What should I know before buying my first pallet?

Three things first: most marketplaces require a resale certificate to register, the winning bid is not the price (add the buyer's premium and freight to get your real landed cost), and lot descriptions are patterns, not promises: condition grades describe the typical unit, and a few items in most lots won't be sellable.

Start smaller than you think. A first manifested pallet in a category you already know how to sell teaches more than a cheap mystery truckload, and it caps the tuition if the lot disappoints. Decide what happens to the duds before they arrive (donate, bundle, or scrap) so they don't become permanent inventory.

Learn the payment red flags before you shop anywhere. Legitimate marketplaces keep payment on-platform; requests to wire money or pay by app off-platform, prices far below the going rate, and sellers with no verifiable business trail are the classic patterns of a fake pallet seller.

How to spot a liquidation pallet scam before you pay →