WHO WE BUY FROM
We buy from the businesses that hold the stock
Excess builds up for ordinary reasons: a cancelled order, an over-buy against a forecast that moved, a last-time-buy that ran long, a design that reached end of life with inventory still on the shelf. We buy that material directly from the company that owns it.
OEMs & electronics manufacturers
Stock left over from production runs, cancelled orders, forecast changes and last-time buys.
EMS & contract manufacturers
Customer-cancelled builds, over-supplied kits and material left stranded when a programme ends.
Design & engineering companies
Prototype overspend, evaluation stock and parts bought for designs that did not reach production.
End users holding genuine unused inventory
Maintenance spares, decommissioned line stock and material from a site closure.
A note on brokered lists
Our focus is manufacturer and end-user material — stock held in one place, with a known history. We do trade with distributors, but a list that has already been circulated widely on the open market is usually worth less to us, and often already has a price attached that we cannot improve on. We would rather say so in the first email than waste a fortnight of yours.
WHAT WE PURCHASE
If it appears on a bill of materials, send it
Factory-sealed or opened, current production or long discontinued, a single line or an entire warehouse.
Semiconductors
MCUs, FPGAs, processors, analog and logic ICs.
Memory & storage
DRAM, NAND, NOR, eMMC and modules.
Passives
MLCCs, resistors, inductors and crystals. Full reels preferred.
Power
Regulators, converters, MOSFETs, IGBTs and modules.
Connectors & electromechanical
Connectors, relays, switches and sockets.
RF & optoelectronics
RF front-ends, LEDs, displays and sensors.
Obsolete & EOL lines
Discontinued parts that are still in demand somewhere in the world.
Entire inventories
Site closures, product end-of-life, stock rationalisation — we will take the whole problem.
HOW VALUATION WORKS
What actually decides the number
The single most common surprise for people selling excess for the first time is that the price they see online is not what their stock is worth. A market listing is an asking price, from a seller who may have held that part for two years. What we can offer depends on what we can realistically redeploy it for, and how quickly.
01
Part number and quantity. What the part is, and how much of it there is. Quantity cuts both ways — enough to be worth moving is good, but far more than the market absorbs in a reasonable window will pull the unit price down.
02
Packaging and condition. Factory-sealed full reels are worth materially more than opened, part-used or loose material, because the next buyer can put them straight into a machine without re-reeling, re-counting or questioning them.
03
Date code. Age matters, though not as bluntly as people expect. What matters is whether the next buyer’s process will accept it — some industries are relaxed, others will not touch stock beyond a certain age, and that narrows the pool of people we can place it with.
04
Storage history and traceability. Where it has been, how it was stored, and whether you bought it through the franchised channel. Clean provenance widens the market; an unclear history narrows it sharply, whatever the parts themselves are like.
05
Current demand for that line. This is the part no spreadsheet can tell you. A part in allocation or newly obsolete but still designed-in can be worth far more than list; the same part after the market has been supplied can be worth very little.
06
What it costs us to place it. Storage, handling, inspection and the time it sits on our book before it moves. A line we can place next week prices differently from one we will hold for a year.
What makes a list easy to price: manufacturer part number, quantity, packaging condition, date code and location. That is enough for a firm offer on most lines. Anything missing usually means a slower, more cautious number — not because we are being difficult, but because unknowns have to be priced as risk.
WHY QUANTA SOURCE
A buyer, not a broker
We purchase stock onto our own book because we believe we can place it. That means a firm price and a clean transaction, rather than an indication that moves once someone else has committed.
We pay before collection
Payment for the goods typically lands in your account before the stock leaves your building.
We arrange and pay for logistics
We book the courier and cover the cost. You hand over the boxes.
Strictly confidential
Your list, your pricing and your identity are never disclosed without your consent. We will sign an NDA first if you need one.
Decades of combined experience
Our team has worked across component purchasing, sales, distribution and manufacturing — so a list is read by someone who understands what it is.
Certified and accountable
ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified, and members of the Global Electronics Association, the LCCI and BritCham China.
Global reach
UK headquarters with operations across Asia and Australia, placing stock into demand wherever it sits.
THE PROCESS
Six steps from list to funds
1
Send your list. A spreadsheet of manufacturer part numbers and quantities. Upload it below or email it — whichever is easier.
2
We review and price it. A named trader reviews the list against live market data and current demand across our network.
3
You receive an itemised offer. Typically within 48 hours, line by line, for the parts we can buy. There is no obligation to accept any of it.
4
You confirm the stock. A few photographs of labels, packaging and date codes are enough. Nothing to unpack or move.
5
We handle paperwork and payment. A straightforward agreement by email, then payment — usually before the goods leave you.
6
We collect. We book and pay for the courier. Money in the account, space back in the warehouse.
Prefer the detail? The full nine-step process walks through every stage, including photographs and paperwork.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Selling excess, answered
Who buys excess electronic components?
Independent traders and distributors like Quanta Source. We buy surplus stock outright from the business holding it, then redeploy it to manufacturers who need that part. The alternative routes — consignment, auction or scrap — are usually slower, less certain, or recover far less.
What information should be in my inventory list?
Manufacturer part number, quantity, packaging condition, date code and stock location. A plain spreadsheet is ideal. If you only have part numbers and quantities, send that — we will ask for the rest where it matters.
Do you buy obsolete and end-of-life stock?
Yes, and it is often more valuable than people assume. Once a manufacturer issues an end-of-life notice, the businesses still building that design have to find material somewhere. Obsolete stock in good condition can be worth considerably more than current production.
Do you buy opened reels and part quantities?
Yes. Factory-sealed full reels are worth more, because the next buyer can use them without question, but we regularly buy opened and part-used material. Tell us honestly what condition it is in and we will price it accordingly.
Can you sign an NDA?
Yes. Say so before you send anything and we will put one in place first. In any case your list, pricing and identity are never disclosed outside Quanta Source without your consent.
Do you buy entire warehouse inventories?
Yes. Site closures, product end-of-life and stock rationalisation are among the most common reasons people come to us. We will take the whole problem rather than cherry-picking the easy lines and leaving you with the rest.
How quickly will I receive an offer?
Typically within 48 hours of receiving a workable list. Very large or complex inventories can take longer, and we will tell you up front if that is the case rather than going quiet.
Who pays for collection?
We do. Quanta Source books and pays for the courier. Payment for the goods themselves typically reaches your account before the stock leaves your building.
Can I sell stock held outside the UK?
Yes. We are UK headquartered with operations across Asia and Australia, and we buy stock held worldwide. Tell us where it sits and we will handle the logistics and customs from there.
More on our general FAQ, or ask us directly.
SUBMIT YOUR LIST
Send your excess list
A spreadsheet is perfect. Part numbers and quantities are enough to start — we will come back with questions if we need them.
An independent distributor and trader of electronic components. We buy excess inventory, source hard-to-find parts, and keep working components in circulation.
CONTACT
hello@quanta-source.com
LinkedIn
We aim to respond within one business day, across UK, Asia & Australia hours.
CERTIFIED & ACCREDITED
© 2026 Quanta Source Ltd. All rights reserved. Registered in England & Wales, company no. 17356050. Registered office: 66 Paul St, London, EC2A 4NA.