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Manifested vs. Unmanifested Inventory

Liquidation merchandise may be sold as manifested, partially manifested or unmanifested. This describes the level of product information available before you purchase.

Manifested Inventory

Manifested inventory includes an itemized list of the merchandise expected in the lot. Depending on the information supplied by the vendor, a manifest may include:

Product descriptions
Brands and categories
SKUs, item numbers or UPCs
Quantities
Styles, sizes and colors
Product grades
Approximate retail or wholesale values
Product-image or reference-page links

Manifest information is generally provided directly by the retailer or merchandise source. Buyers should expect slight discrepancies between liquidation manifests and the merchandise received, including occasional differences in quantities, descriptions or other manifest details.

Not every manifest includes every field. Manifest formats and available information vary by retailer, vendor and merchandise program. Via Trading strives to provide the most comprehensive information available for each lot.

Manifests for available loads can be viewed, searched and summarized in the Load Center.

AI-Generated Manifest Summaries

Manifested listings include an AI-generated summary that gives you a quick, high-level view of the load, including product mix, concentration, major categories or brands, and other notable characteristics.

The AI summary is visible without signing in. It is designed to help buyers review and compare loads more quickly before examining the full manifest in detail.

The summary is generated from the manifest data and is intended to support, not replace, review of the full manifest.

We recently launched our AI-generated manifest summaries and plan to continue improving them over time to make them more useful and informative for buyers.

Partially Manifested Inventory

A partially manifested lot provides some product-level or grouped information without identifying every individual item.

For example, a pallet may contain 100 pairs of shoes and the partial manifest may show the quantity or percentage represented by each brand. However, it may not identify the exact styles, sizes or colors included.

Partial manifests may provide information such as:

Total estimated quantity
Quantity or percentage by brand
Quantity or percentage by category
General product mix
Approximate retail or wholesale value

This gives buyers more insight than an unmanifested lot, but less item-level detail than a fully manifested lot.

Unmanifested Inventory

Unmanifested inventory does not include an item-by-item manifest. The lot may instead be described using available information such as:

Retailer or merchandise source
General product category
Condition
Pallet or load size
Estimated quantity
Estimated retail or wholesale value
Representative photographs

Unmanifested inventory requires buyers to evaluate the overall merchandise program, category and condition without relying on a detailed product list.

Feature	Manifested	Partially Manifested	Unmanifested
Item-level information	Usually provided	Limited or grouped	Generally unavailable
Brand information	Often itemized	May show quantity or percentage by brand	May be general or unavailable
Styles, sizes and colors	May be included	Often unavailable	Usually unavailable
Quantity	Usually listed	May be total or estimated	May be estimated
Value information	Usually itemized	May be summarized	May be estimated
Product-image links	Sometimes included	Sometimes included	Generally unavailable

Understanding the Values Shown on a Manifest

Most manifest fields, such as SKU, UPC, description, category, brand, size, color and quantity, are self-explanatory. The value and pricing fields require closer attention.

Approx. Unit Retail

The approximate retail value assigned to one unit.

Depending on the vendor and merchandise program, this may represent:

The original retail price
MSRP, RRP or RSP
A current retail price
A recent retail price
Another retail reference value supplied by the vendor

The listed value should not automatically be assumed to represent the product’s current selling price.

Approx. EXT Retail

The approximate total retail value of all units on that line.

Quantity × Approx. Unit Retail = Approx. EXT Retail

For example:

Quantity: 100 units
Approx. Unit Retail: $20
Approx. EXT Retail: $2,000

“EXT” means “extended”, or total, the value multiplied across the full quantity.

Your Price %

The Via Trading purchase price expressed as a percentage of the stated retail or wholesale value.

If merchandise with an approximate value of $2,000 is priced at 20%:

$2,000 × 20% = $400

Your EXT Price

The total Via Trading purchase price for all units shown on that manifest line.

Your Unit Price

The effective Via Trading purchase price per unit.

Your EXT Price ÷ Quantity = Your Unit Price

Using the previous example:

$400 ÷ 100 units = $4 per unit

% of Load QTY

The percentage of the load’s total unit quantity represented by that line, brand or category.

% of Load $$

The percentage of the load’s total stated dollar value represented by that line, brand or category.

The calculation follows the value basis used by that manifest, such as retail or wholesale value.

Product-Image or Reference Links

Some manifests include links to product images or online product pages. These links can help buyers identify products, understand features and research current selling prices.

Retail Value and Wholesale Value Are Not the Same

Buyers should always identify the value basis used by the manifest.

Retail Value

Retail value may refer to an original retail price, MSRP, RRP, RSP, current retail price or recent retail price. The exact basis depends on the information supplied by the vendor.

Wholesale Value

Wholesale value may refer to:

Production or manufacturing cost
Distributor pricing
A vendor’s wholesale selling price
Another business-to-business value

Because “wholesale value” can have different meanings, buyers should review how the value is described on the listing or manifest.

Your Price

Your Price is the amount charged by Via Trading for the merchandise. It should not automatically be treated as the product’s wholesale market value.

Potential Resale Value

Potential resale value is what the buyer may be able to sell the merchandise for. It depends on condition, demand, brand, selling channel, competition, fees and other market factors.

Price-Check the Most Important Items

Manifest values are reference points, not guaranteed resale values. Before purchasing, buyers should independently price-check several of the highest-value items on the manifest.

Pay particular attention to:

Items with the highest unit values
Items representing the largest percentage of the load’s dollar value
Products responsible for a substantial portion of the total manifest value
Unusually high retail values
Products whose prices may have recently changed

Checking these products against current retailer listings and relevant resale marketplaces can help you evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of the manifest’s overall value.

Buyers should also consider product condition, selling fees, shipping costs and realistic resale prices when evaluating a lot.

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