Buy Amazon returns
Lucrative business models with reselling
Whenever products are sold online, a certain number of returns are to be expected. These products, which are often not resold for quality assurance reasons, are sold by the retailers to returns dealers. These resellers have the opportunity to resell the returns at a profit.
But how exactly can Amazon returns be used to develop lucrative business models in the reselling sector? As a professional returns and remnants retailer, we know the answer to this frequently asked question. We will show you step by step which methods can be used to make buying Amazon returns a real success.
Returns on Amazon – customer behaviour as a decisive factor
E-commerce differs from traditional on-site sales in many ways. One of the special features of online marketplaces such as Amazon is the return behaviour of customers. If the goods are faulty, defective or the buyer simply does not like them, they can return them within two weeks in accordance with the applicable law.
The reasons for returning a product purchased on Amazon can be many and varied. The most common reasons for returning Amazon products are:
- Inappropriate dimensions
- Functional defects or aesthetic flaws
- Poor workmanship
- Expectations from the Amazon listing were not met
How high the returns rate is depends primarily on the product category. While books and technical devices are rarely returned, the return rate for fashion, shoes and accessories is particularly high. This is mainly due to the fact that these products are heavily dependent on the personal taste of the buyer.
In addition, Amazon is very accommodating to customers when it comes to returns and often allows returns that do not necessarily have to be permitted by law. This results in a high returns rate for many products available on Amazon.

It's so easy to buy returns from elvinci Amazon
What happens to returned Amazon products?
Returns are often a real challenge for retailers. Products are often returned in a condition in which they can no longer be declared as new. This is the case, for example, if the product shows visible signs of use, is slightly defective or the original packaging has been damaged.
In addition, returns are also associated with a high logistical effort for Amazon retailers, as the products have to be unpacked, stored and picked again. In many cases, Amazon retailers’ production costs are so low that regular resale of the products is no longer worthwhile.
Reselling – the business model behind buying up Amazon returns
This is where professional returns retailers come into play, who buy up the remaining stock and either sell it themselves or pass it on to resellers. They are particularly interested in 1B and B goods that are no longer sold by Amazon retailers but are still fully functional.
What is reselling?
Buying Amazon returns – you must fulfil these requirements
To buy and trade Amazon returns on a large scale, you need to fulfil a number of bureaucratic and practical requirements.
From business registration to tax returns – formal requirements for reselling
If you buy Amazon returns on a large scale, you most likely also have the goal of selling them at a profit and making a profit in this way. In order to realise this form of commercial trade, you need both a registered business and tax registration with the relevant tax office.
You must have your own tax number and a VAT ID number if you want to buy Amazon returns. To be able to sell Amazon returns later on large platforms such as eBay or Amazon Marketplace, you will need a credit card and a business account in addition to your business registration and VAT ID.
Benefit from the small business regulation when it comes to VAT
If your turnover in the previous financial year was less than 22,000 euros and is not expected to exceed the limit of 50,000 euros in the current financial year (as of 2022), you can make use of the small business regulation. This means you are exempt from VAT, but must also pay the gross prices when purchasing returns.
Whether this makes sense depends on the capital you have available. If you start your reselling business with little capital and want to slowly approach the business model, you can benefit from the small business regulation, as the margin on the sale of Amazon returns is higher and you do not have to pay
The situation is different if you already have a certain amount of capital and want to use it to buy large parcels with Amazon returns. In this case, you can waive the small business regulation at the start of your reseller activity in order to receive a refund of the VAT on the purchase price.
From equipment to storage space – practical requirements for buying Amazon returns
In addition to the bureaucratic requirements such as business registration and a VAT ID, there are also some practical requirements that prospective resellers of Amazon returns should fulfil. These are, for example:
- Sufficient storage space for purchased pallet consignments: Cellar or rented storage room
- Printer for printing shipping labels
- Camera or powerful mobile phone for high-resolution product images
- Professional photo box for a standardised background for the product images
In addition to the necessary space and equipment, time is also an important resource when dealing with Amazon returns. Purchased returns must first be unpacked, identified and checked for their condition before they can be offered for sale.
Subsequently, creating an offer for the return, for example on online platforms, also takes a certain amount of time. As the number of products for sale increases, it is therefore important to find a time-saving and efficient workflow. Last but not least, shipping the products is also a part of reselling that can take a lot of time.

All quality levels available
Take advantage of our returns management and benefit from a wide range of advantages.
A-goods
New goods in their original packaging that are free from faults and defects.
B-goods
Goods that have defects or limitations in the condition of the goods that are recognisable or visible and/or may result in a limitation of the product offered.
C-goods
Goods that may or may not be defective. As a rule, this definition of the condition of goods refers to unchecked customer returns. The items are sold without guarantee or warranty.
Diversified or specialised range – both are possible
Whether technology, fashion or interior design – returns occur in all product categories that are also sold on Amazon. Finding the right niche for reselling with Amazon returns is therefore not easy.
At the beginning of the reselling activity, it makes little sense to focus exclusively on a specific product category. Rather, it is important to accept all attractive offers with a high profit margin, regardless of their product category, and in this way build up an online shop with high-quality returns.
This approach is particularly worthwhile in view of the fact that potential buyers do not search the Internet for shops, but for individual products. If you offer a wide range of products, the probability that a potential customer will find your offer and ultimately convert is significantly higher.
The right market niche for your specialised offering
For established resellers who have already been able to build up a certain number of regular customers, it makes sense to focus on a specific product category or a common overarching theme. The reason for this is that, as a seller, you appear more reputable and trustworthy in this way and can build up your online shop as a kind of brand.
If you opt for this option, both the relevance of the market niche and your expertise as a seller in this niche play a role. If you want to specialise in a niche as an Amazon Returns reseller, choose one in which there is a high demand from customers and in which you are well versed.
With personal expertise in the product category you offer, you can make better and more realistic decisions regarding your reselling. For example, you will be better able to recognise attractive offers for the purchase of Amazon returns and will also be able to easily repair or otherwise upgrade defective Amazon returns.
It is also easier to sell the Amazon returns you have purchased if you are familiar with the relevant product category. For example, your expertise will increase the quality of your target group-oriented listings. It is also easier for you to respond to customer enquiries appropriately in this case.
Another advantage of focussing on specific products or product categories is the efficient way of working. Price calculations, product images and listings do not need to be adjusted, or only slightly, if you sell several identical or similar Amazon returns as a reseller.
Whether you keep your range diversified or focus more and more on a specific product category as your reselling shop grows depends on your business strategy. While classic e-commerce often relies on specialisation, both methods can lead to success in the reselling sector.
Returns retailers as the first port of call for buying Amazon returns
Various platforms and providers are available for buying Amazon returns. As you can rarely purchase Amazon returns directly from the original Amazon seller, large intermediaries are particularly interesting for purchasing Amazon returns.
These intermediaries are often professional returns dealers who regularly receive Amazon returns on a large scale. They usually have fixed framework agreements with the original sellers and buy returned products by the pallet.
There are also numerous offers on the internet from intermediaries who sell mixed pallets of returns, although the exact content is unclear. These offers are associated with a high risk for resellers, as it is not possible to predict whether and how the purchased products can be resold. The purchase risk is reduced with increasing purchase quantities.
Note:
Professional returns dealers are the best place to go if you want to buy goods returned by Amazon. Alternative sources such as eBay, eBay classifieds and mystery boxes, on the other hand, are not advisable due to the high risk involved, especially if you already have a certain amount of capital available.
Buying returns from elvinci – the advantages at a glance
A professional intermediary for Amazon returns offers a clearly organised range of products of impeccable quality. It also exudes seriousness and reliability.
elvinci fulfils exactly these criteria for a trustworthy returns retailer. On our online platform, you will find exactly the returned goods you need for your business. On our online platform, it is possible to buy both individual items and larger quantities of returns from the areas of white goods and small household appliances.
First-class qualification and clear categorisation of the goods not only save you valuable time, but also minimise the risk when buying returns. elvinci offers you a high level of transparency through detailed documentation of damage and defects that are visible in the Amazon returns for sale.
With informative photos, product descriptions and classifications, you can optimally assess the condition of large products such as white goods. We subject pallets with small appliances to random quality checks to verify the condition of the goods.
You can also benefit from our warehousing and packaging solutions when purchasing returns via elvinci. For example, we use artificial intelligence to optimise the use of available storage space and save valuable time during loading and unloading as well as further scheduling.
Find returns in the desired quality level at elvinci
Thanks to our first-class returns management, elvinci offers you decisive advantages. This includes the availability of returned products in three quality levels. Using a filter in the buyer portal, it is possible to differentiate between white goods in A, B or C quality.
For small appliances, we also give our customers a realistic estimate of the percentage of A, B and C goods on the respective pallets.
A goods are items that have been returned but are still in their original packaging and in a completely new condition, free from any faults or defects. In contrast, items that have been declared as B-goods have visual defects or limitations.
The range of returns on elvinci is completed by C-goods. These are customer returns that have a defect that can be easily rectified. An example of this is an oven with a broken glass pane, which can be replaced or repaired.
As C-goods are sold to other return retailers without a guarantee or warranty, they represent a certain risk. At the same time, however, their prices are significantly lower than those of demonstrably undamaged A goods, for example.
Expertentipp:
Wenn Sie über das nötige Fachwissen und entsprechende Kapazitäten zur Reparatur von Elektrogeräten verfügen, empfehlen wir Ihnen den Kauf von C-Ware. Auf diese Weise lässt sich ein höherer Gewinn erzielen. Für alle anderen Reseller sind B-Waren interessanter, da sie ohne großen zusätzlichen Aufwand weiterverkauft werden können.
From kitchen appliances to tumble dryers – product categories at elvinci.de GmbH
elvinci.de GmbH specialises in trading returned goods from the fields of technical household appliances and consumer electronics. The returned appliances are usually in perfect condition and can be resold to consumers at attractive prices. In the area of large appliances, elvinci stocks the following items:
- Ovens
- Extractor hoods
- Freestanding cookers
- Built-in fridges, refrigerators and fridge-freezers
- Dishwashers
- Tumble dryers and washer dryers
- Fully automatic washing machines
However, other small appliances can also be found in the extensive range of returns:
- Air conditioners
- Small kitchen appliances such as toasters and microwaves
- Coffee machines and fully automatic coffee machines
- Hoovers and robot hoovers
Buying returns from elvinci - an overview of the typical process
01
To become an active buyer of returns on elvinci, you have to go through a certain process. The first step is to request a free demo as an introduction to the elvinci buyer portal by completing the relevant form.
02
At the agreed appointment, one of our returns experts will take the time to explain how the elvinci buyer portal works. You will also receive personalised access that will allow you to purchase a wide range of Amazon returns in different categories and conditions.
03
You can then use the elvinci buyer portal to buy exactly the returns you want to continue trading in. You will benefit from the simple operation and the detailed filter function, as they considerably simplify the purchasing process.
The potential analysis and its importance when buying Amazon returns
Not all returns can be resold equally well. Rather, different factors influence the saleability of Amazon returns. A market and potential analysis is an important method for determining the right items for reselling.
Market and potential analysis – before or after buying Amazon returns?
How exactly the sales potential is determined depends on the type of return purchase. If the exact content of the offer and the condition of the items are already known in advance, the potential should be determined before the Amazon returns are purchased in order to minimise the
How exactly the sales potential is determined depends on the type of return purchase. If the exact content of the offer and the condition of the items are already known in advance, the potential should be determined before the Amazon returns are purchased in order to minimise the risk of a bad purchase.
However, if it is a pallet purchase, for example, whose scope and content cannot be clearly determined at the time of purchase, the potential analysis must be carried out after you have received the goods.
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However, if it is a pallet purchase, for example, whose scope and content cannot be clearly determined at the time of purchase, the potential analysis must be carried out after you have received the goods.

How does an ideal determination of potential for Amazon returns work?
Product research for the sale of returns is mainly carried out on the internet. On relevant platforms such as Amazon and eBay, which are used for reselling, it is already possible to determine reference points for offers and calculations for the products to be sold.
The determination of potential begins with the creation of a table, for example in Excel software, which lists all the products to be sold. The next step is to search online portals for existing reselling offers for these products. If the search for the specific product does not return any results, you can search for the product name.

Advanced search functions of online portals
To delve deeper into product research, the advanced search functions of online portals such as eBay can be used. Here, for example, there is the helpful option of searching exclusively for items that have already been sold. This means that all recently sold products relating to the search query are displayed chronologically according to their date of sale.
You can determine a sales price for your reselling product from the information provided by this type of product research. It is important not to set the price too low, i.e. not too far below the original selling price, as this could indicate to potential buyers that the product has certain defects that do not actually exist.

Reselling – selling Amazon returns at a profit
In addition to buying returned items, professional sales are also an important part of reselling Amazon returns. The steps mentioned above will give you a good overview of the sales you are likely to achieve with the sale of the Amazon returns you have purchased.
The next steps are about finding the ideal platform for reselling the purchased Amazon returns and calculating an appropriate price. This is particularly important to ensure that the potential of the purchased items is fully utilised and future mis-selling is avoided.
The main platforms for selling Amazon returns are large online marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon itself. These sales portals are particularly suitable for reselling beginners, as they already provide a certain infrastructure and the fees incurred are not too significant due to the low turnover.
If you start to scale your business model in the area of reselling, setting up your own online shop in which you sell returns, remaining stock and other B-goods can also prove to be extremely useful in the long term.
Optimised price calculation for Amazon returns in just a few steps
In order to calculate the profit and profit margin based on the turnover determined during the product research, three factors must be taken into account. These are
- Value added tax: does not apply when using the small business regulation
- Fees: depend on the platform on which you sell the Amazon returns
- Packaging and shipping: the reseller is responsible for these two cost factors
VAT is generally charged on every item sold and amounts to 19 per cent. It is calculated by taking the difference between the gross and net price of the product. The net price is calculated by dividing the gross sales price by a factor of 1.19.
Expertentipp:
In Excel lässt sich die Berechnung der Umsatzsteuer mit der Formel Ust. = Feld VK/1,19*19% automatisieren. Auf diese Weise können Sie Ihren Workflow effizienter gestalten, da Sie nicht für jedes Produkt eine neue Kalkulation durchführen müssen.
When calculating VAT, it should also be noted that shipping costs are also considered sales and are therefore affected by the VAT regulation. If you make use of the small business regulation as a sole trader, VAT has no effect on your reselling calculation.
The second cost factor that must be deducted from sales is the fees that you have to pay to your platform for each product sold. These can only be avoided if you use a dedicated online shop to sell your purchased Amazon returns, which in turn requires a certain amount of investment.
If you decide to use a platform such as eBay or Amazon to sell your reselling goods, you will have to expect fees. On eBay, for example, these are 12 per cent, which are added to the sales price and then deducted from the turnover.
As an Amazon Returns reseller, you must also take into account the costs for packaging and shipping reselling products. This is because, unlike other e-commerce models such as Amazon FBA, as a reseller you store, pack and ship your products yourself.
When calculating the profit, you therefore need to bear in mind the costs for packaging materials and possibly also the costs for services relating to the packaging and dispatch of the items. While these are less important for expensive products, they make up a large part of the calculation for small and inexpensive products
Reselling Amazon returns as a long-term business model
Trading Amazon returns is a business model that is particularly attractive for beginners. Even with little start-up capital, it is possible to buy Amazon returns at attractive conditions and resell them profitably. This makes reselling Amazon returns particularly beginner-friendly in contrast to traditional e-commerce.
Another advantage of reselling Amazon returns is the uncomplicated availability of the returned items. This means that Amazon returns can be purchased both on a small and large scale on online portals.
To ensure that the business model works in the long term and can be optimally scaled, you need to automate processes and expand the volume of returns bought and sold. If investments in Amazon returns increase, the risks associated with the purchase of returns pallets are minimised at the same time.
Expertentipp:
Nicht nur Retouren, sondern auch andere Arten von Restposten sind für das Reselling von großer Bedeutung. Erweitern Sie Ihr Sortiment an Amazon Retouren mit Restposten, Auslaufmodellen, Mängelware, Ausstellungsstücken und anderen Arten von Artikeln, die auf dem klassischen Wege nicht mehr verkauft werden.
Buying Amazon returns – the procedure summarised
In the sections above, we have explained exactly which methods and strategies you can use to successfully buy Amazon returns and subsequently create a profitable business model with them.
This list of steps is intended to give you a summary overview of buying Amazon returns:
01
Fulfillment of formal requirements: Business registration, VAT identification number, business account and credit card
02
Fulfillment of practical requirements: storage space, time capacities, technical equipment for product photos and printers
03
Viewing offers from professional returns retailers
04
Purchasing Amazon returns that fit your business model
05
Market analysis and potential assessment of the items, which can be done before or after the purchase of Amazon returns
06
Resale of Amazon returns on self-selected channels, mostly on the Internet
elvinci – the professional partner for returns trading
As a professional returns dealer who purchases returned A, B and C goods directly from the sellers, elvinci offers resellers a wide range of high-quality returns. We impress with unique advantages such as a user-friendly buyer portal, a high degree of transparency and a reliable way of working.
If you are planning to buy returns in a professional manner, please feel free to arrange an initial consultation with our competent experts in trading returns. You can request free demo access to the elvinci customer portal to start purchasing the returns you want straight away.
FAQ – frequently asked questions about buying Amazon returns
Ideally, you get Amazon returns from professional intermediaries who buy large quantities of pallets of Amazon returns from sellers. They categorize goods into A, B and C and are characterized by a transparent and reliable way of working.
The online platforms of professional returns dealers are a good place to start if you want to buy Amazon returns as a reseller. Returns dealers usually specialize in one or more specific product categories and divide their returned items into A, B and C goods.
Buying and then reselling Amazon returns is also known as reselling and is a lucrative business model when done correctly. Anyone who positions themselves in the right market niche when reselling returns and designs their offer in a serious and professional manner can quickly generate attractive profits with Amazon returns.
In order to buy Amazon returns and then resell them, some formal requirements must be met. These include, for example, a registered business and a VAT identification number. Practical requirements such as adequate storage space and sufficient time capacity should also be met if you want to start buying Amazon returns
Our returned goods at a glance
- ovens
- extractor hoods
- built-in refrigerators
- Freestanding stoves
- freezers
- dishwasher
- air conditioners
- hobs
- fridge/freezer combinations
- refrigerators
- microwaves
- dryer
- washer-dryer
- washing machines
- ... many other devices