Find a luggage auction. The largest luggage auction in the United States is at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama. While no directory of luggage auctions exists, an Internet search can reveal other luggage auctions closer to your home.
View the luggage before you buy. Many auctions have a viewing day that takes place before the actual auction. This is a vital way to get some information on what is available, do some research and formulate your bid accordingly. Take notes of any pieces of luggage in particularly good shape or that you suspect you could turn a profit on.
Research prospective buys after the viewing day. Use online auction sites such as eBay to assess what people are willing to pay for certain types of used luggage. By pinpointing the price of the case, you are hedging your risk that what is inside will impact your bid price. Even if you wind up with a suitcase full of nothing, you can still sell the luggage for a tidy profit.
Decide on a maximum bid price on the pieces of luggage that you researched and bid accordingly on auction day. Focus only on how much you can sell a particular piece of luggage for. Auctioneers often do not give more than vague details about what is inside the suitcases. Until you've actually bought a piece, it doesn't pay to rely on the contents of the case to make you a profit.
