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We all love a good liquidation sale, but did you know there are stores that are always in closeout pricing mode? With these liquidation stores — often called bin or salvage stores — you can save up to 90% on the retail price when the stars align.
I went to a liquidation store near me and found name-brand appliances like Cuisinart and Instant Pot at major discounts. I even found furniture and clothing deals for dirt cheap. And from what I’ve seen, some of these deals are really worth purchasing in order to see savings. (However, some aren’t, but we’ll dig into that below).
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1. What are liquidation stores?
Liquidation stores are discount retail shops that sell open-box items, returned items, models used for product photography, and discontinued products. They’re able to sell clothes, electronics, furniture, and toys (among many other things) at way-below-MSRP prices because they buy them at a discount.
Just keep in mind that some of the products might be a little damaged or missing some parts, so it’s a good idea to give everything a once-over before you buy it.
2. There are actually big-name liquidation stores that might surprise you, like Big Lots.
You actually might’ve shopped at a liquidation store chain without realizing it. That’s because some liquidators are also retailers. Stores like Big Lots, Tuesday Morning, and Ollie’s are considered liquidation stores.
Otherwise, you can start your search for one by Googling “liquidation stores near me,” and you’ll likely find a listing of local liquidation stores, pictures of what they look like, and shopper reviews.
Here are some popular liquidation stores and the list of states you can find them. These are chain liquidation stores that can be found in various locations throughout each state. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other liquidation stores in these areas that are not included here.
B-Stock
- California
- Florida
- New Jersey
- New York
- Texas
Bargain Hunt
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Ohio
- Texas
Big Lots
- Available all across the United States
Direct Liquidation
- Arkansas
- California
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Nevada
Dirt Cheap
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
National Wholesale Liquidators
- New York
- Pennsylvania
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Tuesday Morning
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
3. You’ll find a little bit of everything at liquidation stores, from homewares to styling tools.
I visited the liquidation store near me on two different days, and here’s what I found. Since deals are unique to each store, the ones offered at my store will vary from what you’ll find at your local liquidation store.
- PUR 30-Cup Water Filtration System, unopened: $15 (reg. $38 at Walmart)
- Revlon Mix Curler, $15 (reg. $59.99, Bed, Bath, & Beyond)
- Revlon Adjustable Barrel Curling Wand, $28 (reg. $49.99, RiteAid)
- Up & Up Size 6 diapers, $20 or $0.12 per diaper (reg. $36.49, Target, or $0.22 per diaper)
- 7.5-Quart Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven, $30 (reg. $99.99, Amazon)
- Fitbit Ace 2, $35 (reg. $69.95, Macy’s)
- Gourmia 5-Quart 12-Function Digital Air Fryer, $37 (reg. $59.99, Amazon)
- Google Pixel Buds, $50 (reg. $79.99, Best Buy)
- 8-Quart 7-in-1 Instant Pot, $60 (reg. $119.99, Amazon)
- DeLonghi Stilosa Espresso Maker, $60 (reg. $119.99, Target)
4. Cross-check big-ticket baby items with product recall lists.
Even if a crib or carrier is unopened, it could be a recalled product or the construction might’ve worn off over time. I strongly recommend searching the product name of the crib, stroller, or carrier you’re considering online with any product recall lists.
You also might want to avoid purchasing dog DNA kits, and not for the reasons you think. (I know, random example. But yes you can actually find these at liquidation stores!). These kits are usually factory sealed when they’re resold, which means they’ve been unused. But dog DNA kits (or DNA kits in general) will often come with activation codes that help ensure you get the proper results. Once a DNA kit is purchased, the activation code expires, which means you’d have a completely useless kit.
More items I’d recommend avoiding include:
- Stollers
- Helmets
- Mattresses
- Makeup or skincare
And this might be more obvious, but you’ll also want to avoid outright bad deals. For example, I found the Vizio 24″ Class D-Series HD LED Smart TV ($99, Walmart) brand new at a few retailers at the same exact price. Hard pass!
5. Do price comparisons before checkout to make sure you’re getting a good deal.
Cross-check prices online to see if you’re actually getting a good deal. For example, I found the Fitbit Ace 2 at the liquidation store near me listed for $35. I searched for the exact model online and found it at Macy’s for $69.95. That’s 50% savings!
It also helps to have your Amazon or Walmart shopping apps handy to do quick price comparisons.
RELATED: Here’s How You Can Buy Target & Walmart’s Leftovers for Cheap
6. Some local liquidation stores share their inventory online, so you can browse their selection ahead of time.
Before your visit, check if your liquidation store has a website or social media accounts to find timely deals. Some liquidation stores have websites so you can shop from home. The liquidation store near me in LA, OJI Closeouts, has a website, but there aren’t any deals listed there. It’s really to let shoppers know about their location and hours. Some stores might have social media accounts where they update you with new deals frequently.
