JOHN LEWIS is one of a number of major retailers who offer return pallets for savvy customers.
Other brands, such as Argos, Very and Amazon, have also tapped in to the return pallet trend, which allows them to offload old stock - and buyers the chance to grab some bargains for themselves.
What are John Lewis return pallets?
Goods that are returned to retail giant John Lewis can go on to be sold - unseen - at hugely discounted prices in their return pallets.
The return pallets gives those who purchase them the opportunity to make some extra cash by reselling the used merchandise online.
In the past, auction houses such as Wholesale Clearance and DiscountHouse would have sold these unwanted goods to market traders and the like.
How to de-clutter if you have a beauty stash to last you a lifetime
Now, they are flogging the pallets for less than ten per cent of the RRP of the contents in competitive online bidding wars.
Some users on TikTok and YouTube have documented their experiences with return pallets, with some opening the mystery boxes to find everything from coffee machines and cribs, to Dyson and Smeg goodies.
It should be noted, however, that items may be broken, damaged or be missing parts, and may require refurbishment.
John Lewis return pallets can include faulty electrical items that require repair by a qualified professional.
Customers can see a list of what's contained in the pallet but no information of what condition these items are in is given.
Typically, the more you are willing to buy, the cheaper the cost.
Where can I buy a John Lewis return pallet?
John Lewis pallet or bundles are almost always sold via an auction.
Websites where you can purchase John Lewis pallets include i-bidder, John Pye Trade, and William George.
Many are also available on e-commerce site eBay.
Buying a John Lewis pallet can be a huge gamble, due to the fact that detailed information about individual items in the pallets is not shared with customers.
I’m a savvy shopper – best time to shop for Xmas 2023 is sooner than you think
They also cannot accept returns.
Some buyers have been left disappointed by the content - and condition - of their return pallets.
Who else does return pallets?
Another large retailer that offers return pallets is Amazon.
In 2018, Jeff Bazo's company partnered with B-Stock to launch Amazon Liquidation Auctions, the official b2b marketplace where you can buy overstock merchandise directly from Amazon.
As well as major retailers, many websites sell return pallets in bulk:
- MartHill International
- gemwholesale.co.uk
- wholesaleclearance.co.uk
- Ebay
- discounthouse.co.uk
- williamgeorge.com
- now-sale.co.uk
- hopite.co.uk
