Home / Sourcing: Liquidation, Auctions & Estate Sales / Alternatives
ShopGoodwill is popular (best for: Thrift flippers who want to source from home), but it is not right for everyone. Common reasons to switch: shipping and handling fees can be high and competition on obvious deals. Here are the alternatives in sourcing: liquidation, auctions & estate sales, with what each does best.
| Alternative | Price | Best for | Standout strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| B-Stock | Free to register; you pay for lots | Resellers buying customer returns and overstock by the pallet | Direct from major retailers |
| Direct Liquidation | Pay per lot | Buyers who want fixed-price and auction pallets | Buy-now and auction options |
| HiBid | Free to bid; buyer premium per auction | Finding local estate and liquidation auctions | Huge number of local auctions |
| EstateSales.NET | Free | Finding estate sales with photos before you go | Preview photos before you go |
| GovDeals | Free to bid; buyer premium varies | Buying surplus equipment, IT and office furniture | Below-market surplus goods |
| Proxibid | Free to bid; buyer premium varies | Collectibles and equipment flippers | Wide range of auction houses |
| Facebook Buy Nothing & Free Groups | Free | Zero-cost sourcing for local flippers | Zero cost of goods |
B-Stock runs online liquidation auction marketplaces for major retailers and brands, selling customer returns, overstock and shelf-pulls by the case, pallet or truckload. Each marketplace has its own buyer approval. Factor in shipping and the unsellable rate before you bid.
Direct Liquidation sells customer returns and overstock pallets from big-box retailers via auction and buy-now. Lots range from single pallets to truckloads with condition grades.
Full Direct Liquidation review
HiBid aggregates online auctions from thousands of auction companies, including estate, liquidation, equipment and collectibles. Many auctions are local pickup only, which keeps competition lower.
EstateSales.NET lists estate sales nationwide with photos and dates, so you can preview inventory and plan a route. Final-day discounts at estate sales are a classic source of furniture, vintage and collectibles.
GovDeals sells surplus items from public agencies and institutions: office furniture, IT equipment, tools, vehicles and more. Many items sell well below resale value, especially pickup-only lots.
Proxibid hosts live and timed online auctions from auction houses, covering collectibles, art, general merchandise, industrial equipment and more.
Local 'free stuff', moving-sale and curb-alert groups are a free inventory source, especially in big cities with high move-out turnover. Pair them with a fast comp check and you can flip free furniture and electronics for pure profit. Respect each group's rules; many forbid reselling gifts.
Full Facebook Buy Nothing & Free Groups review
The NYC Flipping Playbook ($19)
25-page, 14-chapter system for finding underpriced items and reselling them for profit: categories, sourcing calendar, comp checks, negotiation scripts.
Flip Profit Calculator ($12)
Spreadsheet that returns net proceeds, max buy price, ROI and a GO / COUNTER / PASS decision with fees for 10 platforms, plus a 500-row flip log and dashboard.
Instant digital downloads sold via Gumroad.
Reach resellers actively choosing tools in Sourcing: Liquidation, Auctions & Estate Sales.
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