What Is a Gaylord Pallet? Liquidation Gaylords Explained (2026)

If you shop liquidation inventory you will see the word "gaylord" on many listings. A gaylord is not a brand or a type of merchandise: it is the big box the merchandise comes in. This guide explains what a gaylord pallet is, what usually comes inside, how it compares with a regular pallet, and what to check before you buy one.

What is a gaylord pallet?

A gaylord is a large corrugated cardboard box built to sit on a pallet. It has the same footprint as a standard pallet (40 x 48 inches) and is open or folded closed on top. The name comes from the Gaylord Container Corporation, an early maker of these boxes, and today the word is used for any bulk box of this kind.

In liquidation, merchandise is often tossed loose into a gaylord instead of being stacked in cases and shrink-wrapped. That makes gaylords common for customer returns, store shelf pulls and seasonal leftovers, where items come in all shapes and sizes.

Gaylord sizes

The footprint is almost always 40 x 48 inches. Height changes the most. The gaylords currently listed at Discount Wholesalers Inc measure:

• 40 x 48 x 31 inches — drugstore shelf-pull gaylord (about half the height of a full pallet)
• 40 x 48 x 33 inches — premium drugstore shelf-pull gaylord
• 40 x 48 x 42 inches — Christmas and Halloween seasonal gaylords

Truckloads can also be packed in larger 4-foot gaylords, as in our TGT mixed shoe loads.

What's inside a liquidation gaylord?

It depends on the listing, and most gaylords are unmanifested: there is no item-by-item list. Typical gaylords include:

• Drugstore general merchandise: health, beauty and everyday items pulled from store shelves
• Seasonal merchandise: Christmas or Halloween items left over after the season
• Shoes: mixed sizes, styles and seasons, sold in truckload quantities

Because items are loose, piece counts vary from one gaylord to another, and condition can vary too: shelf pulls may show wear on the packaging, and customer returns can include used, damaged or incomplete items. Mixes are not guaranteed and are sold as-is. If you need to know what you are getting, ask your sales rep for photos or a live video of the actual gaylord.

Gaylord vs. regular pallet

• Packing: a regular pallet usually has cases stacked and shrink-wrapped; a gaylord holds loose items in one big box.
• Variety: gaylords tend to mix many different items, which suits bin stores and flea markets that sell variety.
• Sorting time: loose items take longer to sort, test and price than full cases.
• Price: gaylords are often a lower entry point than full pallets, which makes them a good way to try a category.
• Freight: a half-height gaylord is smaller and lighter than a full pallet, but freight is still charged by LTL. See what pallet shipping really costs.

How much does a gaylord cost?

At Discount Wholesalers Inc right now, single gaylords are about $450 to $675 at a fixed price:

• Assorted drugstore shelf-pull gaylord (unmanifested): about $450
• Premium drugstore shelf-pull gaylord (unmanifested): about $500
• Assorted Christmas gaylord (unmanifested): about $600
• Assorted Halloween gaylord (unmanifested): about $675

Shoe gaylords sell by the truckload, priced per piece, with a minimum of 24 gaylords. Prices and stock change as new loads arrive: see what is available in liquidation pallets or pallets for bin stores.

Who should buy gaylords?

• Bin stores that need lots of different items to fill bins every week
• Flea market and live sellers who sell variety on tables or on camera
• Online resellers who have time to sort and list item by item
• Seasonal sellers who stock up for Christmas or Halloween

If you need consistent items to relist the same product many times, a single-item pallet or a manifested pallet is usually a better fit than a gaylord. See manifested vs. unmanifested pallets.

What to check before buying a gaylord

1. Is it manifested or unmanifested?
2. What is the condition: shelf pulls, overstock or customer returns?
3. What are the dimensions, and how will you receive it?
4. What will freight cost to your address, or can you pick it up?
5. Can you see the actual gaylord in photos or on a video call before paying?

You can book a live video call and a sales rep will show you the gaylord in our Lumberton, NC warehouse.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called a gaylord?

The name comes from the Gaylord Container Corporation, an early maker of these bulk boxes. The word is now used for any large pallet-sized box.

How many items are in a gaylord?

It varies, because items are loose and come in different sizes. In our shoe truckloads, a single gaylord holds roughly 225 to 350 pieces. For other gaylords, ask your sales rep about the specific box.

Is a gaylord the same as a pallet?

A gaylord sits on a pallet, but the merchandise is loose inside a big box instead of being stacked in cases and shrink-wrapped.

Do gaylords come with a manifest?

The gaylords we list today are unmanifested. Ask for photos or a video if you want to see the contents before buying.

Can I pick up a gaylord at the warehouse?

Yes. Pick up at 107 Back Swamp Rd, Lumberton, NC 28360, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM EST. No license or resale certificate is required to buy.

Discount Wholesalers Inc. — Operating since 1999 · 107 Back Swamp Rd, Lumberton, NC 28360 · (910) 536-1440 · Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5 PM EST