The Store Where Your Lost Luggage Might End Up For Sale

One of the most frustrating parts of traveling is finding out your luggage is missing. While you can get compensation from your airline for lost luggage, the bigger question is: What happens to lost or unclaimed luggage when airlines fail to reunite them with their owners? Luckily, 99.5% of lost baggage is recovered, but that still leaves 0.5% unaccounted for, right?

You'll be pleased to know that there is a store that specifically buys unclaimed luggage from airlines and sells the items to the public for reduced prices. Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, Alabama sifts through luggage content to resell the items inside. Only a third of the items they find are of good enough quality to be sold at the store or online. The rest are either recycled or donated, so the entire process is quite sustainable. Think of the excitement of rummaging through personal items and finding unique goods or stumbling onto intriguing personal belongings of previous passengers that get a second life. Some of the rare and peculiar finds include wigs, shark teeth, and two live snakes!

When luggage is lost or unclaimed, airlines try their best to return it to its rightful owner. Usually, a passenger makes a claim that their luggage was lost (and not just delayed), kicking off the search process. Most of the time, luggage is found within a day of it being reported missing. But sometimes, the process can be a little lengthy and there are millions of unclaimed bags circulating, so the airline has to hold any unclaimed luggage for some time before sending it to Unclaimed Baggage. This period changes from one airline to another, but the usual wait time is around 90 days. After that, if owners cannot be located and do not claim their luggage despite multiple attempts, airlines can then sell the luggage to Unclaimed Baggage. 

This store has become so famous that it is now a popular tourist attraction with over a million visitors per year coming to see the random goods that people have left behind. Unclaimed Baggage, which was founded in 1970, is the only one of its kind in the United States that buys and sells "lost" airline luggage. It is a massive shopping destination for both locals and tourists spanning over 50,000 square feet with many rows of previously owned items waiting to find a new home. If you're in the area, pay this attraction a visit and thrift away. 

The store offers a full-on treasure hunt where customers go in not knowing what rare or valuable items they will find. Of course, there are endless varieties of apparel for men, women, and children. It's quite common to find high-end designer brands at low prices as well as outerwear, shoes, and all sorts of accessories at Unclaimed Baggage. It probably comes as no surprise that the store also has a selection of suitcases, bags, and backpacks for affordable prices. After all, they did buy the luggage itself, not just the items inside. Travel accessories such as neck pillows, travel-sized toiletries, noise-canceling headphones, and even portable chargers can be found a whole lot cheaper –– and sometimes in excellent condition. 

If you're looking to snag a deal, some of the best finds include electronics such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even cameras. This should make you think twice before putting your electronics in your checked luggage and risk losing them. The best thing is that these items are tested and any personal data is deleted, making them an excellent and affordable purchase that is priced at 20% to 80% off!

Unique and luxury finds can be found in the jewelry section which has all sorts of rings, earrings, bracelets, and luxury watches across all price ranges. This store even has artwork, vintage books, and antique items. Get ready to shop till you drop at this fascinating store where items have been cleaned and inspected ready to find a new home.