Factory seconds, also known as factory rejects or simply seconds, are
retail
Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...
items that, through minor fault of manufacture, are sold to the public for a reduced rate, rather than being discarded. The goods are often resold at this lower rate after failing the factory's quality inspection, being returned to the
manufacturer
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a ran ...
's factory by the original retailer, or (less frequently) being returned to the retailer or wholesaler by the
customer
In sales, commerce, and economics, a customer (sometimes known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a good, service, product or an idea - obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier via a financial transaction or exchange for ...
.
[What are factory seconds?]
, ''factoryseconds.org.uk'' Retrieved 24 September 2013.
The amount of damage or fault in the manufacture that may constitute an item being resold as a second varies widely; in clothing, for example, it may simply refer to a single pulled thread or mis-sewn seam, whereas in a set of items (such as
crockery
Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
) it may mean there is one piece missing from the set. Other items can be slightly imperfect, reusable eco-friendly items that can be picked up, preventing them from ending up in a landfill. Generally, an item listed as a factory second will have failed quality inspection for cosmetic, rather than functional, reasons. Such items are often heavily discounted but may not have as all-encompassing a warranty or guarantee as a full-quality item (for example, the product may be non-returnable).
Discount store
A discount store or discounter offers a retail format in which products are sold at prices that are in principle lower than an actual or supposed "full retail price". Discounters rely on bulk purchasing and efficient distribution to keep down cost ...
s often rely on the sale of factory seconds as a major part of their trade.
See also
*
Refurbishment (electronics)
Refurbishment is the distribution of products (generally electronics) that have been previously returned to a manufacturer or vendor for any reason, not sold in the market or new launch of a product. Refurbished products are normally tested for ...
References
Retail merchandise types by status
Quality management
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