In this article I am going to show you the ins and outs of a cool program that allows you to find discounted and hard to find products in your area and online.
The tool is called BrickSeek.
BrickSeek was made with consumers in mind BUT the real reason I care about it is because of its potential for finding profitable items to "flip" for a profit (typically by selling them on Amazon or eBay).
This is known as retail arbitrage and it is surprisingly lucrative.
This was one of my first successful entrepreneurial ventures and why I'm sharing this here on EntreResource.
What Is BrickSeek?
BrickSeek (also referred to incorrectly as "brickseeker" or "brick seek") is a web based software that allows you to search for sale and clearance deals near your zip code.
BrickSeek focuses on several major retailers like Walmart, Target, and so on...
Here is BrickSeek simplified as per their website...
Reverse UPC/SKU Look Up
Once inside BrickSeek you will be able to choose from the supported stores and filter by category, deal type and filter by keyword.
Sort by...
And find keywords from within the results...
Results will appear...
Inventory Checker
If you have the UPC of the product you're trying to locate, you can paste that into the Inventory Checker.
Recent Stock Changes
You can also see recent inventory updates. Resellers love this feature because it allows them to know when products that are possibly selling above retail are available for pick up.
Online Stock Alert
With the online stock alert feature, you can get notifications when hard to find items come in stock near you.
This tool require a log in to access.
If you practice retail arbitrage, this is a massive time saver and will give you a huge edge over your local competitors (more people do retail arbitrage than you'd expect).
So, let's talk more about using BrickSeek for flipping products for a profit.
There is a custom Google Chrome extension for online product sourcing that was created for resellers called the BrickSeek Add-On. The extension will search multiple zip codes with a single click for inventory at Walmart.com, Staples.com, and Lowes.com.
Sellers use this as a complement to their online arbitrage sourcing.
How much Is BrickSeek?
BrickSeek offers plenty of fire power for free but they also have premium plans for $9.99 and $29.99.
The free plan is powered by ads and doesn't show as many products as the premium and extreme deal hunter plans.
Premium users also get access to the BrickSeek forum where deals are shared.
There you have it! Go check it out and create a free account ASAP.
Additional Tools for Finding Deals
If you're interested in selling on Amazon, click here to learn more.
How often is the inventory updated? What is retail arbitage?
Many times I find a deal on Brickseek, but the store does not have the item(s). I have had the UPC and the BarCode to scan, the store shows the item in stock, but it is nowhere to be found.I was told this happens often…at least in WalMart. 8 out of 10 items are not in store even when Brickseek says they are, and even the scanner of WalMart employees say they are, but nowhere in the store. Myself and WalMart employees have searched and searched without success. They are simply not there. Bought and not updated.
I had the top paid one. None of the items were ever on sale in my area and most of them were always sold out. I cancelled my subscription after 2 months.
What is q4
Q4 or “Fourth Quarter” is business lingo for their revenue sales (each Quarter is made up of three months) and it applies primarily towards their stock value. It’s easy to understand the lucrative advantages gained during Q4 in particular to big-box corporations and other year-round retailers (versus seasonal companies) where half their annual profits are made in their annual fourth quarter. Personally, it’s worth paying for, especially during Black Friday and the holiday rush.
I’m canadian and I still enjoyed this article thanks
Great article! I am new with retail arbitrage and mainly deal with grocery. But, I am excited to look into BrickSeek and broaden my scope.
Excellent article Nate! I wasn’t familiar with BrickSeek before this, but now I will most certainly give it a try. I’ll take anything that offers a potential leg-up on the competition. Thanks for the share!
This is such a handy extension and saved me wasted time and money, especially in the chaos of Q4. I need to try some of the “extras” that you described in this post.
Wow! I have been using Brickseek for over a year and had no idea there was this much more to the site. Thank you this very informative post!
Brickseek is one of the most powerful tools in my arsenal. It’s especially helpful during Q4, allowing me to scoop up all the hard to find bolos before they even hit the shelves.
Thanks for sharing, great article and love the videos.
Interesting tool, could be very beneficial if levergred correctly. Thanks for the great overview and article. I will definitely check it out.
Informative article as always!Thank you!
In your experience do you find using the paid versions beneficial? I’ve used the free version a little here and there but was unaware of what the paid portion could do. I’d consider paying for this type of tool for Q4 but I don’t know about the rest of the year.
It depends which other tools you are already paying for and how serious you are with RA/OA. I’m guessing 95% of people don’t upgrade to the paid version but it’s cool since there are no ads and more supported stores.
Way to make it harder for the rest of us!! Why give this info away??? You are creating competition for yourself. You are what is wrong with the world!!!!
I’m sorry you feel this way and I’m sorry that you have this negative outlook on competition. I recommend expanding your business if a simple article aimed at helping others makes you so upset and threatens your business. Good luck,