How to Buy Army Surplus

Army surplus purchases often provide excellent value for your money. Distributors collect new and used goods from various branches of the military, not just the army. Buy army surplus at brick and mortar stores, online and at government auctions. The army surplus articles sold to consumers range from skivvies to Jeeps and everything in-between that keeps the military running. Sorry, consumers can't buy surplus jets or automatic weapons.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Shop online at government auction sites. Sign-up to receive notifications from the government, not third-party vendors. Bookmark the General Services Administration (GSA) and GovDeals websites and visit often.

2. Buy army surplus online at the Galaxy Army Navy website. Their New York city retail location has been in business for more than 20 years. Shopping on their website is secure and convenient.

3. Get recommendations from friends and colleagues. The army surplus market thrives on avid fans who know surplus store locations, hours and management. They can provide tips on finding special articles and getting bargains.

4. Find brick and mortar army surplus stores in your local yellow pages. Visit early in the day. Ask about their inventory delivery dates. You will get a wider choice of articles in good condition, if you schedule your visits to coincide with incoming shipments. You can also ask the manager to set aside things of interest to you, if you become a regular.

5. Scout out military history and paraphernalia collectors in your local antique and flea markets. Many sell army surplus as a sideline. They often have rucksacks, boots, jackets and other popular items that sell quickly.

6. Log in at Non Profit Expert, if you work for a non-profit organization. Sign-up for your state government's surplus property mailing list. Many participate in a Department of Defense (DoD) program that permits them to auction valuable army surplus to non-profits.

Tips & Warnings

• Clothing, boots, rucksacks, canteens and other used items should be inspected before purchasing. Almost all used items are sold "as is."

• Several states in the DoD program also allow consumers to bid on items that non-profits didn't buy within a specified time.

• Do not pay for information about government auctions. This information is free to the public.

• Until you establish a relationship with an online army surplus website, avoid buying used items based on their description of its condition.

Resources

• Visit gsaauctions.gov for a variety of army surplus articles.
• Buy military and government surplus at govdeals.com.
• Buy army surplus online at galaxyarmynavy.com.
• See army surplus bargains for non-profits at nonprofitexpert.com.