“Why Isn’t My Pallet Worth Anything?”
“Why isn’t my pallet worth anything?” You might have asked this question minutes before you found this article. Your story is quite common to people around the country. You receive a shipment for some large product you bought. After unloading the item, the pallet remains in your warehouse, house, garage, or yard. You realize that the pallet is in perfect condition. And, it probably is. It is very possible that the pallet was custom built for the single trip it took to your house. After further inspection, you realize the pallet is in great shape and the boards on the pallet look brand new! This thing is heavy duty and premium. You have done enough house projects to know that buying all that lumber at the hardware store would rack you up a decent bill. Suddenly, it dawns upon you! This pallet must be worth something to someone. You go to your computer or phone and throw in a quick google search. And magically, you find some local pallet companies paid ad “WE BUY PALLETS!” It was love at first sight - for you. You call them up with all your excitement overflowing. Within two minutes, you are told rather rudely “Sorry - we don’t want your pallet.” Heartbreak never felt so painful.
The narrative I just laid out is a bit melodramatic but it is not completely off base. I am here to help bridge the gap between your like-new pallet with premium lumber and the fact that your local pallet company does not want it. And I can promise that you will leave this conversation a brighter and better person to face the world with fresh glee once more. Here are three points to take with you on your journey.
First, it is very likely your pallet is as great as you think. Yes, I meant that statement and I do work for a pallet company. Your pallet might be made of rich mahogany. The lumber might be extra thick and beefy to hold any type of weight. There might not be a scratch on any of the lumber. So when a pallet company turns you down it is not always that you have a bad pallet. In fact, most of the time, you probably have a great pallet. The condition and kinds of boards are probably wonderful. To use the timeless breakup quote: “It’s not you, it’s me!” Let me explain my second point.
Second, pallet companies are forced to be picky to stay in business. We, like any business or industry, have to narrow in our product focus to do what profits us most. The goal is not to tear you down or minimize your ability to estimate the quality and condition of a pallet. A pallet company’s denial is primarily due to their need to focus. At my company, we get calls every hour with someone wanting to drop off a random pallet. If we allowed this feature, we would spend our entire day helping out these people until we went out of business. There is a two-headed monster at this point. On the one hand, you don’t have a high volume so helping you disrupts our production rate immensely. On the other hand, your pallet may not be a size that we have customers for. If I do not have someone to buy that size, I clearly can’t take it from you. So pallet companies stay picky, not to be a jerk, but to stay in business.
Lastly, there are other options to look into. I do not want you to leave here in despair. Just because your local pallet company won’t take your pallets doesn’t mean I can’t help. For a single pallet, here are some options: post on social marketplaces, set outside with a “free” sign, or use it for firewood, to stack firewood, to make trendy furniture, or a million other options. The world is filled with limitless options for you and your pallet. One “no” does not negate a world of “yes”. Keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Find your pallet the home it has been dreaming of. You are a hero. And this is your time to shine.
Despite the real and consistent hyperbole and sarcasm in this article, I hope you see the situation at play when a pallet company turns you down. You probably have a good pallet. The pallet company truly is trying to stay afloat. And you have other options to dive into. I know that you never expected to have to deal with a pallet when you ordered whatever item you received. But now the pallet is here. You can’t go back down now. Stand up and make us all proud. We believe in you.
