If you've ever wondered what's in all those suitcases whizzing by you on the airport carousel, wonder no more. Alabama-based Unclaimed Baggage is more than happy to give you a peek. Basically, it's a thrift-store lover's dream with a twist: Almost everything you see comes from someone's lost luggage. Here's how it works, and most importantly, whether you'll actually find decent deals.
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The more accurate question: What won't they? There's a ton of clothing up for grabs, as are electronics, books, and jewelry. But there are also more surprising finds, from home decor and collectibles to sporting goods, toys, and even random car parts.
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Don't worry — it's only after bags sit forlorn and ownerless for at least a few months that the airlines will sell them to Unclaimed Baggage. Less than 0.03% of checked luggage meets that fate, because believe it or not, the airlines are pretty good at getting bags where they're supposed to be on time (or eventually reuniting owners with their lost luggage in case of delays).
Unclaimed Baggage sorts and inspects all items before they're cleared for sale. And only about a third of what the store receives ends up on the shelves (which is still plenty — that amounts to roughly 7,000 new items for sale each day, the store reports). Whatever doesn't quite make the cut is either recycled or donated to charity.
For a peek of some of the oddest finds that are currently available, check out our roundup here. But as for the store's all-time "weirdest finds" hall of fame, it includes an Egyptian burial mask, a live rattlesnake, a suit of armor, and even a unicycle.
Some is, some isn't. Plenty of items are new with tags or new in the box (after all, as the store notes, people love to shop when they're on vacation). Clothing is always professionally cleaned before it's put up for sale, and electronics are thoroughly tested and wiped clean of any personal information. The condition of any item is always stated, with any flaws detailed in the description or pictures.
In the vast majority of cases, yes. However, it's not just from airline luggage — Unclaimed Baggage also sources merchandise from other travel companies, including bus and train lines, and even hotels.
The most intrepid shoppers can show up in person at the 50,000-square-foot Unclaimed Baggage store, which spans an entire city block in Scottsboro, Alabama. However, if you can't make the trip, you can also shop from home, something that wasn't possible until the pandemic pushed the store to put merchandise online last year.
Shipping is free for orders over $75. For orders under that, rates vary. If you're in the neighborhood, there's also free local pickup. Whether you buy in person or online, most items can be returned within 14 days. However, if you do buy online and make a return, you'll be out the shipping fees, plus a $1.99 restocking fee. There are some items marked as final sale that can't be returned, as well as certain categories that are non-returnable as a rule, including swimwear and sale items.
It depends on what you're looking for. For instance, there are some compelling deals when it comes to designer and higher-end duds: A gently used classic Burberry coat, for instance, is going for more than 80% off retail, and a like-new cashmere Charter Club sweater for nearly 70% off. We even spotted a new-with-tags Missoni swimsuit in the designer's signature chevron for more than 75% off. Concerned about authenticity? Unclaimed Baggage says it has "years of experience authenticating jewelry and luxury brands," but full refunds are available in case of a fake.
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We're not as impressed with the savings on more affordable brands: Consider this like-new T-shirt from Kohl's Apt. 9 brand that's going for $8, which isn't much less than a new T-shirt costs at Kohl's anyway, or a simple pair of Nikes priced at $40 — not bad, but we also found them on clearance for slightly less at Nike.com. Prices on non-clothing items truly run the gamut: While nearly half off a trendy Byta tumbler seems like a good deal, $11 for soap on a rope is too rich for our blood.
We recommend looking for coupon codes — our Capital One Shopping browser extension found one without any additional research that applied a $10 discount to the items in our cart. Signing up as an "Unclaimed Insider" can also net 10% off an order, and lead to special members-only deals.
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