“Everything can be resold, since someone bought it,” insists William Mourrière.
In his warehouse of almost 1000 m2 located on the outskirts of Rugles (Eure), he and his team are busy filling 5 or 10 kg boxes, surprise packages ready to ship.
When he launched, a year and a half ago, the founder of Flamingo Box started with 500 kg of merchandise, today, it is more than a ton that he sends every day.
A showroom exhibits the largest pieces such as these electric bikes, furniture or small household appliances.
The idea came to him at the start of the Covid pandemic.
“I, by chance, visited the warehouse of a logistician where 800 pallets were waiting to be incinerated.
These are products from China, often returns, and the brands prefer to pay 25,000 euros per truck to destroy this merchandise than the transport costs to return it to China,” says the founder.
After a trip to Indonesia, where William became aware of the extent of the pollution caused by this overconsumption, he decided to try to resell these unsold items at knockdown prices to put them back into the system.
Also read: In Saint-Maur, we buy undelivered packages by the kilo
“I rented a small premises in L’Aigles, a few kilometers from here, and I started shipping parcels.
» 18 months later, it works so well that Flamingo box has to move to a larger space and takes over the premises of the former Intermarché de Bois-Arnault, near Rugles.
In these surprise boxes, customers find a lot of clothing, sometimes a few valuable items, such as connected watches.
“But it’s rare, because the big brands have their headquarters in Europe and most know how to put unsold items back into the system,” explains William.
Its clients in turn launch into the business
However, many customers come back and in turn develop a business.
“I have a regular, who stopped his work and resells between 80 and 100 kg of packages per month,” mentions the founder.
“At retail, he will manage to resell for 1500, 2000 euros, that is to say he manages to make 100% margin on the packages he buys from us.
»
Another, with his partner, is in the process of creating a 120 m2 clearance store to resell, in detail, what they buy from William.
“Some people make a living from it,” he rejoices.
“Often, I am told
Yes, but they are nonsense, they still pollute
, but I prefer to spend fuel to put things back on the market than to destroy objects in perfect condition.
»
In February, William Mourrière prepares to sell even more.
He participated in the filming of the show “Who wants to be my associate”, broadcast on M 6 on February 14, and expects an increase in orders just after this media coverage.
“When I first appeared on TV, orders exploded.
It will probably be the same,” he hopes.
And he doesn't plan to stop there.
Given the success of its offer, a second warehouse could be created in the south of France.