# Liquidation & Pallet Auction Scanner (`automation_studio/pallet-liquidation-scanner`) Actor

Scan wholesale liquidation auctions, store return pallets, and overstock bulk lots with estimated MSRP, bid tracking, and lot manifests.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/automation_studio/pallet-liquidation-scanner.md
- **Developed by:** [Automation Studio](https://apify.com/automation_studio) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $10.00 / 1,000 manifested liquidation lots

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Liquidation & Pallet Auction Scanner

Monitor and extract wholesale liquidation auctions, customer return pallets, and overstock truckloads from major retail chains (Amazon, Target, Home Depot, Walmart, Best Buy, Wayfair).

Designed specifically for **resellers, Amazon FBA arbitrage sellers, discount bin store owners, and surplus liquidators** seeking real-time deal flow with automated gross margin spread calculation.

***

### Why Automate Wholesale Liquidation Sourcing?

Finding profitable liquidation pallets manually requires checking dozens of auction marketplaces every single hour. High-margin lots often close unnoticed or get bid up beyond profitable margins:

1. **Automated Gross Margin Calculation**: Instantly compares estimated manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) against the current high bid to display exact discount percentages (e.g., 80%–92% off retail).
2. **Item-Level Manifest Transparency**: Track total unit counts per pallet and calculate average cost-per-unit before placing a bid.
3. **Retail Origin Filtering**: Target specific store chains known for high resale velocity (Amazon Returns, Target Overstock, Home Depot Tools, Best Buy Open Box).
4. **Condition Grading**: Filter specifically for clean inventory (`Brand New / Overstock` or `Like New / Open Box`) or high-volume salvage lots for bin stores.

***

### Key Features

- **Multi-Category Coverage**: Filter by popular resale categories: Consumer Electronics, Tools & Home Improvement, Apparel & Footwear, Home Goods & Furniture, Toys & Baby Goods, General Merchandise.
- **Retail Chain Filtering**: Segment lots originating from Amazon, Target, Home Depot, Walmart, Best Buy, or Wayfair.
- **Custom Margin Thresholds**: Set a minimum required discount percentage (e.g. 60%, 75%, 85% off MSRP) to ensure only profitable lots are collected.
- **Condition Grading**: Choose between Brand New Overstock, Open Box, Customer Returns, or Mixed Lots.
- **Fulfillment & Location Intelligence**: Details warehouse pickup locations across US regions and the UK, alongside freight logistics requirements (Buyer LTL vs. Flat Rate Freight).
- **Direct Auction Links**: Includes instant URLs to view manifests and bid directly on platforms like B-Stock, Bulq, Liquidation.com, and Direct Liquidation.

***

### Input Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `category` | String | `ALL` | Merchandise category (Electronics, Tools, Apparel, Home Goods, Toys, etc.). |
| `retailerSource` | String | `ALL` | Origin retailer (Amazon, Target, Home Depot, Walmart, Best Buy, Wayfair). |
| `conditionGrade` | String | `ALL` | Condition filter (`Brand New / Overstock`, `Like New / Open Box`, `Customer Returns`, `Mixed Lots`). |
| `minDiscountMSRP` | Integer | `60` | Minimum discount percentage required between current bid and retail MSRP. |
| `warehouseLocation` | String | `ALL` | Warehouse location (US East Coast, US West Coast, US Midwest, US South, UK). |
| `maxResults` | Integer | `100` | Maximum number of auction lots to collect. |

***

### Sample Output

```json
{
  "lotTitle": "Amazon Overstock & Box Damage Electronics - 1 Pallet (Smart Home & Audio)",
  "category": "Consumer Electronics",
  "retailerSource": "Amazon Returns",
  "conditionGrade": "Like New / Open Box",
  "totalUnits": 142,
  "retailMSRP": 18450.00,
  "currentBid": 2450.00,
  "estimatedDiscountPercent": 87,
  "estimatedProfitPotential": 16000.00,
  "warehouseLocation": "Plainfield, IN",
  "shippingType": "Buyer Arranged LTL",
  "auctionPlatform": "B-Stock Solutions",
  "auctionUrl": "https://bstock.com/amazon/lot/electronics-in-142",
  "auctionEndsIn": "14h 22m",
  "leadQualityScore": 98
}
```

***

### Ideal Use Cases

- **Amazon FBA & eBay Resellers**: Find high-MSRP brand new overstock lots to flip on secondary marketplaces at 3x–5x ROI.
- **Bin Store & Liquidation Store Operators**: Source low-cost customer return pallets and mixed gaylords with high unit counts.
- **Tool & Hardware Arbitrageurs**: Secure discounted contractor tool lots originating from major home improvement retail returns.
- **Cross-Border Exporters**: Batch export manifested surplus inventory for overseas wholesale distribution.

# Actor input Schema

## `category` (type: `string`):

Select the wholesale liquidation product category.

## `retailerSource` (type: `string`):

Filter by retail chain origin.

## `conditionGrade` (type: `string`):

Filter lots by merchandise condition.

## `minDiscountMSRP` (type: `integer`):

Only return auction lots where the current bid is discounted by at least this percentage off retail MSRP.

## `warehouseLocation` (type: `string`):

Geographic location of liquidation fulfillment warehouse.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of liquidation auction lots to collect.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "category": "ALL",
  "retailerSource": "ALL",
  "conditionGrade": "ALL",
  "minDiscountMSRP": 60,
  "warehouseLocation": "ALL",
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Dataset containing analyzed liquidation auction lots.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("automation_studio/pallet-liquidation-scanner").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("automation_studio/pallet-liquidation-scanner").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call automation_studio/pallet-liquidation-scanner --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,automation_studio/pallet-liquidation-scanner"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/7m3JtPwi18SZNHeHS/builds/7Uewshfc4zKoT3xaP/openapi.json