As an avid Amazon shopper, I’m always looking for ways to save money with the online retail giant. From shopping at their little-known Online Warehouse Outlet, to figuring out how to buy their returns for cheap, I’m always on the search for ways to save. This made me wonder if there were stores in my local area that bought and sold Amazon returns and liquidated Amazon products for cheap.

After some digging, I found an Amazon return store, also known as a “Liquidation Store” or “Amazon Bin Store”, about 10 miles away. So off I drove and quickly discovered that the savings at the store were pretty incredible, so I wanted to show you how to find a return store in your neck of the woods so you can start saving too. Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know.

What Exactly is an Amazon Return Store?

As the name suggests, an Amazon Return Store buys and sells Amazon products that were returned by customers for a myriad of reasons.

They are a great place to shop for bargains on home décor, electronics, toys, tools, clothing, shoes, patio furniture, and small kitchen appliances.

These stores typically don’t only sell Amazon returns, they often source liquidations and returns from Target, Home Depot, and Walmart as well.

See Also: How to Find a Target Salvage Store Near You

PRO TIP: BEWARE OF THE BIN STORE “BAIT & SWITCH”

Most bin store owners are completely above board when it comes to the “preview pictures” they post of their weekly merchandise that they share on Facebook the day before they offer it for sale. But be aware that some will add high-end items and brands into their pictures to entice shoppers. I’ve seen pictures posted with $399 Apple AirPod Max headphones, high end DeWalt power tools, and even a top of the line KitchenAid stand mixer. Then when you show up and stand in line (for an hour), the items either never existed or they’re being sold in the “Retail” section of the store for almost full price. Consider yourself warned, bin stores that do this should lose your business.

How Do I Find a Return Store Near Me?

The best way to find a store near you is through Google or Facebook.

These stores go by different names, the two in my town are called Bargain Bins and Falling Prices.

Start by doing a Google search for one of the following,

“Amazon return store near me”

“Amazon bin store TOWN NAME” – this is the exact search that stumbled me onto my local “Bargain Bins” store.

“Liquidation store TOWN NAME”

“Amazon salvage store near me”

“Amazon liquidation store TOWN NAME”

Next hit up Facebook and do the exact SAME searches.

If you have any of these stores near you, Google and/or Facebook will quickly find them for you and you probably won’t have to do more than 2 searches.

See Also: Amazon Warehouse Deals: How to Find the ABSOLUTE Best Deals

Are These Products from Amazon Liquidation Pallets?

Yes.

The vast majority of products are sourced from buying Amazon liquidation pallets from sites like Liquidation.com and DirectLiquidation.com.

What Brands Will I Typically Find Within?

Depends.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict the brands you might find as every store is different and dependent on the pallet of returned merchandise that they purchase.

But, to give you an idea, from shopping at my local “Bargain Bins” store, I found these brands to name just a few:

– Disney

– Sony

– Anker

– Logitech

– Farberware

– Ryobi

– Cuisinart

– Black & Decker

– Samsung

– Stanley Tools

– Shakespeare Fishing Poles

– 3M

– Nike

– Adidas

How Much Savings is Typical at These Stores?

Easily 50% off the retail price, often WAY more, I personally saw savings close to 90% off the original price.

The “Bargain Bins” store near me works like this:

Thursday – Everything in the store is $12

Friday – Everything in the store is $8

Saturday -Everything in the store is $4

Sunday -Everything in the store is $2

Monday – Everything in the store is 2 for $1

Tuesday and Wednesday – Closed

If your Amazon “bin” store is setup the same way, the BEST strategy is to start by shopping on a Thursday (when the store opens) and see what in-stock products and brands they have, then come back Sunday afternoon and see what is left.

This will give you a great idea at how quickly stuff is sold and at what price point.

Be prepared for a crowd on Thursday and a mad scramble when the doors open, it reminded me of the old Black Friday days.

A saw shoppers scoring microwaves, a mini fridge, large framed art prints, and electronics (think sound bars, headphones, and charging stations) for only $12 each.

Also, if your store is still relatively new, many bargain shoppers might not be aware of it yet, allowing you to take advantage of deals on Sunday and Monday at pennies on the dollar.

If you’re a reseller on eBay the Sunday and Monday bargains could be a great way to source inventory that you can resell for a quick profit.

See Also: 4 CLEVER Ways to Buy Amazon Returns and Save Money

Are the Products Often Defective?

Sometimes, but not typically.

While the items are typically in working condition, they sometimes have scratches, dents, and small imperfections.

I saw a lamp that had been squished, many boxes that had been ripped open at one point, and even a mattress that had some grease on it.

So you’re definitely taking a risk, especially on electronics, but at the low price point the risk is negligible in my opinion.

Are All Purchases Going to Be Final Sale?

Yes.

Because you’re buying products at liquidation prices, you can expect there to be NO return policy in place.

So once you buy the item, and walk out the door, you’re stuck with it.

The good news is you can easily resell the item on eBay if you don’t want it, often at a profit.

Can I Find Amazon Essentials at These Stores?

Yes.

I took the above picture recently when I went to our local “Bargain Bins” Amazon liquidation store with my daughter.

She bought these BRAND NEW leather moccasin slippers for only $4, Amazon sells them for over $20.

Can I Return These Items to Amazon?

No.

If you’re thinking of somehow returning products bought at a discount to Amazon for a profit, think again, it can’t be done.

First of all, you’ll need evidence that you bought the item from Amazon in the first place, and secondly, well….there is no secondly, just don’t do it.

See Also: Amazon Return Policy: Time to Cut Through the Crap and Figure It Out

Ask the Reader: Do you know of any Amazon return stores in your neck of the woods? Let me know in the comments and I’ll start compiling a list of stores to help all of us.

By Kyle James

Amazon pricing can be REALLY sneaky. There I said it. This is something that I’ve been yelling about for years and over the weekend I discovered a blatant “Bait & Switch” practice that Amazon now employs to lure shoppers into thinking the price is great, only to pull the rug out from underneath us and basically have the low price disappear. Below is the exact scenario that I encountered, along with the response from Amazon, so you can be aware of this new sneaky pricing scam that Amazon is using.

The Bait & Switch Scenario:

My daughter is in college, has a birthday coming up, and has been jonesing for a small ice maker for her dorm room.

So off I go to Amazon and see one for $44.99 with great reviews and I think “I’m all over this one like white on rice”.

I then tap on the ice maker and get taken to the product page and much to my surprise I CAN’T find the $44.99 price anywhere….the price listed is a whopping $89.99.

A HUGE 45 dollar price difference, with the previously mentioned $44.99 price NOWHERE to be found.

See Also: How to Buy Amazon Unclaimed Packages and Save Money

So Off I Go To Amazon Chat…

I typically get good results when starting a live chat with Amazon, especially when I have an issue like not getting my package in 2 days or a return question.

But I was sorely disappointed this time.

The rep started out by telling me that Amazon changes pricing all the time, then she had me add the ice maker to my cart to see if the $44.99 propagated at checkout which of course IT DID NOT.

Then she kept saying I would get lower price when I signed up for the Chase Amazon Visa which I thought was a hilarious spin of the problem. (screenshot below)

Clearly, “Joan” had a hard time understanding my issue and could not give me answers to my questions.

I quickly realized this was getting nowhere, so I bid a fond farewell to Joan, and decided to call Amazon directly.

So I Called Amazon Customer Service…

Like it was 1986, I figured out how to make a phone call to Amazon customer service.

The first person I talked to was of little help so I asked to speak to his supervisor.

I was quickly transferred and FINALLY was able to speak with someone who actually understood my issue.

I explained that this was a clear BAIT & SWITCH and Amazon needed to honor the advertised price of $44.99.

I was pretty hot under the collar by this point as I was close to 30 minutes into this ordeal.

She explains that the $44.99 is the price from one of the 3rd party seller who just happened to be charging $45 for shipping making the price the same as Amazon’s.

The 3rd party sellers (also know as the “Other sellers on Amazon”) link was buried on the product page making for a very confusing situation.

But sure enough, after some searching, I was able to find the 3rd party seller that she was talking about and see where the $44.99 price was originating from.

See Also: Use Amazon to Find Alternatives to Cheaper Brands like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel

The Word “from” is Clearly the Problem

Wrongly, Amazon seems fine with using the tiny word “from” on their search results page as it grabs the shoppers attention when they see a low price.

But come on Amazon, don’t put the word “from” right next to the Prime logo as it makes shoppers think they can get that low price with Prime 2-day shipping.

Very deceiving and something that I feel is a clear “bait & switch” that Amazon needs to fix immediately.

At the very least, they should remove the blue Prime logo when it’s a “from” situation to avoid confusion.

See Also: 6 Slick Ways to Score Amazon Prime for Free or Real Cheap

The Solution: Amazon Needs To Be More Transparent

The Amazon rep basically told me that the 3rd party seller was being very deceiving by offering that LOW price but then having incredibly HIGH shipping costs.

I told her that Amazon needed to do something about this and she promised to tell her supervisor about this issue so it could be run up the corporate ladder.

Will anything come of it? Probably not.

But if you notice the same thing, call Amazon at 1-888-280-4331 and voice your concern.

Maybe if enough of us call they will change how the display their pricing in the search results.

How to Avoid This Pricing Scam

I was told that the word “from” appears the most when using the Amazon app and you rarely see it when shopping on the website via your laptop or desktop.

So the BEST WAY to avoid this scam is to NOT shop via the Amazon app but instead to shop directly through Amazon.com.

Also, keep a sharp eye out for the word “from” and know that it means the price you’re being shown is NOT going to be the actual amount you pay and typically won’t include 2-day Prime shipping. 

Ask the Reader: Have you ever noticed this very sneaky pricing scheme that Amazon does? Do you remember what the product and price was? Let me know in the comments, thanks.

By Kyle James

While Sephora rarely offers discounts, they do offer a generous employee discount so workers can save on their favorite makeup brands and gain product knowledge. The Sephora employee discount is not only is great for current employees but prospective employees too. If you’re looking for a new job, their discount can be a great way to earn a paycheck AND save money while shopping for your favorite beauty products.

What’s the Sephora Employee Discount?

40% off discount for the Sephora Collection and a 30% off discount on everything else.

While employees do have a limit of $500 in purchases each month, working at Sephora can be a great way to save.

How Long Do I Need to Be Employed?

I was told by an employee at my local Sephora that there is NOT a length of time you need to be employed before being able to use your employee discount.

So, if you’re a brand spanking new employee you can immediately use your employee discount.

See Also: Sephora Inside Kohl’s Stores: What’s the Dealio?

USING THE DISCOUNT AS AN EX-EMPLOYEE

Turns out it can take a few weeks (or longer) for your employment to be removed from the Sephora system after your last day of employment, often because the manager forgets to do it. In the meantime, your employee discount still works when online shopping via the Sephora app or website. You might as well take advantage of the discount while you can.

Is the Discount for Full and Part Time Employees?

Yes.

The Sephora employee discount is for BOTH full and part-time employees.

Any Items Exempt From the Discount?

No.

There doesn’t appear to be any items or brands that are exempt from the Sephora employee discount.

That being said, the discount changes depending on the brand you buy.

For instance, Sephora employees receive a 40% discount on Sephora Collection products.

For all other brands, you will receive a 30% discount which is still pretty darn solid.

See Also: Sephora Return Policy: We Answer All Your Important Questions

Can I Use the Items on Clearance and Sale Items?

Yes.

This is where their employee discount gets kinda awesome.

Your discount works in the Sale and Clearance aisle as well, both online and in-store.

PRO TIP: BE SURE TO COMBINE DISCOUNTS

Let’s not ignore the possible savings of combing a great sale with your employee discount. Sephora often has products marked at 50% off, even brands like like PMD, HUM, and Dior. Some employees claim to have actually saved thousands of dollars over the years by combing 50% off deals with their discount.

Can I Get The Discount Online and In-Store?

Yes.

You definitely can use your Sephora employee discount both in-store and online.

To use your employee discount, you’ll first need your employee code to claim the discount which your manager will give you.

You can then use the code at any stand-alone Sephora store by showing your employee ID and code.

Or, apply the employee discount code when shopping online at Sephora.

PRO TIP: ALWAYS CHECK THE SEPHORA WEBSITE

When taking advantage of your employee discount, do NOT ignore shopping the Sephora website or app. So many times your favorite products will be sold out in-store, so you’ll need to get comfortable with accessing them via the app or website so you can get your discount.

Can I Stack My Discount With Other Offers?

Yes….sorta.

According to the employee I spoke with, you can stack your discount on ANY item that has already been marked down.

But when shopping online, you can’t use your “employee discount code” in addition to any other coupon code that might be floating around.

Are My Family Members, Friends, or Spouse Eligible?

Yes, your family members, friends, and spouse are also eligible to use your discount.

However, according to an assistant manager that I spoke with, family and friends are only allowed to use the discount once a year.

Will I Also Score Free SWAG From Time to Time?

Yes.

As you shop at Sephora, even as an employee, you can sign up and become a part of the Beauty Insider program.

In Sephora’s Beauty Insider Program, you can receive all sorts of savings from free standard shipping to discounts, and more.

See Also: Guide to ALL the Stores That Hand Out Free Samples

Does the Discount Work at a Kohl’s Store with a Sephora Within?

Yes.

You absolutely CAN get a discount working at a Sephora within Kohl’s; however, the discount is different than at stand-alone Sephora stores.

I actually asked a Kohl’s employee and was told that the associate discount at a Sephora inside a Kohl’s is a flat 15% off.

So, while this is a drop from the 40% and 20% discount offerings at the stand-alone Sephora stores, you still get a discount.

Not to mention, this associate discount also applies to Kohl’s items too.

Ask the Reader: Do you work at Sephora’s? Anything I missed in relation to their employee discount?

By Kyle James