Frequently asked
Questions before you join
If the answer you need is not here, email us and a person will reply.
Who can join SurplusStockMarket.com?
Verified UK trade only — wholesalers, cash-and-carry operators, importers, distributors and retailers buying for resale. Every application is read by a person, and we check your company number with Companies House and your VAT number with HMRC. Consumers cannot join and cannot see the board.
Do you take a commission on deals?
No. There is no commission, no listing fee on a membership plan, and no cut of anything you agree. Membership is the only thing you pay for. That is the whole business model, and it is deliberate — it means we have no reason to sit between you and the buyer.
How do buyers get in touch?
By email, through a masked relay. An enquiry arrives from a reply address that hides both parties until you answer it. Once you reply, you are talking direct and we are out of it.
How long does a listing stay up?
Thirty days. You can extend in ten-day blocks at checkout, mark it sold at any point, or withdraw it. We email you before it expires so nothing goes stale on the board without you knowing.
What can I post?
Anything surplus to your requirements — cancelled orders, short-dated lines, post-season clearance, overstock, discontinued packaging. You can also post a wanted ad if you are looking for stock rather than clearing it.
Do you handle payment, haulage or escrow?
No. This is a board, not a marketplace. There is no basket and no checkout for stock. Price, collection, haulage and payment terms are settled between the two businesses, the way they would be on the phone.
How do I know the other side is genuine?
Every member is verified by hand before their account opens, and listings are moderated before they appear. Members also carry a star rating, left by the other side after each confirmed deal, so you can see who has traded well here before.
Still not sure?
Tell us what you are trying to shift and we will tell you honestly whether the board is any use to you.
Reputation
Star ratings and Top Seller
Every seller shows their average star rating, and the best-rated earn a Top Seller badge. Ratings only come from members who have confirmed a completed deal with them. They cannot be bought, and are not affected by how much you pay or post.
★★★★★ 4.3 (6)
Rated after each deal
When a deal completes, each side can rate the other from one to five stars in the close-out email. The average shows next to their name.
Top seller
Earned, not bought
Awarded automatically once a seller has ten or more confirmed deals with an average of 4.5 stars or above. It drops off if their average falls below that.
A rating is only accepted once the deal is confirmed as completed. Declining to answer does not count against you.
Not a member yet
Join the board
Verified UK trade only. Apply with your trade details and a person checks them, usually within one working day.