‘Amazing products for almost nothing’: This new KC area shop sells big-box overstock
When you return a product to a big retailer like Amazon or Target, it often doesn’t end up back on the shelves, ready to be sold to another customer. Often, that blender or six-pack of socks or Bluetooth speaker is routed into a secondary liquidation market.
“It could be because the box is damaged and it’s too costly for Amazon or whoever to repackage and resell it,” said Jennifer Bishop. “And basically what they often do is throw all that stuff into a big box, along with other overstock items, and send it to a warehouse. And a lot of that stuff eventually ends up in a landfill. But then there are people like me, who buy a truckload of that stuff and sell it at their own store.”
Retail Bins, which Bishop and co-owner Courtney Jones opened last month at 1611 Missouri Highway 7 in Blue Springs, does just that. The shop sources overstock items from Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot and others. Every Saturday at 9 a.m., they debut new inventory. Everything is $12.
Some of it’s worth far more than that. Customers have walked away with cellphones, tablets, karaoke machines and $300 drones.
“I bought all my Christmas presents at bin stores last year,” Bishop said. “You can find really amazing products for almost nothing.”
Similar businesses exist elsewhere in the city, like Crazy Bin Store and Cargo Largo, both in Independence. Other bin stores are more like pop-ups, selling out of a commercial space for a few months before shutting down and moving along.
Retail Bins is distinct for its pricing. On Sunday, the price on everything drops to $10. Monday they’re closed; they work with nonprofits to route some of the inventory to families in need. Tuesday everything is $6, then just $2 on Wednesday.
Retail Bins is closed again Thursday and Friday as they prepare the next week’s sale.
“It’s kind of like a scavenger hunt,” Bishop said. “People have walked away with weed eaters, all sorts of kitchen appliances, swimsuits, office chairs. It’s a fascinating thing to watch.”
Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
