What Happens To Returned Products At Walmart? Here's Where They Actually Go

Whether it was a gift you weren't particularly fond of, an item that didn't work, or simply something that didn't do what it was advertised to do, everyone has had to return a product or two. There's a good chance you've returned said item to Walmart. When you go into the store in person, after you've stood in line and gone through the motions at Customer Service to return something like a Walmart-exclusive TV, there are a couple of things the major retailer will do.

If the item isn't faulty and is still in working condition with the original packaging, Walmart will put it back into its inventory and sell it — likely for a discount. However, the retailer often has a ton of items it can't sell that just end up taking up space in its stores and warehouses. As such, Walmart also sells and ships some products off to second-hand retailers that can handle the inventory. Shipping these products to liquidation warehouses helps the retailer make a little revenue off something that would otherwise just sit there.

Walmart isn't the only retailer that ends up with pallets of overstock and returns. When retailers like Walmart, Target, and even Amazon receive returned items that they can't sell, they turn to liquidation warehouses like Direct Liquidation and 888 Lots, which then sell the returns to consumers with a major discount. For example, you can find gaming mice from major brands for half the price. 

Sure, the items you buy from these liquidators won't be brand new, but some will be like new. They receive items in a wide variety of conditions, from brand new to used to damaged boxes. Remember, people often return things simply because it wasn't what they thought it was, with nothing wrong with the item at all. These stores will often list the condition of the item, and some will even give a guarantee that certain items are in good enough condition to be gifted to friends and loved ones.

The thing about buying from places like 888 Lots or Direct Liquidation is that you need to create an account on their websites. As noted on its website, you'll need a bit more for 888 Lots, though. "In order to purchase from 888 Lots, you need to have an active 888 Lots customer account. To become our customer, you need to have [a] resale certificate and you need to fill our customer application form," it states.