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How to buy stock from a company in liquidation
Buying stock in bulk from a company that has been wound up can be one of the best value ways to acquire inventory, if you understand how it is sold and where the traps are. Here is how it works.
Last updated 2026-09-04.
When a company goes into liquidation, its stock has to be turned into cash for creditors. The office holder wants it gone quickly and cleanly, which is why stock so often sells well below its normal value. For a trade buyer, a clearance operator or a retailer looking for cheap inventory, that is the opportunity. The skill is in buying the right stock at the right number and avoiding the goods that were never the company's to sell.
How stock is sold
The appointed liquidator or administrator controls the sale, not the old business. Stock is usually sold in bulk, either as a single job lot or in sensible parcels, to a trade buyer or a clearance operator, and sometimes through an auction. It is sold as seen, with no warranty as to quantity, quality or condition, so you buy on the basis of your own inspection. The office holder is a motivated seller working to a timescale, which is exactly why the price can be keen.
Find companies with stock to clear
Browse the live list of UK companies in liquidation and open any one for an asset assessment that flags whether it is likely to hold stock, and who to approach.
What stock is actually worth
Do not price stock at retail, or even at the company's cost. In a liquidation, finished stock rarely recovers more than a low proportion of its value, often somewhere in the range of ten to forty per cent, and work in progress that is only part finished is worth less again. The exact figure depends on the goods. Branded, in demand or easily resold stock moves near the top of that range. Perishable, seasonal, obsolete or specialised stock can sit near the bottom, or need shifting fast before it is worth nothing. Our guide to recovery rates by asset type puts stock alongside the other asset classes so you can frame a number.
The retention of title trap
This is the single most important thing to check. A supplier that delivered goods but has not been paid may have a retention of title clause, which keeps ownership of those goods with the supplier until they are paid for. If stock is subject to a valid retention of title claim, it is not the company's to sell, and you could end up buying something the office holder cannot actually pass to you. Always ask the office holder directly what stock is subject to retention of title before you agree anything, and get the position in writing.
Other things to check before you buy
Inspect the stock in person and count a sample rather than trusting a schedule. Check condition, dates and completeness. Understand how you will remove and store it, because the cost of shifting a warehouse of goods eats into any bargain and is yours to bear. Ask whether the sale is plus VAT, since stock sales are often subject to VAT that you pay on top and reclaim later if you are VAT registered. And confirm any security registered against the company, because a lender with a charge may have a claim on the proceeds. You can see the registered charges on any company in its company record.
Making the offer
Approach the appointed office holder directly, say clearly which stock you want and whether you will take it all, and show you are ready to pay and remove it quickly. A clean offer for the whole lot, ready to complete, is often worth more to an office holder than a higher offer that drags or cherry picks, because their job is to clear the stock and close the case. Be ready to buy on their terms, which will sell as seen with no warranty. For the full approach, see our guide on how to contact a liquidator to buy assets.
See what is available now
Open the list of UK companies in liquidation, filter to your sector, and open one for its asset assessment.
Common questions
How is stock sold in a liquidation?
The office holder sells it to raise money for creditors, usually in bulk to a trade buyer or clearance operator, and sometimes by auction. It is sold as seen, so buyers inspect it and price in the risk.
What does stock sell for?
Usually a low proportion of its normal value, often in the range of ten to forty per cent, because it is sold quickly, in bulk and as seen. Perishable, seasonal or branded stock can move faster or slower depending on the item.
What is retention of title?
A supplier that has not been paid may keep ownership of goods it delivered until payment. That stock may not be the company's to sell, so always ask the office holder what is subject to a retention of title claim before you buy.
Company information, not advice. Always speak to the appointed office holder and take professional advice before making an offer.