As Christmas approaches, the Post Office auctions parcels lost and unclaimed during the year. The opportunity to acquire very interesting lots and do good business, while supporting an association.
Unreported moving, lack of postage, incorrect address… Every year, many packages do not reach their destination. After six months, when they are not claimed, they become the property of La Poste, which does not destroy them.
And every year for ten years now, these packages that no one wants have been put up for auction, a little before the Christmas holidays during a charity event. The 2023 edition will take place on 1er December at the Nantes Auction House, located 24 rue du Marché commun, but also live, online, so that everyone can participate! iPad Pro, collectible figurines, pastry robots… the lots on offer are as diverse as they are tempting! In addition, the revenue from the sales of the 500 packages will be donated to the Association of Families of Disabled Children (AFEH) – each year, more than €100,000 is raised this way. A great opportunity to finance a noble cause and, why not, get a good deal!
La Poste auction: good deals for a good cause
Last year, nearly 500 packages were sold, with a price corresponding to a third of that displayed in store. And the least we can say is that there will be something for everyone! On the Interencheres.com site, we can already see a collection of 250 lots of high-tech products which will be put on sale. Apple iMac, Nintendo Switch Oled, PlayStation 5, AirPods Max headphones, iPad of all kinds, Marshall speakers, drones, Dyson vacuum cleaners, or even Garmin connected watches… Great surprises in store! You can consult the different lots and the terms of this meeting on the dedicated site. You can also find all the auction conditions in this regulation accessible online. To participate in these live auctions, go to the Nantes Sales Hall, at 24, rue du Marché commun. To participate online, create your profile on the organization’s website and bid for a chance to win one of the precious packages!
Afterwards, good deals are not necessarily guaranteed. Indeed, as the auctions also take place online, they attract many more participants, which tends to cause a real spike in prices. Last year, this auction was indeed marked by a much faster surge in prices compared to previous editions, which were held only in person. Some buyers thus paid as much, if not more, than if they had gone to the store, without benefiting from the guarantee. Yes, participants sometimes get a little too caught up in the game and, anxious to win the prize, they sometimes go so far as to spend more than they should.
Given that the destruction or throwing in the trash of unsold items has been prohibited since the anti-waste law, several delivery companies, in addition to La Poste, have gotten into the habit of selling entire pallets of packages to specialized companies, which put on sale in turn, at more or less advantageous prices – and we don’t necessarily know what we’re buying! But here too, watch out for scams! On social networks like Facebook, certain pages or groups promote so-called lost packages from Amazon, to be acquired for a few euros (see our article).