Bidding on others’ lost packages is a pasttime that you might want to take up soon.
I hate when it happens, and I bet you do as well: You order something online (maybe from Amazon, or maybe not), you wait, and you wait, and you wait a little longer, and eventually you accept the frustrating reality that your package was lost in the mail.
As annoying as this can be for the folks losing their packages, there’s a silver lining out there for the rest of the world. Often times when things get lost in the postal system, or are even just left unclaimed by anyone for one reason or another, they can end up being sold off through various outlets after a certain amount of time has passed, with some outlets receiving these wayward parcels from the likes of Amazon, Walmart, Target, the US Postal Service and more.
Just how often are packages getting displaced into these resale markets? According to a 2023 study from Security.org, an estimated 1.7 million of them are disrupted on their way through the system every day in the US. The strict number of these that might end up getting resold is almost certainly lower, since that number includes packages that are either lost or stolen, and stolen items (probably) aren’t making their way to the same places as lost ones. However that shakes out, the numbers at least seem consistent over the years, with a 2020 study by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York also estimated the daily number to be around 1.7 million.
That’s all well and good, but you might be asking yourself, why would you even want to bother buying someone else’s lost mail? Well, consider the variety: for as much you might encounter random junk of no interest to you on these resale markets, you might also stumble onto surprisingly valuable items as well. Some outlets also sell a lot of these unclaimed items in bulk orders, and you won’t know what’s in one until you get it. Who doesn’t love adding a little mystery into life? Oh, and did I mention how often these resold items can be dirt cheap? I know for sure you’ll want a little of that in your life.
For all the details about where to shop for these unclaimed items online, keep reading, and for more shopping tips, check out our guide to the 18 Amazon Prime perks you can use even when Prime Day isn’t around.
When do USPS and Amazon resell undelivered packages?
Both USPS and Amazon retain undelivered items for a period of time before designating them for resale, with the latter also taking steps to ensure the quality of the item first.
Under USPS policy, a lost or forgotten parcel can be sent off to auction if it hasn’t been claimed within 90 days. For Amazon, the company similarly waits 90 days for a undelivered parcel to be claimed before sending it off for resale, but before that can be done, an employee must open the package and inspect the item, making sure it is in good enough condition to justify being sold again.
How to buy or bid on unclaimed mail packages online
For many unclaimed packages, you can do much of the work right from your home. Visit Liquidation.com, and you can choose which retailer you’d like to view products from, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, Home Depot, Overstock and Wayfair. This site operates on an auction format, prompting interested customers to place competing bids on the lots they want. You won’t just find items left unclaimed in the postal system on this site, as it’s also where these retailers send items that have been returned for one reason or another.
With some digging, you may be able to find desirable items at bargain rates. For example, one featured lot I found near the start of July included 10 Sony over-ear noise-canceling headphones that had been returned to an unnamed electronics retailers. With a total MSRP value of around $3,200, the top bid as of July 1 was around $678, a roughly 78% markdown. The only risk involved in the process for a lot like that one is the fact that none of the returned items have been tested, so you’re out of luck if any are defective. While you might only want one set of headphones, at this level of bulk savings, you might be able to give away a few as gifts and make some money back selling the rest yourself. You might also check a similar outlet, 888Lots, which sells bulk lots of similar mystery items and individual liquidated products, though you will have to go through a free registration process.
For packages or items retained by the postal service, check out GovDeals.com, which handles a variety of government surplus resales. This includes consumer goods that might have gotten turned around in the mail, like clothing, beauty products, sports equipment or video games. You can also find items that fall into a whole load of other categories pulled from other government agencies, allowing people with deeper pockets to bid on farming equipment, aircraft or even garbage trucks.
The viral nature of these unclaimed mail lots has also led to the creation of FunDelivered.com. With its colorful site design and motto “A Little Fun Never Hurt Anyone,” FunDelivered taps into the thrill of taking a gamble on these lost packages, exclusively selling customers “mystery boxes” full of unclaimed items. The store restocks with new bundles every Friday at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT).
Try buying these unclaimed mail items in person
If you’d rather see items in person, check for unclaimed package at a local swap meet. Swap Madness allows you to browse vendors that might potentially have these items for sale, broken down by state and city. These listings are not a guarantee that you’ll find an unclaimed package sale at any given time, so it’s advised that you call ahead to find out before heading over to one.
For more, check out our guide to getting the most out of a Target Circle membership.
