Should You Use A Wholesale Liquidation Broker?

In case you didn't already know, liquidation brokers are people who connect buyers with sources of liquidation merchandise. Dealing with a liquidation broker is almost like dealing with a stock broker. You're paying them a little extra for their expertise and to minimize your risks. So when do you deal with a liquidation broker and how do you know whether they're legitimate or not? If you're a first-time buyer then using a liquidation broker may be a wise choice. You don't want your first deal to be a bad deal. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind when choosing a liquidation broker.

Most liquidation brokers who are serious about their job, will tell you from the start who they are. These brokers will provide a business address as well as a local phone number that isn't unlisted. These liquidation brokers can often negotiate a slightly better deal for you and can usually find you the merchandise you're looking for. In fact, some brokers actually deal directly with the sources so you're not dealing with a middleman. The savings you get from this can usually make up for the fee that the liquidation broker tacks on depending on how much you purchase.

Liquidation brokers also come in handy if you're trying to negotiate a huge deal such as an entire warehouse filled with liquidation merchandise. When you're dealing with huge numbers, it's easy to pay $10,000 or more than what you should. Hiring an experienced liquidation broker who knows what they're doing will help you avoid these costly mistakes. You also need somebody with experience to help you transport the liquidation merchandise from point A to point B with the least amount of problems.

Some brokers, however, will try to hide the fact that they're a broker and will claim that they're a liquidation company that warehouses the products they're selling. These brokers are the most dangerous because you don't really know who you're dealing with. If the broker has a website, try to lookout for things such as contextual ads and advertisements for other websites. This is a clear sign that the broker is not professional and is an amateur. If the broker gives you an address on their website, check it closely to make sure it isn't a P.O. Box. If it isn't, do a domain (website name) lookup on websites like Lookup.ws to see who owns the domain. If the domain name is private or is a different address than the one given, then you probably shouldn't deal with them. If they're going through great lengths to cover up their address, then they probably won't be honest if something goes wrong after you already sent them your money.

Nov 12, 2008