How to sell surplus stock: pricing, photos, manifests and MOQ

Every business that holds stock ends up with some it cannot sell through its normal channels: the wrong sizes, last season's colours, a cancelled order, returns, a product being discontinued. Each month it sits there, it costs warehouse space and loses value. Selling it as a stocklot to other traders turns it into cash, frees up space and keeps it out of the waste stream. This guide covers how to do that well.

1. Decide what you are selling and why

Buyers will ask why the stock is for sale, so have a clear answer. "Overstock from a cancelled retail order", "end-of-line after a packaging change" or "customer returns from our web shop, untested" are honest and useful. They tell the buyer what condition to expect and where they can resell it.

Check any restrictions before you offer the goods. Distribution or licence agreements sometimes limit where or to whom branded goods may be sold, and some brands require you to remove their labels for certain channels. Food, cosmetics and other regulated products must still meet labelling and safety rules when sold on. For apparel and footwear, large companies in the EU may no longer destroy unsold stock, which makes resale more important: see our guide on the EU destruction ban.

2. Build a manifest

A manifest is the single biggest factor in how fast a lot sells and at what price. Serious buyers price lots line by line; without a manifest they price in the risk. A spreadsheet export from your stock system is usually enough. Include, per line:

• EAN or article number and a clear description.
• Size, colour or variant.
• Quantity.
• Condition or grade, in plain words (see stock grades explained).
• Best-before or expiry date and batch, for anything with a shelf life.
• Optionally your original wholesale price or the retail price, clearly labelled as a reference.

Add a summary at the top: total units, number of cartons and pallets, pallet dimensions and gross weight, and the location of the goods. Buyers need that to get a transport quote.

3. Price the lot

There is no formula that works for every lot, but the logic is the same: buyers work back from what they can sell the goods for, minus their costs and margin. Things that move the price:

Look at comparable live lots in your category, for example clothing and fashion, shoes, health and beauty or household and cleaning, to see what others are asking. Asking prices are not selling prices, but they show the range.

Decide your walk-away price before you list, and how fast you need the money. A lot priced to sell this week and a lot you are happy to hold for three months are priced differently. Quoting a price per unit and a price for the whole lot makes it easy for buyers to compare. State clearly whether prices exclude VAT; in B2B trade they normally do.

4. Take photos that answer questions

Good photos save you a lot of phone calls. Use daylight or good warehouse lighting, and show:

1. The whole lot on pallets, so buyers can see the volume.
2. A pallet from the side, showing height and how it is wrapped.
3. Opened cartons, with products as they are packed.
4. Single products front and back, including labels, EAN codes and any date codes.
5. Any damage, honestly. Buyers find it anyway, and hiding it costs you trust and often the deal.

Use your own photos rather than brand product images. They prove you have the goods and show their real condition.

5. Set the MOQ and terms

The MOQ (minimum order quantity) decides who can buy. Whole lot only keeps things simple but limits you to larger buyers. A lower MOQ, for example per pallet or per carton, reaches more buyers but leaves you with the risk that the weakest lines stay behind. A common middle way is a higher price per unit for smaller quantities and a discount for the whole lot.

Also decide in advance on:

• Payment: prepayment against a pro-forma invoice, or a deposit with the balance before loading. Release goods only after payment has cleared. See how to buy stocklots for the structures buyers will propose.
• Delivery terms: usually EXW or FCA from your warehouse. Name the place and opening hours.
• VAT: for an EU buyer in another member state, check their VAT number in VIES and keep proof of transport if you invoice at 0%. Our intra-EU VAT guide explains the conditions.
• Inspection: whether buyers can visit or send an inspector before paying the balance.

6. List it on BrandedStocklots

On BrandedStocklots you list the lot yourself and buyers contact you directly. You negotiate and close the deal with the buyer; we take 0% commission. How it works:

1. Create a free account. A free account can keep up to 3 listings online at a time. Paid plans allow more new listings a month and more photos per listing, and the Trader and Max plans include bulk CSV upload. See pricing for the current plans.
2. Post the lot: title, category, condition, quantity, MOQ, price, location and a description. At least one product photo is required, and the MOQ cannot be higher than the total quantity.
3. Put the manifest summary and the reason for sale in the description, and send the full manifest to interested buyers.
4. Your listing goes live straight away; our team also reviews new listings.
5. Buyers with a plan can see your contact details, chat and make offers. Reply quickly: the first serious buyer often gets the deal.

Have a whole stock list to sell, or prefer not to type it in? Start at sell your stock. Also check the buyer requests: buyers post what they are looking for, and your stock might already have a buyer.

7. After the deal

Confirm the deal in writing with an order confirmation that refers to the manifest version. Load exactly what was sold, take photos of the loaded pallets, and get the CMR or other transport document signed. Keep it with the invoice. Mark the listing as sold or update the quantity, so other buyers do not call about stock that has gone. Good buyers come back: a short message when you have new stock is often the fastest way to sell the next lot.