Spokane startup auctioning returned retail goods moves HQ to Seattle area

A Spokane-area startup, BuyWander, is moving its headquarters to the Seattle area as the company expands its warehouse network across the country.

BuyWander was founded by Jordan Allen and Brock Kowalchik in 2023, building auction marketplaces for returned or overstocked retail goods, according to GeekWire.

The company, based in Kent, has 45 employees, and its move from Spokane to the Seattle area in August has put the company’s leadership team closer to the region’s large retail and e-commerce ecosystem.

Spokane startup auctions returned, overstocked goods from major retailers

The BuyWander marketplace sells returned and overstocked products from retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Home Depot. Each product begins at auction at $1 and remains active for seven days. Buyers are able to pick up their purchase at the nearest BuyWander warehouse rather than having the product shipped.

Some of the items currently for sale on BuyWander’s marketplace include window air conditioning units, steel gate fencing, carbon fiber rear trunk spoilers, Jeep Wrangler seat covers, countertop microwave ovens, and pop-up canopy tents, among several other products, according to GeekWire.

The business model is centered around giving returned merchandise another route to the consumer instead of leaving it in warehouses or having it sent to landfills. The BuyWander system is designed to scan, sort, and identify inventory before it heads to auction.

BuyWander announced Tuesday that four new executives have been added to its leadership team, including two former Amazon employees, as the company prepares to enter new markets such as Denver and Chicago.

The four new executives include chief operating officer Laura Sasser, vice president of data and AI Daniel Kiepfer, senior director of warehouse technology Abu Marcose, and director of marketing Roger Ling.

BuyWander noted that it currently operates eight warehouses, with Denver and Chicago among its newest locations, according to GeekWire. The company also plans to continue expanding nationally over the next year. A large share of its workforce works in stocking, intake, and customer service.

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