GARLAND - With only a handful of shopping days left until Christmas, the clock is ticking.
For those who dread hitting the mall, a Garland company allows shoppers to browse a massive quantity of goods all within one spot. But, there is a catch.
From televisions to bicycles to Guitar Hero and even a shower, Liquidation.com in Garland is a packed with inventory. The giant warehouse is a distribution center for an online auction marketplace.
Liquidation.com is part of an emerging industry built on what won't sell in stores or on major websites. It basically helps those stores clear their shelves.
"They're all new returns," said Jeff Pulford, a customer who went to the store in search of vacuum cleaners. "I thought I would try those out and put them on Craigslist to sell. And, I need a new vacuum cleaner myself, so maybe I'll end up with one myself no charge out of the deal."
"What we're also seeing is a lot of individuals in a tough economy looking to make some extra money," said Rob Caskey, vice president of marketing at Liquidity Services/Liquidation.com. "So, they will buy items in quantity, maybe 20 or 50 iPods, and they'll sell them one at a time in a place like eBay or Amazon or maybe their local area and make money that way as well."
Online bidding starts at $100 for every item. Each electronics item is inspected to make sure it's working before it heads out the door.
One of the most popular items have been iPods; games are a big hit as well.
Buyers have access to inventory in all six warehouses throughout the United States, including the mammoth warehouse in Garland. They ship all over the world, and on average, between 50 and 100 customers pick up their orders everyday.
"The last thing I purchased was 1,500 pounds," Pulford said. "If I had to ship it, I probably wouldn't have done it. So, it's real important to me that their local. They help me load it into my pickup truck and then I take it home."
E-mail cglanagan@wfaa.com
