This Online Store Sells Lost Airport Luggage at a Big Discount

What do a gas mask, a space shuttle camera, a puppet from the 1986 film Labyrinth, and three full suits of armor have in common?

They were all found by "Unclaimed Baggage" -- a retail store in Scottsboro, Alabama that sells lost luggage.

Founded in 1970, Unclaimed Baggage buys lost items from airlines -- from clothing to electronics to books and games -- and sells them at a deep discount at its physical and online store.

Most items are discounted 50% to 80% off their estimated retail prices, with some clearance items seeing price reductions up to 95%.

The company buys what represents around 0.03% of all lost baggage at airports -- "orphaned luggage," or luggage that remains unclaimed for 90 days. According to the company itself, it stocks its store with roughly 7,000 items per day, which consumers can buy in person or online.

What can you buy?

Anything that can fit into a suitcase, such as clothes, electronics, shoes, toys, golf clubs, and books. Also: the suitcase itself (they have a ton of suitcases).

To see what the retailer has right now, you can navigate to their website and browse items by categories: "New Arrivals," "Women," "Men," "Children," "Shoes," and "Lifestyle & Electronics." The website has an easy-to-use interface and allows you to narrow searches by price, brand, color, size, and condition.

For example, some of the items I've seen recently include:

• Apple Airpods 3rd generation
• Ferragamo moccasins
• 14k gold diamond tennis line bracelet
• Gucci ankle boots
• 13" 2020 Macbook Air
• Buffet Crampon student clarinet set

What condition are items in?

Unclaimed Baggage says it professionally washes clothing, tests electronics, and appraises jewelry before items hit the shelves. Judging from its online store, most items appear gently used, with those in worse condition advertised as such.

That said, some former shoppers and Reddit users have complained about the quality of clothing, noting that some clothes had stains, worn-out seams, rips, and "unique" smells.

The company has a return policy of 14 days on all products that aren't marked for final sale. Note: the item must have its original tag and in its package (if it had one) to be returned

Is it better to shop in person?

If you can find your way to Scottsboro, Alabama, then, yes, you would probably have a better experience shopping in person.

For one, you can avoid paying shipping charges, as well as judge items in person rather than by a photo. You can also be the first to check out new items that have been recently stocked but haven't been registered online.

The Unclaimed Baggage store also has a daily "Baggage Experience" event, which allows shoppers to open unprocessed luggage and see what's inside. You might even get to keep some of the items you find!

What are some of the strangest items it found?

The retailer has reportedly found some bizarre and rare items, ranging from a $64,000 presidential platinum Rolex (sold for $32,000) to a 40.95-carat Colombian emerald appraised at $25,000 (sold for $17,000) to shrunken heads and French newspapers from the 1930s.

A few other unique finds that have found their way to Unclaimed Baggage:

• Aluminized fire suit
• 10-foot long dung chen from Tibet
• Egyptian burial mask
• Victorian "flirting fan" from the 1800s
• A "live" rattlesnake (no joke!)

When is the best time to shop at Unclaimed Baggage?

The retailer introduces new items online on Thursdays and Sundays. So, if you don't find what you're looking for today, you might get lucky and find it as a new item on those days.

You could be strategic, too, and check the store 90 days after holidays or periods when airline traffic is heavy. For instance, April might be a great month to shop for luggage that was lost over the Christmas travel season, as the 90-day waiting period has ended and airlines can now sell lost luggage to the store.

As far as how to buy lost items, I would recommend a cash back credit card that earns more for Google Pay, which is one of two digital wallets that Unclaimed Baggage accepts online (the other is Shop Pay). If you're trying to snag a sign-up bonus on a rewards card, you could also charge purchases to help you reach the required spending milestone.