Why Reseller Mystery Boxes Don’t Work | Poshmark & Thredup Rescue Boxes Review
Good in theory, not so much in practice
The premise behind these boxes is great: Resellers need inventory to resell, companies have surplus inventory, let’s box it up, and sell it at a discounted rate to resellers. We love any solution that empowers and enables independent resellers to grow. But, are these boxes even worth your time?
The problem starts arising when you notice that many of these reseller boxes are actually sold by resellers. Be it small Poshmark resellers trying to get rid of their death pile with Poshmark mystery boxes, or huge resellers like ThredUp trying to move the inventory that didn’t move for them with Thredup rescue boxes. The key issue here is that this inventory is simple never top of the line. It’s in a rescue box for a reason. You can’t see what’s in the box for a reason.
It’s important to say here, that rescue boxes and mystery boxes can include some nice and unique items occasionally, and we’ve seen several proofs of that. However, what we’re really asking here is: Can a reseller truly invest in these boxes?
No one in their right mind sells $100 for $1
A simple google search or youtube search can show you dozens of contradicting experiences from resellers that either got screwed or got lucky. But the answer to our question lies in a very simple fact: These are items that have previously failed to sell. And while that doesn’t mean that they won’t be sold, it does mean that they are not “hot stuff”.
Unlike going thrifting for unique pieces or getting consignment inventory on Flyp, getting a mystery box means it’s unlikely that you’ll find gems. The goal of any reseller should be to find undervalued inventory that can be flipped for a profit. And unfortunately, no one in their right mind will sell you a mystery box worth $600 for $60.
It’s all about finding undervalued inventory
To find undervalued inventory, you’ll need to look for items that have been donated by their owners who didn’t have the time to sell it, or to get consignment items from clients who want to partner with an experienced reseller to sell their stuff (learn how you can do this on Flyp).
So, are rescue boxes good or bad? Rescue boxes are average, they’re neither great nor horrific, you have to think of them as what they really are: Repackaged unsold inventory. Words like “mystery box” and “rescue box” add an element of excitement to an otherwise average lot of inventory.
Our advice: Keep your inventory diverse, try different sourcing options and discover what works best for you. But always keep in mind, extra ordinary items can’t come in ordinary boxes, you have to work smart to find them at the bins or get them from consignment clients on a platform like Flyp.
