Auction glossaryLiquidation Manifest: What It Lists and How to Read One
A liquidation manifest is a list of the items in a pallet, box or truckload of returned or overstock merchandise. It usually shows each item's description, quantity, retail price and a product code such as a UPC or ASIN. Buyers use it to judge what a load is worth before bidding.
What's on a liquidation manifest?
Most manifests arrive as a spreadsheet with one row per item or product, listing:
- Item title or description
- Quantity
- Retail price, often the original list price
- A UPC, ASIN or other product code
- Sometimes condition, category or a pallet ID
How should you read a liquidation manifest?
Retail value isn't resale value. A pallet listing 40 items at $3,000 total retail may include returns that are open box, used or for parts, so look up recent sale prices for the top-dollar lines and assume some items won't match the list. Our guide to liquidation auctions covers the math.
Sellers (auction houses) on Auktia can import a manifest as CSV or Excel, and the barcodes are looked up into finished items.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between manifested and unmanifested pallets?
A manifested pallet comes with an item list; an unmanifested one doesn't, so you bid with less information and more risk.
Are liquidation manifests always accurate?
Not always. Items get pulled, swapped or miscounted along the way, so treat the manifest as a guide and leave margin in your bid.