you can get on Amazon.

1. Two Free Audiobooks: If you sign up for Amazon’s free 30-day trial on Audible, you get 2 free audiobooks. Just be sure to cancel your membership subscriptions in time before the 30-day trial is up.

2. Use Facebooks Groups and 3rd Party Review Sites: In some Facebook groups and other 3rd party review sites, you can find vouchers or gift cards for certain items on Amazon, usually in exchange for a review on a certain Amazon product.

3. Amazon Music Unlimited: Amazon’s music streaming service also has a free 30-day trial for new customers to use the platform for ad-free music and podcasts.

4. Free Kindle Ebooks: If you have a Kindle, you can download all sorts of free e-books.

5. Free Baby Box Samples: When you sign up and create an Amazon registry, you can get a bunch of coupons for various baby items. You’ll also get a free baby box filled with different samples of baby products inside.

6. Free Amazon Prime Trial: The most obvious freebie on my list is a free Amazon prime trial membership for 30 days. Just be sure to cancel your subscription in time if you don’t want to continue your Prime membership.

See Also: Amazon Unclaimed Packages: Here’s How You Buy Them and Save BIG

Do Any of Them Require a Purchase?

Yes, some programs do require you to purchase a product, complete program requirements, and then receive reimbursement for your purchase.

Here are a couple Amazon programs that require a purchase upfront, but then provide reimbursement:

1. Amazon Vine Program: The Vine program invites trusted reviewers to write reviews of new and pre-release products.

This program is a win-win for both Amazon Vine Program members and Amazon as members receive free products in exchange for writing honest reviews which will help inform other Amazon shoppers.

2. Early Reviewer Program: A program that asks people who’ve already bought a participating product (that’s a new product with very limited reviews) to write an honest product review in exchange for a gift card of about $1-$3 in value.

While you may not necessarily get the product for free, this is a great easy way to save a couple of bucks.

See Also: Amazon Package Arriving Late? Here’s How to Get Some Money Back

Do I Have to Be a Prime Member?

No, you do not need to be an Amazon Prime member to score Amazon product freebies or earn different reimbursements, points, credits, etc.

However, do keep in mind that Amazon Prime does come with free shipping, whereas you have to spend at least $25 on an order to get free shipping if you don’t have Amazon Prime.

So, be sure to factor in potential shipping costs if you don’t have Amazon Prime.

That being said, it is not an absolute must to be an Amazon Prime member.

See Also: 4 Easy Ways to Buy Amazon Returns and Save Money

Bonus Tip #1: Keep Amazon Products You Try to Return

Have you ever tried to return a product to Amazon but they tell you to keep it and STILL give you your money back?

It’s a strange phenomena, which seemed to start during COVID, that I’ve written about before.

Turns out the scenarios where Amazon is most likely to do this is when trying to return clothing as well as health-related products like vitamins and supplements.

Bonus Tip #2: Amazon Will Let You Keep Stuff Sent By Mistake

Have you ever had an Amazon product show up on your door step that you didn’t order?

A couple years ago, I had a $339 comforter set show up at my house and amazingly Amazon let me keep it.

I originally thought it was a one off, but after writing about it, I got over 140 comments from shoppers who also got stuff from Amazon delivered to their residence that they were told to keep.

I was told that since the order wasn’t actually in Amazon’s system, they had no way to process a return.

The Amazon chat rep told me I was free to use it, sell it, or donate it.

I ended up selling it on eBay for about $250 if I remember correctly.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever scored something for free from Amazon? How did it “go down” and what was the product?


By Kyle James