How to offer clearance or returned stock for purchase
An assessable stock offer separates the contents, condition and price of the lot so the buyer can understand what is actually available.
The short answer
Send an itemised stock list, quantities by SKU and condition, actual photos, warehouse location and asking price with currency and tax basis. Distinguish new surplus from customer returns, damaged goods and untested stock. A catalogue alone does not show the contents or condition of the offered lot.
1. Describe the lot before its discount
| Information | What makes it useful |
|---|---|
| Lot type | Previous-season goods, surplus, customer returns, liquidation or another clearly described origin. |
| Contents and quantity | SKU or GTIN where available, brand, exact variant and quantity for each row. |
| Actual condition | Separate new, opened, tested, damaged and untested items; explain missing parts or known defects. |
| Location and collection | Warehouse country and city, collection restrictions, Incoterm and named place if used. |
| Asking price | Per-unit net prices in the list; total lot asking price, currency and net/gross basis in the offer. |
| Documents and rights | Proof of ownership or resale rights and applicable product documentation; disclose channel or territory limits. |
2. Use one row per variant and condition
Download the Excel template below. Keep identifiers as text, enter quantities and net unit prices as numbers, and add the currency. Put the same product in separate rows if its condition differs. Leave unavailable information blank and explain it in notes instead of entering a zero.
- Do not combine tested and untested returns under a single “good condition” label.
- Use current warehouse photos, including packaging, defects and representative units.
- Identify batch and expiry dates where relevant to the product.
- Keep transport costs and an all-or-nothing lot condition explicit in the proposal.
Example: separate opened returns
Suppose an offer contains 80 unopened units and 20 opened returns of the same SKU. Use two rows and describe whether the 20 returns have been tested and whether their accessories are complete. A single row for “100 units, new” would make both the condition and value unclear. These quantities are illustrative.
3. Explain what still needs checking
State whether we may inspect the lot or request additional photos and documents. If no itemised list exists, say so in the form and describe what can be provided. Selected stock buying is subject to product suitability, verifiable condition, resale rights, logistics and an acceptable commercial assessment. Submission is not an offer from us to purchase the lot.
Preparation checklist
Use the checkboxes as a working list. They are not submitted or saved.
Download checklist (TXT) ↓Sources and further reading
Official references support the general rules. Our checklists describe the information we need for an initial commercial assessment.