Many online and small business retailers are intrigued by the notion of selling low cost customer return and close out merchandise. The idea of getting brand name merchandise at tremendously reduced cost appeals to the merchant for an obvious reason, profit. Selling well-known names at drastically reduced prices is an extremely sound and a time honored business model.
There is however a catch. Where do you get them and how can you be sure you won’t wind up with a truckload of un-sellable junk. Even if you do find good merchandise you don’t want to go through laborious searches every time you need to reorder. Finding a reliable wholesale supplier is an absolutely vital part of making a customer returns or close out merchandise business a success.

That’s where closeout merchandise wholesalers come in to the picture. There are a number of companies that specialize in acquiring closeout and returned merchandise in gigantic quantities and resell them in smaller batches to retail businesses all over the world. These suppliers, once you’ve found a good one can make retailing returns an easy and cost effective task.

One of the very best is the Jacobs Trading Company of Plymouth, Minnesota. They got there start back in the 1960s when a youthful Irwin Jacobs purchased a selection of winter sports equipment that had been seized by the Customs Service and realized that there were simply tons of high quality merchandise available for those willing to look.

Later Jacobs would apply his formidable business sense to a variety of business operations including the CVN Companies that would merge with television shopping giant QVC, he was a co-owner of the Minnesota Vikings football team, he owned companies that manufactured sporting equipment, as well as numerous other ventures. However, through it all Jacobs Trading remained the corner stone of his business empire. Jacobs understood the importance of the high quality, low cost merchandise to his customers and was determined not to give up that valuable market. For forty years Jacobs Trading has been suppling discount and surplus stores; flea markets, and on-line wholesalers and retailers with everything they need to keep their businesses moving forward.

Unlike many closeout suppliers Jacobs Trading maintains more than one warehouse, many more in fact. They have ten warehouses spread across the country in such diverse locations as Salamanca, New York, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Corsicana, Texas. This abundance of locations means a lot to JTC’s customers. Multiple shipping locations means lower shipping costs, shorter turn around time on orders, and a wider variety of merchandise.

Since they have arrangements to acquire close out merchandise with hundreds of retail outlets and chains they offer an amazing variety of merchandise. From furniture to apparel, from home electronics to seasonal items Jacobs has something for just about any retail niche.

It should be noted that they sell whole truckloads only and all merchandise is sold “as is”. Given the nature of the returns business they cannot guarantee specific quantities on particular items but with an excellent reputation and four decades of satisfied customers there is little to fear from nasty surprises when you unload the order.

Given a constantly changing inventory across so many locations it is not surprising that you cannot shop online. While many retailers have become accustomed to taking care of nearly every aspect of the buying process being conducted electronically Jacobs still takes orders the old fashioned way, on the phone or, if you are near one of the warehouses, in person. You can sign up to receive online alerts to special deals, the latest merchandise, and promotional offers by email.

As is the standard practice amongst closeout and return wholesalers, Jacobs Trading Company prohibits the use of the original retailer’s names in any advertising or representation of these goods provided. All merchandise and packaging has been de-faced prior to shipping.

Despite these limitations and the difficulty in knowing exact quantities of particular items Jacobs Trading offers a unique opportunity for retailers to get name brand high quality merchandise at terrific prices. Decades of experience, multiple warehouses, and a dedication to helping their customers succeed make Jacobs Trading one of the very best names in closeout and returned merchandise distribution.

Art Micklewraith is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Top Ten Wholesale. He can be reached at Content and Solutions or by email at artmicklewraith@gmail.com.