How to buy pallets in bulk: a step-by-step process

Buying pallets in bulk works best as a short, repeatable process: write the spec, estimate usage, send a clear request for quote (RFQ), compare delivered prices, sort out the dock and run one test load before you commit. Get those right and you head off problems like the wrong grade, surprise freight charges or a truck your dock can't take.

Step 1: Write down the spec

Every supplier will ask the same questions. Answer them once, in writing, and send the same spec to everyone you ask for a price. Otherwise you are comparing quotes for different products.

• Size. Give stringer length first, then deckboard length, in inches (48x40 means 48-inch stringers). 48x40 is the dominant standard size in the U.S. In a Virginia Tech industry survey, it made up about 35 percent of new wood pallets and 69 percent of recycled pallets in 2016.
• Style. Stringer or block. Stringer pallets are the more common style in the U.S. See stringer vs block pallets.
• Grade. For recycled pallets, names like Grade A and Grade B are trade terms, not one industry standard. Suppliers grade differently, even in the same region. Write down what you will accept (whether repairs are allowed, board spacing, wood color) and attach photos. See pallet grades explained.
• Heat treatment. If the pallets will carry goods to another country, the importing country may require ISPM 15 treatment. For heat treatment under the standard, the wood must hold at least 56°C (about 133°F) for 30 continuous minutes through its full thickness, core included, and carry the official mark. See heat-treated pallets and ISPM 15.
• Entry. Say how your equipment picks up the pallet. Stringer pallets without notches are 2-way: forks go in only from the two ends. Notched stringers add forklift entry from the sides (partial 4-way), but pallet jacks still need the ends. Most block pallets take forklifts and pallet jacks from all four sides.
• Moisture, if it matters. The Woodpack Global (formerly NWPCA) Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets sets no limit on moisture content. If you need dry pallets, say so in the spec.

Step 2: Estimate how many you use

Start with shipping records. Count the pallets that leave your building in a typical week, then:

1. Multiply by the number of weeks each order should cover.
2. Add a buffer for pallets you reject or damage.
3. Check the result against your storage space. Empty pallets take up a lot of floor.

A full truckload spreads one freight charge over hundreds of pallets, so it pays to plan orders around whole trucks. Chesapeake Pallets (our sister company) ships 616 stringer pallets or 520 block pallets on one full 53' truck. At 150 pallets a week, a 616-pallet load lasts about four weeks. Use the truckload calculator to run your own numbers, and see how many pallets fit on a truck for the details.

Step 3: Send a clear RFQ

A complete RFQ gets you comparable quotes and fewer follow-up calls. Copy this, fill it in and send the same version to every supplier.

PALLET RFQ

Company, contact name, phone, email:
Delivery address (street, city, state, ZIP):

Size (length x width, inches): 48 x 40
Style: stringer / block
Grade: (your written definition, photos attached)
Entry: 2-way / partial 4-way / 4-way
Heat treated (ISPM 15): yes / no
HT certificate needed: yes / no
Moisture limit, if any:

Quantity per delivery: full truckload / other: ____
Frequency: one time / weekly / every ___ weeks
First requested dock date:

Receiving days and hours:
Appointment required: yes / no
Unload: live unload / drop trailer
Dock: dock door / ground level only
Forklift and pallet jack on site: yes / no
Trailer length limits (is a 53' trailer OK?):

Price basis: delivered price per pallet, freight and fuel included
List any adders separately (heat treatment, other)
Payment terms requested:
Quote valid until:

Step 4: Compare delivered price, not FOB

FOB terms decide who pays freight. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, "FOB place of shipment" means the seller's cost and risk end when the goods are handed to the carrier. "FOB place of destination" means the seller covers cost and risk all the way to your door. A low price FOB the supplier's yard can end up higher than a competitor's delivered price once you add the freight.

Ask every supplier for one number: the delivered price per pallet, freight and fuel included. Then line the quotes up on the same terms.

Compare	Why it matters
Delivered price per pallet	It's the number you actually pay
Quantity the price assumes	A truckload price and a small-order price aren't comparable
Heat-treat adder	Confirm whether it's included or added per pallet
Fuel surcharge	Confirm it's included, or get it stated in writing
Dock date	A low price is worth less if the pallets arrive late
Quote expiration	Pallet prices move with lumber and freight

For a benchmark, Pallet Forecast publishes delivered ranges for full truckloads of 48x40 pallets (as of October 15, 2026): recycled Grade B $4.75–$6.75, Grade A $6.75–$8.75, AAA $8.50–$10.50 and recycled block $6.25–$8.50 per pallet. Heat treatment adds $1.00–$1.50 per pallet. New pallets are quote-only because their price follows lumber. See current prices.

Step 5: Sort out the dock before the truck arrives

Tell the supplier how you receive before the first truck is booked, and ask how the carrier handles it.

• Live unload. The driver backs in and waits while your crew unloads. If unloading runs long, the carrier may bill detention. The U.S. DOT Inspector General reports that the industry generally measures detention as time at a shipper's or receiver's facility beyond the limit in the shipping contract. Ask how much free time is included and what happens after it runs out.
• Drop trailer. The carrier leaves the loaded trailer and picks it up later, so you unload on your own schedule. You need yard space, and the carrier has to agree to it.
• The details that stop trucks. Receiving hours, appointment rules, whether you have a dock door or only ground-level doors, and whether the trailer length works for your yard. Also confirm your forklift or pallet jack matches the entry style you ordered.

Step 6: Run a test load before you commit

Don't sign a long contract on a sample of three pallets. Order one truck, inspect it against your written spec and decide from what actually arrives. Use our receiving inspection checklist so the inspection is the same every time.

Ask any supplier how they handle a test load and what happens to pallets that miss spec. For example, Chesapeake's test load is one full truck with no contract, billed at the quoted price, and you can refuse off-spec pallets and pay nothing for them.

Step 7: Settle the terms

Before the first order, ask three things: what payment terms the supplier offers, what paperwork they need to set you up (such as a customer setup or credit form), and how they take payment (ACH, check or card). Get the price, dock date and terms on the same written quote.

Step 8: Set up recurring orders

Once a supplier passes the test load, move to a standing schedule so you aren't reordering in a panic.

• Set a reorder point: the pallets you use during the supplier's lead time, plus your buffer.
• Confirm the dock date in writing on every order.
• Inspect a sample of every load, not just the first one.
• Check the monthly price outlook before you renew pricing, so you know whether the market is moving up or down.

FAQ

What is the minimum order for bulk pallets?

It depends on the supplier. Truckload pricing assumes a full trailer, which means several hundred pallets. Smaller orders usually cost more per pallet because the freight is spread over fewer units.

Should I buy new or recycled pallets in bulk?

Recycled pallets cost less, and recycled 48x40s are widely available. New pallets give more consistent dimensions and appearance, but they are quote-only because their price follows lumber. See new vs recycled pallets.

What should a delivered pallet price include?

It should include the pallets and the freight to your dock, with fuel included. Ask the supplier to list any adders, such as heat treatment, as separate lines on the quote.

How do I make sure I get the grade I ordered?

Write down your grade definition and attach photos to the RFQ. Then inspect the test load against that definition and document anything that doesn't match before you sign for it.