Pallet, truckload or container? Choosing a closeout lot size
Buy pallets when you are testing a source or have little cash, space or unloading equipment. Move to truckloads when you can sell a full trailer within your cash cycle and can unload it. Containers suit exporters and large importers. Bigger lots cut freight per unit but raise cash, storage and risk.
Reviewed by Tyler Kober · Updated
Key takeaways
- A 53-ft dry van holds 26 standard 48 × 40 in pallets single-stacked, or 52 if the freight can be double-stacked.
- A 20-ft container holds 10 GMA pallets on the floor; a 40-ft or 40-ft high-cube holds 20, sometimes 21.
- Freight per unit falls as the lot gets bigger, but cash, storage, labor and risk rise with it.
- A truckload you cannot unload or sell within your cash cycle is a worse deal than several pallets.
- Pallets favor variety; truckloads and containers usually mean more depth per item.
Should you buy a pallet, a truckload or a container?
Buy pallets when you are testing a supplier or have limited cash, space or unloading equipment. Buy truckloads when you can sell a full trailer inside your cash cycle and can unload it. Buy containers if you export or import at scale. Bigger lots lower freight and price per unit, but they raise cash at risk, storage and labor.
The cheapest unit is not the cheapest decision. A truckload that sits for six months has cost you rent, cash and the loads you could not buy in the meantime. For the full buying process, see the guide to buying closeouts.
Capacity facts to plan around
| Format | Typical capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard US pallet (GMA) | 48 × 40 in footprint | Height limits vary by carrier; ask before stacking high |
| Euro pallet | 1200 × 800 mm | Common in Europe, the Gulf and many export markets |
| 48-ft trailer | 24 standard pallets single-stacked | |
| 53-ft dry van | 26 standard pallets single-stacked (13 rows of 2); 52 double-stacked | Only stable, strong freight double-stacks |
| 20-ft container | 10 GMA pallets single-stacked (11 Euro); about 33 m³ | Payload limits depend on container, road and port rules |
| 40-ft container | 20 GMA pallets (some loaders get 21; 23–24 Euro); about 67 m³ | |
| 40-ft high-cube | Same floor as 40-ft, about 1 ft taller; about 76 m³ | Good for light, bulky goods |
Weight often runs out before space. US Interstates have an 80,000 lb gross vehicle weight limit, and usable payload depends on the tractor and trailer, so ask the carrier. Floor-loading loose cartons (hand-stacking) fits more goods than pallets but takes much longer to unload. Detail: how many pallets fit in a trailer or container.
The decision framework
Score your business on each line. Where most of your answers sit is the format to buy now.
| Factor | Pallets fit if… | Truckloads fit if… | Containers fit if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | You can risk only a small amount per buy | You can carry a full trailer until it sells | You can fund goods, ocean freight and duties before sales |
| Storage | A back room or small unit | Warehouse space for 26 or more pallet positions | A warehouse at origin or destination |
| Receiving | No dock; liftgate delivery or pickup | Dock, forklift, or a crew to floor-unload | Port pickup, drayage, devanning crew |
| Labor | One or two people sorting | A team that can process a trailer in days, not months | Staff at destination to sort and sell |
| Freight per unit | High (LTL priced per shipment) | Lower (one shipment, many units) | Lowest on ocean, plus port and inland costs |
| Variety vs depth | Variety: many categories, small quantities | Mix of depth and variety | Depth: large quantities per item |
| Risk | Small; one bad pallet hurts little | Medium; one bad truck hurts a lot | High; problems found at destination are hard to fix |
Read the formats in detail: closeout pallets, closeout truckloads, closeout containers and closeouts by the pound.
What does receiving each format actually involve?
Receiving is where many first truckloads go wrong. Each format asks for different equipment and people:
- Pallets by LTL. The carrier delivers one or a few pallets. Without a dock you need a liftgate (an accessorial charge) and a pallet jack on a hard, level surface. Residential or limited-access addresses add charges. Picking up yourself with a box truck or trailer avoids some of this.
- A full truckload. The driver backs to a dock and expects you to unload within the free time, after which detention may be charged. Palletized loads come off with a forklift or pallet jack in a short time. Floor-loaded loads, with cartons stacked by hand, take a crew and several hours.
- A container. For domestic delivery a trucker brings the container on a chassis, and you unload it at a dock or from the ground with a forklift and ramp. Free time is limited and port and carrier charges can add up if it is late going back. Export buyers usually load at origin and receive at destination.
Read how to pick up a closeout load before your first truck, and how to inspect a load and file a freight claim so you know what to note on the delivery receipt before you sign.
Variety or depth?
Lot size also changes what is inside. A pallet from a mixed load might hold dozens of different items in small quantities, which suits a bin store or a flea-market seller who needs variety. A truckload or a container from one source more often holds deep quantities of fewer items. Depth is good when you have a channel that sells many of one item (an online listing, a chain of discount stores, an export customer) and bad when your shoppers expect something new every visit.
Ask the seller how many distinct items (SKUs) are in the load and the quantity of the largest lines. A truck with 26 pallets of one item is a very different buy from a truck with 400 different items, even at the same price.
Worked example: freight per unit
This shows the arithmetic, not market rates. Letters stand in for freight costs, because rates change with lane, fuel and season; get a written quote for your own lane and drop it in. Unit counts are an illustration only.
Assume each pallet holds 200 sellable units.
- One pallet by LTL. Freight = FL, your quote for one standard pallet on your lane. Freight per unit = FL ÷ 200.
- A full 53-ft truckload, 26 pallets. Units = 26 × 200 = 5,200. Freight = FT, your quote for a 53-ft dry van on the same lane. Freight per unit = FT ÷ 5,200.
- A 40-ft container, 20 pallets, for export. Units = 20 × 200 = 4,000. Ocean freight = FC, your forwarder's quote for the port pair, plus inland trucking to the port, destination port charges, customs clearance and duties. Freight per unit = the total ÷ 4,000.
To see why the gap is usually large, compare FL and FT. The truck carries 26 times as many units, so its freight per unit is FT ÷ (26 × FL) of the LTL figure. Any time a full truck costs less than 26 single-pallet shipments on the same lane, the truck wins per unit, and the further FT sits below 26 × FL, the bigger the saving. Your real FL and FT depend on the lane, the carrier, accessorials such as liftgate and appointment fees, and fuel. LTL pricing also depends on freight class and density under the NMFC; see what it costs to ship a pallet LTL and what a full truckload costs.
Now add cash. If the goods cost c per unit, the pallet ties up 200 × c and the truck 5,200 × c. If you sell s units a month, the truck takes 5,200 ÷ s months to clear. If the same cash could have turned several times over on pallets in that period, the freight saving may not be worth it.
How to move up a format: five steps
- Measure your sales rate in units per week for the categories you buy.
- Check receiving. Dock height is roughly 48–52 in. Without one, plan a liftgate, forklift or hand unload.
- Price the full cost of the larger lot: goods, freight, unloading labor, storage for the weeks it takes to sell.
- Compare cash turns. How many times could the same money turn on smaller lots in that period?
- Start with a source you trust. First truckloads should come from a supplier whose pallets have already matched their descriptions. See where to buy closeout merchandise.
Truckloads and containers are often sold as take-alls. If so, read what is a take-all deal before you price one.
Mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring weight. Heavy goods (liquids, hardware, appliances) may not fill 26 positions legally.
- Assuming double-stacking. Crushable cartons cannot be double-stacked; the 52-pallet figure will not apply.
- No plan for floor-loaded trucks. Hand-unloading a full trailer takes a crew and hours; detention charges can apply if the driver waits.
- Buying a container without the import rules. Check permits, labeling and duties at destination first. See FCL vs LCL for export.
- Stretching cash. Never let one big lot leave you unable to pay rent or buy the next good load.
If you are ready to buy by the pallet, truck or container, request access to Skyline Dealz and set the lot formats you can receive, so your alerts match your dock.
Frequently asked questions
How many pallets are in a truckload?
A standard 53-ft dry van holds 26 GMA pallets (48 × 40 in) single-stacked on the floor, in 13 rows of two, or 52 if the freight is stable enough to double-stack. A 48-ft trailer holds 24 single-stacked. Weight can limit the load before space does, so heavy goods may not fill every position. Confirm with the carrier.
Is it cheaper to buy a truckload than pallets?
Per unit, usually yes, both on the goods and on freight, because one full-truckload shipment spreads its cost over many more units than an LTL pallet shipment. In total it costs far more cash up front, and you need a dock or forklift, space to store it and enough sales to move it before the money is needed elsewhere.
Who should buy closeouts by the container?
Mostly exporters shipping overseas and large importers or jobbers with warehouse space. A container makes sense when the destination market wants depth in the mix, the paperwork and import rules are understood, and the buyer has cash for the goods, ocean freight and duties before any sales come in. Most domestic stores are better served by truckloads.
Can I unload a truckload without a loading dock?
Sometimes. Options include asking for a liftgate truck or a smaller truck, renting a forklift, or unloading floor-loaded cartons by hand from the trailer, which takes several people and hours. Many full-truckload carriers expect a dock, so tell the seller and carrier your setup before you buy, not when the truck arrives.
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