Services · selling
Those empties are not waste. They are unsold inventory.
- Offers
- From partner suppliers, if any
- Pricing
- By quote
- Pickup
- Through partner suppliers
Request an offer
Counts, sizes and three photographs: one wide, one close on a corner, one of a bottom edge. That gives a supplier something to work with.
Answer first
Three photographs and a count give a supplier something to quote.
Send a wide shot of the stack, a close-up of a corner, and one of a bottom edge. Add an approximate count and the box size. That is usually what a supplier needs to give you a real answer rather than a range.
The bottom edge photograph is the one people forget and one that matters. Crush there is a common reason a stack that looks fine from above is graded much lower, and knowing before a truck is sent is better for everyone.
Pricing
How offers are set.
| Item | What matters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gaylord boxes, 48 × 40 × 36 | Wall count, condition, flattened or not | Clean, dry, square boxes are the easiest to place |
| Repairable boxes | Extent of damage | Some suppliers will take them; some will not |
| Octabins | Whole sets of body, base and cap | Cut discharge ports can reduce interest |
| Pallets | Type and condition | Broken pallets may still be taken; ask |
| Bulk bags | Known previous contents | Unknown contents may be refused |
| Baled OCC | Bale quality and location | Priced by the recycler |
Process
Four steps.
- 01
Send photographs and counts
Wide, corner, bottom edge. Approximate counts are fine.
- 02
A partner supplier follows up
Your request goes to a partner supplier, who may make an offer in writing, stating the condition it assumes.
- 03
Agree pickup
Where the supplier offers pickup, you agree dock hours and any site requirements with them.
- 04
Count and payment
Agree with the supplier how boxes are counted and when any payment is made. Terms are between you and the supplier.
Questions
Selling, answered.
What will I be paid for used gaylord boxes?
Do I have to sort or flatten them?
What condition do they need to be in?
How quickly can a supplier collect?
What about pallets, bags and loose cardboard?
Preparation
Six things that make boxes easier to place.
All of them are free or nearly free, and most are decisions about how material is stored rather than extra work.
- 01
Flatten
Flattened boxes take far less room on a truck, which usually lowers the freight cost that any offer has to cover.
- 02
Get it off the concrete
Slabs can wick moisture into the bottom course, where strength matters most. A pallet under each stack is cheap protection.
- 03
Keep it under a roof
Outdoor storage under a tarpaulin can trap humidity against the board. Indoors is better.
- 04
Band in consistent lots
Equal-sized lots make a count easy to verify without unstacking and keep stacks from splaying.
- 05
Sort by size where you can
Single-size lots reduce handling for whoever collects them.
- 06
Sell promptly
Material that sits for months tends to deteriorate. Sooner is usually better.
What suppliers commonly accept
A general guide, including the usual refusals.
Each supplier sets its own rules, so confirm before loading a trailer.
| Material | Usually accepted | Condition commonly required |
|---|---|---|
| Gaylord boxes, any wall | Often | Dry, empty, no residue |
| Octabins | Often | Body, base and cap together |
| Shipping cartons | Often | Dry, square, ideally single-size lots |
| Pallets | Often | Condition affects interest |
| Bulk bags | Sometimes | Known previous contents |
| Loose corrugated | Depends on volume | Sorted, dry, usually baled |
| Baled OCC | Often | Meets the recycler's bale spec |
| Wax-coated board | Usually not | Contaminates recycled furnish |
| Food-soiled or chemically contaminated material | Usually not | Check with the supplier |
| Wet or smelly material | Usually not | Hard to recover even after drying |
The photographs
Three shots make a quote more reliable.
This is the difference between an indicative answer and one a supplier can stand behind.
What to photograph
- Wide: the whole stack or bay, so quantity and storage conditions are visible
- Corner: one box close up, showing the vertical edge
- Bottom edge: one box turned over. This shows crush and damp
- Optional: anything unusual such as damage, contamination or an odd size
Why the bottom edge
Boxes often fail at the bottom: crushed by pallet overhang, abraded by fork tips, or softened by moisture wicking off a concrete slab. It is invisible in other photographs, and it is a common reason an offer changes when nobody sends it.
Take one photograph before you call the compactor.
Worst case there is no offer and you are no worse off. Best case, the thing you were paying to remove becomes a line of revenue.