Example: a Costco-style small-appliance return lot
An example manifest we wrote to show how this works: typical small appliances found in Costco return lots, not a real auction. Paste your own below.
Most to bid for a 30% margin: $933 if you sell at the low end of current asking prices, $1,267 at the typical asking price. Resale, net of fees: $1,213 to $1,647 for 15 units (10 of 10 lines priced).
| Qty | Item | Condition | Asking now (low–typical) | Net each after fees | Line net | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ninja AF101 Air Fryer | open box | $82.49–$126 41 listings | $70.87–$108 | $142–$217 | See on eBay |
| 1 | KitchenAid KSM150PS Artisan Stand Mixer | used | $186–$240 31 listings | $156–$203 | $156–$203 | See on eBay |
| 1 | Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender | used | $173–$200 13 listings | $146–$169 | $146–$169 | See on eBay |
| 3 | Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart | open box | $55.75–$68.42 46 listings | $44.48–$55.42 | $133–$166 | See on eBay |
| 1 | Breville BES870XL Barista Express | used | $281–$359 24 listings | $237–$305 | $237–$305 | See on eBay |
| 2 | Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker | open box | $76.25–$105 20 listings | $63.21–$88.47 | $126–$177 | See on eBay |
| 1 | Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum | used | $130–$170 31 listings | $112–$146 | $112–$146 | See on eBay |
| 1 | Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum | used | $30.66–$59.99 21 listings | $24.86–$50.20 | $24.86–$50.20 | See on eBay |
| 1 | iRobot Roomba j7 | used | $80.98–$125 40 listings | $68.55–$107 | $68.55–$107 | See on eBay |
| 2 | Cuisinart DCC-3200 Coffee Maker | open box | $41.24–$64.47 36 listings | $33.55–$53.62 | $67.11–$107 | See on eBay |
Price your own lot
How the numbers work
For each line we search current US eBay Buy It Now listings in that condition (open box, used, refurbished or new; "customer return" and blank count as used) and drop parts-only and accessory listings. "Low" is the 25th percentile of asking prices, "typical" the median. Net is what you keep after eBay's 13.6% final value fee on item plus shipping, $0.40 per order, and the shipping you pay out. Max bid = total net ÷ (1 + margin) − your costs.
These are asking prices, not sold prices. Items usually sell below them, and returns can be missing parts or broken, so treat the low figure as the best realistic case. A widely shared r/Flipping Costco fridge truckload sold for 42% of retail against the buyer's 40–60% estimate. Your time, storage and returns are not counted.
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