Every year, billions of perfectly intact products fail to find a buyer in the primary channel, ultimately accumulating in warehouses. However, there is a rapidly expanding global market that draws precisely on these products: that of the relocation and liquidation of unsold consumer goods. Today, this market is already worth considerable sums and is growing at a rate that few sectors can match.
A rapidly growing market worth hundreds of billions
According to the latest data from DataHorizzon Research, the global market for the liquidation and relocation of consumer goods was worth 132.7 billion dollars in 2024.
Projections indicate growth to 298.5 billion by 2033, at an average annual rate of 9.4 per cent. We are therefore talking about a sector that is set to almost double in size within a decade.
Driving this growth are direct B2B liquidation platforms, which are expanding their volume at a rate of 14 per cent per annum, sending a very clear message. Manufacturers and distributors are no longer looking for makeshift solutions to manage surplus stock: they are seeking well-structured partners, repeatable processes and reliable channels.
The accumulation of unsold goods: a structural problem
The growth of the secondary market is no coincidence: it reflects production and distribution dynamics that systematically generate unsold goods which are difficult to dispose of.
The most significant factor in recent years has been the boom in e-commerce, which goes hand in hand with the fact that over 20% of online transactions result in a return, which is significantly higher than in physical retail. Added to this is overstock, caused by errors in demand forecasting, changes to collections and seasonality. The result is a continuous flow of products that cannot find a market through the primary channel and must find an alternative outlet elsewhere.
For companies, every month of delay comes at a real cost: space taken up in the warehouse, the gradual depreciation of stock, and resources tied up in non-productive management.
How relocation to secondary markets works
B2B relocation is not a clearance sale. It is a process which, if managed correctly, allows companies to recover value from unsold goods whilst preserving the brand’s integrity.
Its key principle is geographical segregation: products are relocated to distinct markets far from the primary channels, in areas where demand for quality products at affordable prices is structurally high. Eastern Europe, Africa, Central Asia and Latin America are markets in which consumers are looking for precisely the products that Western companies struggle to sell off. The product reaches a new buyer, in a different context, without interfering with its original positioning.
This model works across a wide range of categories – from fashion to electronics, from cosmetics to furniture – because the underlying problem is always the same: product surplus, a saturated primary channel, and the need to recover liquidity whilst protecting the brand.
The drive towards sustainability: from choice to obligation
Alongside the economic reasons, there is regulatory and reputational pressure that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Companies are being driven, and increasingly obliged, to find responsible alternatives to the destruction of unsold goods.
The ESPR Regulation, which came into force in July 2024, has already introduced a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing and footwear. But the regulation is set to expand: the ESPR Working Plan 2025-2030 includes textiles, furniture, mattresses and electronics among its priority products. The relocation to secondary markets is therefore not just an economically advantageous solution: it is a concrete response to ESG pressures and regulatory obligations that are becoming established at European level.
Companies that organise the management of their surplus stock today solve a logistical problem and build a competitive advantage over those that decide to wait until the deadlines.
How M&A Export operates in this market
M&A Export has been operating in this market for years, with a well-established distribution network spanning over 60 countries and expertise across multiple product categories: fashion, beauty, electronics, furniture and much more. We manage our partners’ surplus stock using a process that guarantees traceability, geographical segregation and brand protection at every stage.
If you have unsold stock that you’re unsure how to manage, please contact us: together we’ll assess the solution that best suits your business.
