Spokane Bins resale store offers discounts to bargain hunters

A 3D printer, a Samsung computer monitor and a Roomba vacuum cleaner were among several items shoppers picked up last weekend for a deep discount at Spokane Bins, a newly opened return resale store.

The liquidation bin store, which sells customer returns from a well-known e-commerce retailer based in Seattle, opened Saturday at 14 E. Mission Ave., Suite 5.

The store generated significant interest from customers who formed a line out the door every day over the weekend, said Sharon McConnell, who co-owns the store with sister Michelle Miller and business partner Kosta Vasilenko.

“It was so busy,” McConnell said. “I didn’t anticipate the amount of people and how popular it would be. I hope that people thought (the store) was cool and got a lot of really good deals.”

Spokane Bins features a fresh batch of merchandise every week from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday through Monday.

Spokane Bins purchases the pallets of items from liquidators that obtain the products from the “largest online retailer in the world.”

Miller said Spokane Bins is unable to reveal the e-commerce retailer’s identity due to a contractual agreement.

The store is split into two sections: liquidation bins and general merchandise. Each section contains products from separate truckloads and pallets.

The pallets of items for liquidation bins arrive unsorted and feature a treasure trove of products in like-new or unused condition.

“It can be anything from beauty products, pet care products, toys, phone cases and electronic accessories,” Miller said.

Products in the liquidation bins start at $12 on Fridays. Items drop to $8 on Saturdays, $4 on Sundays and are sold for as low as $1 on Mondays.

General merchandise products typically come at a higher cost and are individually priced between $15 to $50, McConnell said.

“These can be laptops, air fryers, Roomba vacuum cleaners, furniture and huge Lego sets,” McConnell said. “We individually price the items because we get less of them.”

A customer last weekend snagged a Creality Ender 5 Pro 3D Printer for $50 from the general merchandise section. Other popular items included a self-cleaning cat litter box and a hobby train set, McConnell said.

Liquidation bin stores have gained traction in recent years as big-box retailers forged partnerships with liquidators that auction off pallets and truckloads of returned items and unwanted inventory to resellers.

Liquidation pallets have also become a popular trend for YouTube and TikTok influencers who “unbox” the items on social media.

McConnell found out about liquidation pallets on social media and that’s what sparked the idea to open Spokane Bins.

“It’s kind of a TikTok trend,” Miller said. “We started looking into it and basically said, ‘What if we tried it out?’”

McConnell and Miller will be installing additional signage at Spokane Bins this week to assist customers with navigating the store and its concept.

“We offer some of the best deals you can find anywhere around this area,” Miller said.

“It gives people the potential to get really cool and expensive stuff for way cheaper.”Amy Edelen can be reached at (509) 459-5581 or at amye@spokesman.com.