Clearance, outlets and wholesale

A shop that sells products below the standard or recommended retail price — from big general discounters to single-price stores.

They buy in bulk, distribute efficiently and take a small profit on a large volume of sales. Some also stock closeout goods or own-label items made with cheaper materials.

Sometimes. A fixed-price store may hold its price by selling a smaller pack or unit size, so compare the price per ounce or per item.

A discount shop that buys brand-name stock straight from brand owners, distributors and makers — often overproduced or unsold goods — and sells many brands under one roof.

A store, in a building or online, where a manufacturer sells its own goods directly to the public.

Often, in clothing and accessories: most products at those outlets are made specifically for the outlet, with lower-quality materials and methods. An outlet price is not always a discount on the same item.

A discount sale to clear inventory, held by a retailer or a wholesaler. It is also called a clearance sale.

To clear stock they no longer want — after over-ordering or poor sales, before a move, after damage such as a fire, or because the business is closing.

It is selling off its stock, usually because the business is closing — often after bankruptcy. The going-out-of-business sale is part of liquidating the company.

Usually not: goods from liquidation and store-closing sales are often non-returnable, so check the policy before you pay.

Winding it up: the business is brought to an end and what it owns is shared among those it owes — the costs of the liquidation first, then secured creditors, then others, and shareholders last.

A court orders a compulsory liquidation, often after a creditor asks it to. A voluntary one is started by the company's own members, though some are controlled by its creditors.

New items with minor flaws — usually cosmetic, not functional — that failed the maker's inspection and are sold at a discount instead of being thrown away. The nearest DealsDMV grade is "New with defects".

A sale a retailer holds to clear excess stock: past seasons' items, overstock, returns, or pieces never sold in stores.

Sometimes only a limited one, and they may be sold as non-returnable — check both before you buy.

Selling goods in bulk to businesses — shops, trade users or other wholesalers — rather than to households. Selling to consumers is retail.

Wholesale is planned bulk selling to businesses that resell or use the goods. Liquidation clears what did not sell as planned — returns, overstock, closing stock — at a discount.

Moving goods back from the customer to recover their value or dispose of them properly, including refurbishing. It is how returned and surplus goods reach secondary sellers.

Large: Wikipedia's reverse logistics article puts US secondary markets at about 3% of GDP, and says 84.6% of US companies use them.

In the US, 48 by 40 inches — the GMA pallet. An empty wooden one weighs roughly 33 to 48 pounds.

A standard 48-by-40-inch wooden pallet is rated for about 1 short ton while being moved and 3 short tons standing still.

Manufacturer's suggested retail price — the price a maker recommends shops charge. Retailers may charge less, so MSRP is a reference point, not what things usually sell for.

The 12-digit number under the barcode on most US products, assigned to each trade item. It belongs to the worldwide GTIN numbering system, so scanning it identifies the product.

A stock keeping unit: the code a seller uses to manage stock of one product. SKUs are not standardised, so one item can carry different SKUs at different shops, unlike its UPC.

Goods that were taken off sale and stored without ever being sold, often because they went out of fashion or a newer model replaced them.

A shop that sells other people's goods for them. The owner keeps ownership until the item sells, and is paid a share of the price only once it does.

Many shops give an item 60 to 90 days. If it does not sell, it goes back to its owner, who must collect it within a set time or lose it.