If you want to buy stock for Black Friday, Sinterklaas and Christmas, you start in September, not in November. Mixed lots have to be sorted, priced and packed before you sell anything from them, and that lead time shapes your entire planning. In this article we set out month by month what you arrange and when: from trial lot to the returns wave in January.
September: order trial lots and measure what sells
September is the month for testing. Order a trial lot of the product lines you are considering for the gift season, for example Amazon Shipping Bags (BP2) at €5.25 per kilogram or Parcel Returns Small/Mid at €6.00 per kilogram. Neither line has a fixed minimum order, so you can start with a limited amount and compare several lines side by side.
Treat that trial lot as a measurement, not as your first revenue. Note how many hours you spend per kilogram, which categories you come across and how quickly the first boxes sell. With those figures you will know in October what volume you can realistically process. Results differ from lot to lot, so measure your own trial lot rather than relying on other people's assumptions.
- Weigh the lot on arrival and note the number of parcels or items per category.
- Track your sorting time per kilogram, including photographing and packing.
- Test two or three price points for your boxes and note which sells fastest.
- Decide at the end of the month which line you will order in larger volume in October.
October: lock in recurring deliveries and free up space
In October you lock in your main purchase. Return volumes are usually higher towards the fourth quarter, but the composition of lots also changes faster then, as we describe in our article on return volumes towards Q4. If you want to be sure of a particular line and quantity, agree a recurring delivery in October instead of going looking in November.
With us that works through a quote including freight, followed by a (pro forma) invoice and payment by bank transfer before the lot is shipped or collected. Build those steps into your timeline and plan the payment in your cash flow. Reserve physical space too: one Amazon Overstock Box measures 120 × 80 × 60 cm and weighs about 100 kg, and sorted items temporarily take up more room than the unopened lot.
- Agree which line, how many kilograms and at what rhythm you want deliveries.
- Plan the payment for each delivery in your cash flow, including the VAT you pre-finance.
- Decide whether you want delivery or will collect from our warehouse in The Hague yourself.
- Clear a receiving zone, a sorting zone and a ready-for-sale zone before the first delivery.
November: Black Friday and Sinterklaas week by week
Black Friday falls at the end of November and the Sinterklaas gift evening is on 5 December. That means your boxes for both occasions need to be ready for sale at the start of November. Use the first week of November to sort the last October delivery, the second week for photos, price tags and assembling gift boxes, and the weeks after that for selling and adjusting.
Mystery boxes are not a discount product. Around Black Friday you are not competing with the discount percentages of online shops, but with the element of surprise and an honest description of category and number of items. Preferably do not order a large new lot in November that only arrives in the busiest week: sorting then eats into time you want to spend selling. Work through your October stock instead and keep a small reserve.
Product mix for the gift season: toys, small electronics and household
Gift buyers look for items that can be wrapped and used straight away. Parcel Returns Small/Mid include electronics, kitchenware, toys and small household items, among other things; Amazon Overstock Boxes typically contain 25–40% electronics plus home goods, office supplies, kitchen items and toys. Amazon Shipping Bags (BP2) mainly yield small electronics accessories, beauty, small household items and office supplies.
Which mix works for you depends on your channel. For a market stall or pop-up, sealed small parcels are practical; for an online shop with themed boxes, sorted items are more convenient. Toys and children's items deserve extra attention: check for completeness and damage, and look for safety markings and age indications. Never promise brands or a retail value; the contents of mixed lots are never fixed in advance. CNJ is an independent wholesaler and is not affiliated with Amazon or any other platform.
Pricing gift boxes: a worked example from kilo to box
Suppose you buy 100 kg of Amazon Shipping Bags (BP2) for €525 excl. VAT. Add the freight quote, packaging materials, gift wrapping and your own hours to arrive at one total amount. Divide that by the number of boxes you actually get out of the lot, not by the theoretical number. That gives you the cost price per box, on top of which your margin and the VAT on the selling price still come.
Work with two or three clear price tiers, for example based on size or number of items, and describe per tier what the buyer can and cannot expect. Festive packaging justifies a higher price, but also costs time and material per box, so include those costs explicitly. Keep your prices stable during the season, because anyone who suddenly cuts prices in December undermines the buyers of November.
December and January: sell out, evaluate and use the returns wave
Plan your last top-up before Christmas so that there is time for the quote, payment and transport, and consider collecting in The Hague if you are short of time. From mid-December your attention shifts from buying to selling out: better an empty shelf on 24 December than three boxes of unsorted stock you pay storage for in January.
After the holidays comes the returns wave. In January, many gifts and December purchases are usually sent back or not collected, so the supply of return lots is generally larger then. For you that is a buying opportunity for spring, precisely when December sales have replenished your cash flow. Evaluate your season figures first, then book a viewing or a new trial lot.
- Which product line yielded the most sold boxes per kilogram?
- Which price tier sold fastest, and which was left over?
- How many hours of sorting did each delivery take, and where can you shorten that?
- How much capital is freed up in January for a new lot?
A good festive season starts with a trial lot in September, recurring deliveries in October and boxes ready for sale at the start of November; December is for selling out and January for buying again. If you keep to that order, you will not be sorting during the busiest weeks and you keep cash and storage under control. Thinking about starting your own mystery box business? Get in touch — we are happy to help you find a suitable first lot.
Frequently asked questions
- When should I buy stock for Black Friday?
- Order a trial lot in September and lock in your main purchase in October. That way everything is sorted, photographed and priced by the start of November. Allow time for the quote, payment by bank transfer and transport, and do not plan a large new delivery in the week of Black Friday itself.
- Which return goods sell well around Sinterklaas and Christmas?
- Toys, small electronics and household items are typical gift categories and appear in Parcel Returns Small/Mid and Amazon Overstock Boxes. The exact composition of a lot is never fixed in advance, however. Use a trial lot to measure which categories you actually find and how quickly they sell to your customers.
- Is January a good time to buy return lots?
- Usually, yes. After the holidays many purchases are sent back or not collected, so the supply of return lots is generally larger in January. In addition, your December sales have replenished your cash flow. Evaluate your season figures first, then order a lot for spring.