Government Surplus
Government surplus are goods, usually matériel, that are sold at public auction when no longer
needed by the military. Entrepreneurs often buy these goods and resell them at government surplus stores.
Government surplus rarely includes weapons or munitions, though they are occasionally found in
such stores. Usually the goods sold by the military are clothing, equipment, and tools of a
generally useful nature.
The largest seller of government surplus in the world is Liquidity Services, Inc., which operates
two subsidiaries, Government Liquidation, LLC -- Government Auctions -- , and Liquidity Services
Ltd., which sell government surplus under contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and the
UK Ministry of Defence respectively.
Government Surplus Store
A government surplus store sells items that are used, or purchased but never used, but no longer
needed. The government surplus is often military, government or industrial excess. The idea is
related to a thrift store, though the latter is primarily consumer leftovers. A government surplus
store may also sell items that are past their use-by date.
A government surplus store is any store, usually retail, which sells military surplus — general
equipment that was intended for the military but is unable to be used. These stores often sell
camping equipment or military clothing (especially jackets and helmets). They are often noted
for their low prices.