What is Retail Arbitrage?
In eCommerce, Retail Arbitrage, also known as Amazon arbitrage, is buying products from traditional local retail stores, such as Walmart, at discounted prices and reselling them in another marketplace, such as Amazon, at higher prices to make profits.
Although the concept seems complicated, as you learn how to find profitable products for Retail Arbitrage, it will be straightforward.
Why do some stores do wholesale instead of selling single products online?
Selling every single item online means starting a process. This -sometimes long and consuming- process includes dealing with customers, following up on the shipping, and doing an ongoing task. For sellers who want to sell in large quantities, it makes more sense to avoid too many ongoing tasks.
By doing wholesale, they outsource the single sales to someone else and make the profit anyway.
Best Stores for Retail Arbitrage Sourcing
Retail arbitrage is a selling activity whereby the seller searches for items from other retailer sources. There are two types of stores where you can source products for retail arbitrage: General selection stores & specialty stores.
Here are the best stores for retail arbitrage in General Selection Stores, which are popular among Amazon sellers as they have branches in several locations:
- Dollar Stores
Stores like Dollar General &Dollar Tree are good sources, especially for electronics, party supplies, toys, stationery, and groceries. But check the gated categories before listing products.
Usually offers its discounted products near the store’s entrance. During holidays or back-to-school season, on-sale products are more available.
- Liquidation Stores
They are excellent choices for retail arbitrage. Most of them have websites that help you see almost all of their inventory without tripping there. While shopping in these stores, always beware of gated categories and brands.
It has every piece of equipment you may require for your house, from gardening tools to grilling equipment to home decor; you can find everything there on sale.
- Thrift Stores
Thrift stores are by far the cheapest and even sometimes offer free items. In some towns, shop managers may be willing to negotiate prices with you (if there is such an opportunity, take it). They can provide many items for retail arbitrage. Stores like Salvation Army, Goodwill, Stuff, and Value Village are famous thrift stores.
It always has attractive products on its clearance rack. Using scanner apps helps you clear Walmart’s shelves faster. They also save you time.
You can’t imagine how profitable it could be to resell discounted products you bought from eBay on Amazon. This is one of the best strategies for finding items from the best store for retail arbitrage.
Click on the texts to find more information about Amazon seller scanner apps.
Below, we list the Specialty Stores where sellers can find lucrative products in each desired category. This list can help sellers to narrow down their niche into particular types.
Also has many things for home improvement, such as appliances, bathrooms, building supplies, lighting, and more.
Consumer Value Store is a drugstore and healthcare retailer where you can find the best health & beauty products on sale.
It is known as the second-largest pharmacy store in the USA, providing pharmacy, health & wellness, and photo products. You can find good deals among the wide selection of beauty & personal care.
Ross’s motto is “Dress for less.” As you have guessed, this chain sells clothing at a lower price. You can also find footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and even toys in Ross.
- 7dayshop (UK)
the categories on this site are pretty vast, and you can find anything from batteries, chargers, and tools to children’s clothes and even Home decor.
- gromitunleashedshop (UK)
this fun online store has everything “Wallace and Gromit” themed. Toys, Home decor, blankets, pillows, and figurines. An excellent shop for providing gifts.
- The nearest mall
Malls are classic shopping points where you can find almost anything. So why not go to a mall to find items for your retail arbitrage business? Each mall has at least 50 stores, and in particular times (like seasonal sales), everything is being sold for a lower price, a good opportunity for buying retail arbitrage products.
Also, take a walk around outlet malls, where shops are continuously on sale, and many people source their businesses from them. Clothes, kitchen and home products, decorative items, and skin care products are among the things you can find in every mall.
There are many other retailers that you can source for your Amazon business. Here, some of the best stores for retail arbitrage are categorized by the types of goods they offer:
Toys:
- Disney Store
- Mattel
- Fisher-Price
- Lego
- TV’s Toy Box
- Hasbro Toys
- Build A Bear
Shoes:
- 6PM.com
- Finish Line
Health & Beauty:
- Sally’s Beauty Supply
- Drugstore.com
- The Vitamin Shoppe
- Rite Aid
- GNC
- Ulta
- Bath and Body Works
- Vita Cost
Home:
- Ace Hardware
- TJMaxx
- Bargain Hunt
- Hobby Lobby
- Bealls Outlet
- Christmas Tree Shops
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Big Lots
Sporting Goods:
- Bass Pro Shops
- Sierra Trading Post
- Dungarees.Net
- Academy Sports/Outdoors
- REI
Best Retail Arbitrage Products
Selecting the right items for retail arbitrage is critical to success. Here there are some suggestions for the best retail arbitrage products:
- Clearance
The clearance aisle of retail and mortar stores has the best items for sourcing products for beginners who choose the retail arbitrage model for their business.
- Sporting goods
Although sporting Goods are non-essential, men, women, children, and casual athletes are fans of them. Weekend warriors use sporting equipment as well. Everybody buys sporting goods at different prices, even for an outdoor hobby such as fishing, hiking, or camping. REI and Bass Pro Shop are the best sports retailers.
- Home items
Home Items such as accessories, home decor, and maintenance products are among the top products for reselling because of their mid to low-range price tag and constant market demand.
Puzzles
Many people like to do puzzles as therapy and social media is making jigsaw puzzles big again. Look for trendy designs and start selling them in your business.
- Health and beauty
Health and beauty products that are sub-$20 items are known as the best for discounts and bulk purchasing.
- Toys & Games
Kids always need toys, but the demands increase drastically during holidays. Toys & Games are among the top 10 most popular items on Amazon. The number of sales is so attractive for arbitrageur companies that they even have specific sourcing lists for toys & games.
Pet supplies
The number of pet owners is increasing, and these people are always searching for products to improve their pet’s life. Food, toys, and accessories for pets are among the most wanted items.
- Clothing & Shoes
Clothing & Shoes are known as year-round demands, which people consistently need all year. They are the best retail arbitrage products because of frequent sales and constant demand.
Why Don’t You Try OA Leads List?
Retail arbitrage has always been a good choice for starting your own business. But remember that Amazon provides another opportunity that is as straightforward but, in many aspects, more effortless to establish: Online Arbitrage.
Online Arbitration is a practice like the one we have been discussing but with one important difference: the product sources are online in this business.
To make extra money, try online arbitrage alongside your current retail business. To get the best sourcing lists, you can use OABeans daily leads. By subscribing to one of the plans, we send you daily lists, including product price histories, purchase links, and discounts. Like retail arbitrage, everything is about making a benefit using this method. And that is exactly what OABeans helps you do.
Final thoughts
Retail arbitrage is a fantastic way to make money on Amazon, especially for newbies. As one of the popular eCommerce business models, it demands an organized inventory management system. You can find great opportunities in-store. In this post, we list the best stores for retail arbitrage.
FAQ
You can earn money by buying products at low prices from your local retail stores and reselling them at higher prices in another marketplace such as Amazon. This process is called retail arbitrage.
It is absolutely a legal business model. Amazon allows sellers to sell products using retail arbitrage, but they must follow Amazon’s regulations and policies, like getting approval for gated products, categories, or brands.
The reselling model on Amazon allows you to develop valuable skills in product research, pricing, inventory management, and customer service.
Amazon’s fulfillment services, such as FBA, streamline the logistics of online arbitrage. It handles storage, packaging, and shipping, freeing up my time to source more products.
Reselling on Amazon allows you to leverage the trusted Amazon brand and reputation, giving your products instant credibility and attracting more buyers.
The advanced inventory management tools provided by Amazon FBA help sellers optimize their inventory levels, reducing storage costs and maximizing profitability.
The scalability of retail arbitrage on Amazon allows you to start small and gradually grow your business, reinvesting profits to expand your product range and sales volume.
Your website is one of the few reliable sources of information on Amazon online arbitrage that I trust. Your expertise on this topic is evident in the thoroughness and detail of your articles.
Your website is well-organized and easy to navigate, making it simple to find the information you need to improve your Amazon Marketplace performance.
I love shopping for pet supplies on Amazon Marketplace – they have everything I need for my furry friend.
Amazon online arbitrage can be a great option for people who are looking for a second income stream or a side hustle.
This guide to Amazon online arbitrage is incredibly helpful!
With Amazon FBA, you can benefit from Amazon’s advanced shipping optimization algorithms, helping you get your products to customers faster and more efficiently.