Cases, Pallets, Truckloads and Inventory Availability
Case 
Pallet 
Truckload 
Multiple Truckloads Via Trading offers a wide selection of liquidation merchandise in quantities ranging from a single case to multiple truckloads. Some merchandise is available regularly, while other inventory is seasonal, limited or completely one-off.
Understanding the lot size, availability pattern and information provided can help you choose inventory that fits your budget, storage capacity, resale channels and business strategy.
Cases are smaller wholesale lots containing multiple units of merchandise. Depending on the listing, a case may contain one product or an assortment of related products.
Cases offer an accessible way to:
Selected products may be available by the individual case or master case rather than as a preassembled pallet or load.
À la carte purchasing allows buyers to select from eligible products and build an order that better matches their customers, product categories and budget.
A single pallet may contain one product, one category or an assorted mix of merchandise.
Pallets offer more inventory than cases while remaining accessible to buyers who are not ready for a multi-pallet lot or full truckload.
Multi-pallet lots contain several pallets sold together as one purchase. They offer more volume than a single pallet without requiring the buyer to purchase a complete truckload.
Some listings contain a predetermined group of pallets. For eligible inventory, buyers may also be able to combine selected pallets into a customized multi-pallet order using Build a Kit.
Full truckloads offer large quantities of merchandise and may contain dozens of pallets and thousands of units.
Truckload quantities often provide greater buying power, but buyers should consider their storage space, unloading capabilities, working capital and ability to process and resell the merchandise.
Certain retailer programs, closeouts and LiquidateNow opportunities may be available in quantities larger than one truckload.
These purchases are generally best suited to experienced buyers with sufficient capital, storage, logistics and resale capacity.
| Lot Size | Typical Buyer | Main Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Case | New or smaller reseller | Lower-cost entry point |
| À la carte | Buyers wanting more product control | Build a more targeted order |
| Single pallet | Established small or medium reseller | More inventory without a truckload commitment |
| Multi-pallet lot | Growing reseller or wholesaler | Greater volume and assortment |
| Full truckload | High-volume buyer | Large-scale purchasing |
| Multiple truckloads | Distributor, exporter or retail chain | Maximum volume and supply |
The right lot size depends on more than purchase price. Buyers should also consider storage, transportation, labor, product processing, resale speed and available working capital.
Liquidation inventory does not always follow a traditional wholesale replenishment model. Some merchandise can be reordered regularly, while other lots may only become available occasionally—or once.
Availability can affect how much inventory you purchase, how quickly you sell it and how you price it for your customers.
Regular inventory is normally available on an ongoing basis or replenished frequently. Although the exact assortment may vary, buyers can generally expect similar merchandise to become available again.
Regular inventory may help buyers:
This type of merchandise can become the bread-and-butter inventory of a resale business.
When merchandise can be reordered, faster turnover may produce better overall results than holding every item for the highest possible price.
For example, selling 100 units purchased at $10 for $20 each produces $1,000 in gross profit. Selling only 50 units at $25 each produces $750 in gross profit, even though the profit per unit is higher.
The goal is to balance profit margin with sales volume, inventory turnover and the ability to reorder.
Periodic inventory becomes available from time to time but cannot be replenished on demand. There may be substantial gaps between available lots, and the product mix may change from one purchase to the next.
Examples may include:
Buyers should expect:
Because replacement inventory may not be immediately available, buyers may choose to purchase a larger quantity when the right opportunity appears.
Opportunistic inventory consists of unique purchasing opportunities that may not become available again after the current merchandise is sold.
Examples may include:
These opportunities may offer strong resale potential, but buyers should evaluate each lot individually. Once sold, the same merchandise may not be available again.
Because the inventory may be difficult or impossible to replace, buyers may choose to:
Potential returns are never guaranteed. Buyers should consider demand, condition, competition, storage costs and the time required to sell the merchandise.
Seasonal inventory includes merchandise for which demand is concentrated during a particular time of year.
Examples include:
Seasonal inventory may be more readily available or attractively priced during the off-season. Buyers with suitable storage and sufficient working capital may choose to purchase in advance and sell when seasonal demand returns.
This strategy also carries risk. Demand, pricing, storage costs and product relevance may change before the next season.
| Availability Type | Reorder Potential | Typical Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Regular and repeatable | Generally available again | Faster turnover and repeat purchasing |
| Periodic and limited | May return after a delay | Plan ahead and purchase when available |
| One-off and opportunistic | Unlikely to return | Evaluate individually and maximize the opportunity |
| Seasonal | Often tied to a selling season | Purchase and sell according to seasonal demand |
Availability classifications describe the expected supply pattern—not a guarantee that any particular item, brand, assortment or lot will remain available.
Inventory may be manifested, partially manifested or unmanifested.
A manifested lot includes an itemized list of the merchandise expected in the lot.
A partially manifested lot provides some product information without identifying every individual item.
For example, a pallet containing 100 pairs of shoes may show the quantity or percentage represented by each brand without identifying every exact style, size or color.
An unmanifested lot does not include a complete item-by-item list. It may instead be described by retailer, category, condition, estimated quantity, representative images or approximate value.
Manifest status describes the amount of information provided. It does not describe the condition, quality or lot size of the merchandise.
Depending on the merchandise and listing, inventory may be offered:
The listing will identify the available buying method, purchase quantity, inventory location and applicable pricing.
A load priced at a percentage of wholesale value should not be directly compared with a load priced at the same percentage of retail value because the underlying values are different.
Via Trading inventory may be located at one of our warehouses or at another available shipping point.
Each listing should identify the inventory location or FOB point. Location can affect:
Review the listing location before purchasing or requesting a freight quote.
Liquidation inventory is constantly changing. New merchandise arrives regularly, while limited and opportunistic lots may sell out and never return.
Registered buyers can use Via Trading’s online purchasing tools to:
If you see inventory that fits your business, review the listing carefully and contact our team with any questions before purchasing.
Create your free account to see pricing, manifests and shipping quotes.