Alternative Ways to Liquidate Merchandise
Explore creative, cost-effective options to sell your excess inventory.
If you’ve been asking yourself, “How do I liquidate my inventory?”, you're not alone — and you're not stuck. While large liquidation companies (like LiquidateNow) typically focus on bigger lots, small businesses or individuals holding limited quantities can still find effective ways to sell excess inventory without letting it go to waste.
Six Alternative Channels to Recover Value From Your Overstock Inventory:
eBay – The Original DIY Liquidation Channel
eBay remains one of the most accessible global marketplaces for resellers. If you have a smaller lot — say, a few hundred units or less — it can be an excellent way to sell your excess inventory directly to other businesses or individual buyers.
Tips to succeed:
- Use keywords like wholesale, bulk, or liquidation in your listing title
- Create bundles of similar items (e.g., 50 units per listing) to move product faster
- Enable “or Best Offer” to invite negotiations and improve engagement
- Add detailed descriptions and photos to reduce buyer hesitation
Don’t forget: Most eBay categories have a “wholesale lots” subsection, which is where serious buyers often search.
eBay Wholesale (wholesale.ebay.com)
eBay Wholesale Deals is a lesser-known but growing marketplace built specifically for bulk sales. It's ideal if you're trying to liquidate inventory in larger quantities but still want full control of pricing, packaging, and communication with buyers.
While this channel doesn’t have the same traffic volume as standard eBay listings, the buyers here are more targeted and serious. If you're selling truckloads, full pallets, or multi-case bundles, this site may offer a better return than retail marketplaces.
IMASD – Internet Merchant Association of Surplus Dealers
The IMASD (www.theimasd.net) is a niche B2B platform that connects companies looking to buy and sell excess inventory. It’s particularly useful for hard-to-place lots that don’t perform well in typical online marketplaces.
Once you submit your inventory details through their platform, it’s automatically emailed to thousands of wholesalers across the U.S. — many of whom are actively looking for new deals. It’s a great option for unique or bulk product categories.
Craigslist – Local Liquidation, Low Effort
Think Craigslist is just for selling used couches? Think again. It’s surprisingly effective when trying to liquidate inventory locally, especially for:
- Furniture
- Large appliances
- Bulk tools or fixtures
- Retail displays or fixtures
You can post entire pallets, truckloads, or break your inventory down by unit. Better yet, local resellers often browse Craigslist looking for bulk inventory to flip — meaning you may be able to sell your full lot in one transaction.
Pro Tip: Search for “postings by dealer” or “bulk” listings and message those sellers — they may be your next buyer.
LinkedIn – Business Networking Meets Liquidation
If your inventory has business or retail value, LinkedIn can be a surprisingly powerful way to sell your excess inventory to decision-makers. Here’s how to use it:
- Join LinkedIn groups focused on wholesale, closeouts, liquidation, or your specific product category
- Post about your available inventory in the group feed or use group messaging
- Add keywords like overstock, surplus goods, or available lots in your posts
- Share listings or photos directly in your personal feed to reach your network
Because LinkedIn is a professional space, you’re more likely to connect with business owners, purchasing agents, and resellers — not casual shoppers.
Bonus: When to Use LiquidateNow
If you’re holding multiple pallets, full truckloads, or complex mixes of inventory, you may want to skip the DIY route and use a full-service liquidation solution like LiquidateNow. We handle:
- Packaging, marketing, and resale
- Buyer outreach
- Channel conflict protection
- Payment collection and tracking
- Real-time sales reporting
Most importantly, we don’t charge unless your inventory sells.
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to moving excess merchandise. Whether you’re downsizing, changing product lines, or clearing space, you have options.
So if you’re thinking:
“I need to liquidate my inventory, but I don’t know where to start…”
These alternatives can help you regain control, recover costs, and reclaim valuable space — fast.
