There’s a new store in Brussels, where you can get unopened and unwanted Amazon parcels for sale by the kilo.
Amazon delivery packages – illustrative photo. Image credit: Anirudh via Unsplash, free license
This unique shopping experience presents customers with an interesting and for some – quite captivating opportunity akin to a lottery ticket, where each parcel holds a relatively high potential to reveal valuable items such as a connected watch or a smartphone, or perhaps something less desirable.
Named “Pile ou Face,” translating to “Heads or Tails” in French, the store is conveniently located near the central square Place Flagey. Here, customers can purchase these parcels for 16 euros ($17.40) per kilo, selecting from a variety of boxes displayed in the shop.
Some customers choose to open their parcels on the spot, adding an element of excitement to their shopping experience.
Some customers compare it to gambling. One client shared a story where he paid 40 euros and got three or four headphones. However, not all outcomes are equally rewarding. Another customer, for example, found an old-style telephone with a mechanical dial in her 14.40 euro parcel. Despite her disappointment, she remains hopeful of reselling it.
The mastermind behind the store, Arnaud Userstam, explained that connected watches and smartphones are among the most coveted items, while some customers leave with unexpected finds such as clothes or peculiar items like 100 toothbrushes for dogs.
Userstam’s inspiration for the business stemmed from his curiosity about the fate of parcels with delivery issues, a situation he experienced firsthand. Upon discovering similar ventures elsewhere, he seized the opportunity to establish Pile ou Face.
The store has signed contracts with Amazon in Europe to acquire parcels that were unclaimed from pickup locations, returned by customers, or lost in transit. Previously destined for disposal, these parcels now offer a second chance at discovery and excitement for customers seeking a unique shopping experience in Brussels.
Written by Alius Noreika