Pile ou Face: a store that uses lost Amazon packages

Have you ever wondered what happens to products Amazon which are not delivered by the company? There have been cases of courier drivers collecting packages and then selling them illegally, but this is not the only way to get rid of lost products. According to a report by Reuters, a recently growing store in Belgium is taking care of these parcels by selling them by the kilo.

In the heart of Brussels, an unusual store has opened its doors, offering a unique shopping experience for lovers of surprises and unexpected opportunities. “Pile ou Face” (“Face or Tails” in Spanish), located near the central square of Place Flagey, quickly gained popularity among both locals and tourists.

The idea of ​​the store is simple but attractive: without knowing its contents, customers can buy Amazon packages that were lost during delivery or not received at the post office, sealed, by the kilo. For just €16 ($17.40) per kilo, shoppers can find everything from valuable connected watches and smartphones to more unusual and less valuable items.

Upon entering the store, shoppers are confronted with dozens of stacked boxes, each filled with secrets and possibilities, as if they were about to open an early Christmas present. Some people prefer to open the package on the spot, while others prefer to keep it in suspense until they get home.

The variety of items in the packages is impressive, from cutting-edge technology products to quirky curiosities. “It’s like playing. I paid 40 euros and got three or four headphones, I did a good job,” an enthusiastic customer named Paul shared.

However, not everyone is so lucky. Gisele Peters, for example, expressed disappointment after finding an old dial phone in her package. Despite this, he plans to try to sell it to recoup some of his investment.

Arno Userstam, the store’s founder, says watches and smartphones are the most coveted items, but notes that some customers return home with clothes or even more unusual items, such as 100 dog toothbrushes.

The idea for Pile ou Face came about when Userstam and his wife wondered about the fate of parcels with delivery problems, after experiencing the same problem themselves. After that, they discovered a growing market for unclaimed or returned goods and decided to capitalize on it. So the store signed contracts with online retail giant Amazon to purchase these packages that might otherwise have been destroyed.

In a way, Pile ou Face offers a fun shopping experience full of surprises for those looking for something different. With a wide variety of products and the excitement of the unknown, this store is redefining how we shop and have a retail experience.