Use the Economic Slump to Your Advantage

Happy Friday!

In case you forgot, I’m that guy (@thekoerneroffice on the socials) that you probably found in a short form video talking about random business ideas.

Today I’m sharing surefire way to make big money in an uncertain time.

Who am I? I’m Chris Koerner: Dad of 4, husband of 16 years and proud Texan. I’ve started 75+ business (3 worth over $10m) and give away all of my learnings for free in a once/week email.

Let’s get to it, shall we?


Okay, I know you subscribe to this newsletter because you love finding new ways to make money, and this one is sitting right under your nose. This isn't just theory. My buddy Shannon Jean, who I have on the podcast about once a month, walked me through how to make some serious money with live auctions.

And if you want to actually watch this conversation and see all the auction websites or listen to this as a podcast, you can check it out here: Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts.

While everyone's worried about inflation and layoffs, there's a massive resale economy most people don't even know exists. And it's getting bigger every single day.

The Hidden Economic Reality

Here's what nobody's talking about: when the economy tightens, companies get desperate. Store closures accelerate. Inventory sits longer. Quarterly pressure mounts. The result? A flood of brand-new merchandise hitting liquidation channels at 90% discounts.

Meanwhile, cash-strapped consumers are ditching retail stores for Facebook Marketplace and eBay. They want the same products. Just cheaper.

You sitting in the middle of this equation? That's where fortunes get made.

Shannon showed me the proof:

A $250 floating dock for $3.78.
Blackstone grills for $100 that flip for $400.
Christmas trees for $5 each.

Most people see economic pressure as a problem. You should see it as a business opportunity.

Corporate Fire Sale

Here's what happened: Target overbought pool equipment. Warehouses are packed. Christmas inventory is coming and they need space NOW.

Solution? They dump everything to liquidation companies at massive losses.

Shannon pulled up a live auction to show me a Target liquidation. Five pallets of sporting goods.

• Ten rigid air docks (Target retail: $250 each)

• One 14x42 swimming pool ($450 retail)

• Sixty-six pickleball sets

• Forty kids' play tunnels

  Current bid: $525!!

The manifest should make your heart race. And these kinds of deals are out there every day. Shannon said that it'll sell for under $1,000 for sure.

I did the math. $1,000 investment. 139 total items. Cost per item: $7.19.

Those floating docks alone are worth $2,500 at retail. You only need to sell FOUR at $100 each to get your entire investment back.

Four sales and you’ve got your money back. Everything else is pure profit.

The Walker Edison Furniture Goldmine

He then showed me the Walker Edison furniture liquidation site.

Sixteen pallets:Beds, TV consoles, entry tables. All factory sealed.
Current bid: $2,825.

Then Shannon pulled up Facebook Marketplace:
Similar used furniture selling for $200-400 per piece.

This pallet had over 60 pieces.

How to sell it all: "Build one sample of each piece. Take photos. Post as 'brand new, similar to IKEA' on Facebook Marketplace."

Total investment after freight: $5,200.
Conservative selling price: $150 per piece average.
Total revenue potential: $9,000+.

Net profit: $3,800 minimum. One weekend's work.

Shannon's student does this every week. Gets pallets Thursday. Lists Friday. Investment back by Sunday.

Furniture is perfect right now. Most people can't afford West Elm prices anymore. But they still need to furnish their homes.

The Boring Battery Play That Prints Money

8,000 AA batteries. GP Gold Peak Ultra Plus. Ten-year shelf life.

"Nobody wants batteries," Shannon laughed. "Perfect for us."

Current auction price: $1 per battery. Amazon retail: $2 per battery. Your wholesale price to local stores: $1.25 each.

Shannon walks into discount stores. Builds relationships with managers. When battery pallets come up, he has ready buyers.

"Every store manager knows 100% of their customers need batteries," Shannon explained. "I'm solving their problem while making 25 cents per unit."

8,000 units. 25 cents profit each. $2,000 for making phone calls.

Christmas in July Strategy

QVC Christmas tree liquidation. Four pallets. 158 artificial trees.

Current bid: $526.

"These will close at under $5 per tree," Shannon predicted.

Retail price for similar trees: $60-120 each.

One of Shannon's students bought so many liquidated Christmas trees he's opening a Christmas tree lot this November. Already secured the location.

"Seasonal arbitrage can make you rich," Shannon said. "Buy Christmas in January and July. Halloween in November. Buy when nobody wants it."

Smart play. Especially when people are looking to save money on holiday decorations.

Exactly what you need if you really want to go all in on this:

1. Reseller Certificate: Free in every state. Required for liquidation sites. Shannon's site has all the links: shannonjean.com/resale.

2. The Research System: Download every manifest. Research actual selling prices on eBay sold listings. Work backwards to determine your max bid.

3. The Bidding Strategy: Bid your max on Friday. Walk away. Don't watch the auction close. "Weekend auctions sell cheaper because fewer people pay attention."

4. Platform Strategy: Facebook Marketplace for furniture and bulky items. eBay for electronics. Local wholesale for bulk quantities.

Speaking of hidden opportunities, you’ll love what HighLevel can do.

My mind is buzzing with ways of how HighLevel could help you KILL it in this space. This all-in-one platform let’s you capture leads, automate follow-ups, and turn prospects into paying clients faster than any other tool I’ve used.

Whether you’re flipping products or selling services, HighLevel handles the business side and backend so you can focus on making money.

Start your trial today and start making bank. TKO readers get 30 days free if you use this link. There’s no excuse to not get in there and start messing around. You can just do things.

The Sites Shannon Checks Every Morning:

B-Stock platforms (Target, Costco, Walmart liquidations) and GovDeals.com (government surplus).

His routine: Coffee, scan listings, screenshot company names, ask ChatGPT about recent mergers.

"When companies merge or struggle, liquidations follow," Shannon explained. “Focus on getting your investment back fast. Not maximizing profit."

Example: Buy $3,000 worth of Blackstone grills. Sell three quickly at $400 each. You're even. The remaining grills are pure profit.

This removes fear. Makes decisions clearer. Builds confidence.

What NOT to Chase:

Shannon steered me away from the obvious plays. "Everyone chases iPhones and sneakers. Terrible margins. Competition everywhere."

What works:

• Furniture (everyone needs it, hard to ship)

• Seasonal items (when in season)

• Batteries and consumables (constant demand)

• Outdoor equipment (Facebook Marketplace gold)

• Home goods (local pickup preferred)

"The sexiest deals are in the most unsexy industries," Shannon told me.

The Opportunity’s There:

Economic pressure creates a perfect storm. More companies liquidating inventory. More consumers shopping secondhand platforms. The gap between wholesale liquidation prices and retail demand is widening every month.

Three things keep most people out:

1. They don't know these sites exist

2. Successful buyers don't brag about it

3. It requires actual work (research, pickup, listing, selling)

Your Next Move:

1. Get your reseller certificate

2. Study Shannon's recommended sites

3. Download manifests and research prices

4. Start with small bids to learn

5. Focus on getting investment back quickly

Every day you wait, someone else is buying these deals. Building relationships with liquidation companies. Learning which products move fast in this new economy.

Most people will read this and do nothing. They'll think about it. Research it. Maybe bookmark some sites. Meanwhile, you could get your free reseller certificate this week. Place your first bid Monday. Have product delivered Wednesday. Start pulling in cash from the hidden economy.

The question isn't whether this works. Shannon proved it works. His students prove it works. It works every day. The question is whether you'll capitalize on the biggest arbitrage opportunity of our economic cycle.

Everything is figureoutable. Go get started.

 And again, if you want to actually watch the agents work or listen to this as a podcast, you can check it out here: Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts.

So let's get after it!

Chris

P.S. I share deep dives on business ideas and complete playbooks three times a week on YouTube and every podcast platform.