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At Mid-America Store Fixtures, we never send out a lightly used fixture that’s below a quality rating of 7. But what do we mean when we say that? How does the MASF team, from our representatives to our warehouse crew, define levels of used or refurbished fixture quality? We use a scale of 1–10.
These are fixtures that are entirely new in the box or were installed in stores that never opened. They have no visible damage or wear. Quality 10 fixtures rarely wind up in our used inventory, and we haven’t seen them in the broader market, either. We would compare it to finding a name-brand item at a thrift store with the tags still on it—pre-owned but never used; we don’t see this very often. We focus on high-quality, refurbished used gondola shelving, but if you’d like to see brand new shelving for your store, we can help. Our team can source a robust selection of new gondola, Lozier, and Lozier-style shelving. While a brand-new shelf with no dings or scratches is the top level for showcasing your product, our clients proudly display their quality 7 and above shelving with the same rate of success.
This is our “used - like new” category. While these shelves have been used in a retail display, they are in a like-new condition. These shelves have minimal scratches or dents, and retain their high-gloss finish. The pegboard is nearly perfect, and the kick plates have little to no wax buildup. This is a fixture you can proudly showcase your product on.
Like a quality level of 9, a fixture with a rating of 8 is still one you could proudly display at the front of your store. These units may have some scratches or minor dents. Decks may show limited wear, but must show at least 95% in good condition. The gloss luster should still be in good condition, the pegboard should be in very good condition, and some wax buildup may be expected on the kick plates.
We do not stock used shelving that is below a quality rating of 7. Shelving and fixtures with this rating will have noticeable scratches and dents, and the gloss has begun to fade. Some dirt or grime may be present, but not in significant amounts. Wear and tear on decks is expected, and kick plates may exhibit moderate wax buildup. That said, a shelf with a quality of 7 is still worthy of showcasing product, and will still have years of life remaining.
MASF does not stock used shelving rated at a 6 or below. However, if a shelf or fixture arrives in our warehouse with some life remaining and needs only some light refurbishing, we will restore the shelf to a rating of 7 or higher before adding it to our inventory. We do our best not to send shelving with potential to the landfill. With a little expert TLC, many shelves with a rating of 6 can be restored to their former glory. Shelves or fixtures at a rating of 6 will be structurally sound with visible wear. They may have minimal rust, scratches, dents, and worn decks. The gloss is mostly gone, and they may be dusty or dirty and require cleaning. If we can't restore a fixture to a rating of 7 or greater, we may break it down for parts or send it to the scrap pile.
We are committed to helping create a greener planet. For us, that means that if a little more elbow grease would save a unit from the landfill, it's worth restoring that fixture. When a fixture reaches our warehouse with no gloss remaining, heavy dents, scratches, and worn decks from long-term use, and surface rust with no deep corrosion, we see an opportunity for restoration. The team will add another round of powder coating, scrub off rust, and do whatever else is within their power to make this fixture usable again. As with our rate 6 shelving, if we can't restore it to a rating of 7 or greater, that fixture will not be added to our inventory.
This does not tend to happen, although it's a little more common than brand new shelves arriving to our warehouses. We might compare this to clothes donated to a thrift store with irresolvable tearing, staining, or smell. These shelves will show deep rust, affecting the fixture at a structural level. There may be deep dents, larger than a quarter, clearly visible. The decks may be warped, brackets may be decayed, and there may be enough grime or oil that our team would not stand a chance at restoring this unit. Like any good used re-seller would, we send these shelving units to the scrap pile. Just like you wouldn't find a torn shirt at a high-quality thrift store, you won't find a level 4 shelf in our inventory.
[Photo] (if we can get photos for every 1-2 of these sections, I think it would help)
At Mid-America, we pride ourselves on our teams' ability to provide a cohesive level of quality and service, no matter which warehouse you may be ordering from. We follow some basic rules at every one of our locations to ensure a shelf that is past its prime won't slip through the cracks, even as we seek to save fixtures from landfills.
When our team is loading pallets from a sale, decommissioning, or other event like an auction or liquidation, we have specific rules for organizing the shelving we acquire. Each truckload must include dedicated pallets for:
Occasionally, a deck with a 5/6 condition will be found in otherwise condition 7/8 sections, especially when sourced from high-volume areas, such as canned goods, sodas, or paint. These are identified and separated during on-site teardown to be refurbished by our team.
When condition 5/6 uprights are found with newer shelves (quality 7, 8, or 9), our team will be graded and labeled according to the condition of the FULL section. The higher quality of shelves within the section is not sufficient to pull up the quality of a 5/6 shelf.
Our team also follows specific labeling requirements, including information like contents, condition rating, and the name of the person or company that the count and condition will be attributed to. These pallets are checked for accuracy upon arrival to our warehouses.
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Why bother with buying pre-owned shelving when there are options for new, never-before-used shelving available? In our professional experience, there are a few solid reasons.
The first and probably most important to retail business owners is cost. You’ll see a huge savings, even on quality 8 or 9 fixtures, compared to buying brand new. These fixtures are built to last and kept in top condition while in our care. Even fixtures that have previously been used in a retail display still have years of life in them. Save your budget by shopping gently used!
Our second purpose in selling used fixtures is to save them from landfills. These fixtures are built for life! They do not break down easily, and it can be a waste to send perfectly good fixtures to the scrap pile. Your business would be making a green choice by buying lightly used shelving without compromising on quality.
At MASF, we pride ourselves on being the largest stocking distributor of gondola and Lozier-style shelving in the nation. It’s likely we have a shelf fitting your exact dimension needs in stock. When we don’t have it in stock, we can often modify our existing stock to fit your unique retail fixture needs. When we aren’t able to modify a shelf to suit your need, we leverage our vast network of contacts to find it for you. Save money, help the planet, and get exactly what you need with MASF.
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Mid-America offers services to help you preserve and move your old fixtures, so you may not need to buy new shelving after all! If you’re moving, renovating, opening a new location, or closing down a location with intention to open another, we may have even more sustainable options for your budget.
When you’re relocating or expanding, don’t sell fixtures just to turn around and buy new ones. With our Fixture Harvesting service, you can hang onto those old fixtures until you need them again. Our expert teams will come out to your store to safely remove the fixtures, then ship them to our warehouse for storage until that new location is ready. When the time comes, our fixture experts will install your shelving in your new location, ensuring the shelving and store do not get damaged at any point in the process.
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Mid-America Store Fixtures is your partner for all retail services. We see our relationship as more than just transactional. Get on the phone with one of our dedicated representatives today to experience customer service you can rely on, and to begin building a true partnership that will help your retail brand to grow and flourish.
