• Bingers Bargain Bins opened in February and sells overstock items from major retailers.
• I shopped there on a Tuesday afternoon when everything was 99 cents and found a few items to buy. 
• I recommend visiting right after they restock, but it'll be a fun experience whenever you go. 

In a warehouse in Astoria, Queens, there's a store that sells overstock products from large retailers for more than half the price.

I first heard about Bingers Bargain Bins on TikTok when I saw a video of a woman rummaging through a large bin of items.

Upon further investigating, I learned that Bingers opened in February and is considered "NYC's newest bargain shopping experience," according to its website. The company buys overstocked goods from major US retailers — like Amazon, CVS, and Target — and it sells them for super cheap in its Astoria warehouse. 

"It's like a mystery," Julian Callegari, one of the founders of Bingers, told me. "Most people come in and don't know what they're going to get. Sometimes you'll come in and see something you were looking at on Amazon the other day."

On a Tuesday afternoon, I ventured out to Bingers in Astoria and found a nondescript warehouse on an empty street.

After an hour train ride from my apartment in Brooklyn, I arrived in Astoria. When I turned onto Bingers' street, I wondered if I was in the wrong place. All the buildings looked like abandoned warehouses, and there were delivery trucks lining the street. It didn't feel like the type of place you'd want to go shopping. 

But I eventually spotted the entrance to Bingers, which was painted in blue. 

Once inside, I found a warehouse space filled with people rummaging through large bins full of products.

At the front of the store, there was a table stacked with large Ikea bags for people to use as shopping baskets, a box of gloves, and hand sanitizer. People inside the store were also wearing masks. 

In all, there were 14 bins that filled the main part of the space.

The prices change each day so, above the bins, there was a large sign that broke down the pricing by day.

Every Friday morning the store is completely restocked with new products, so the price for every item in the store is the highest that day — still, items are just $6.99. The price then drops each day of the week until they are at their cheapest at 99 cents on Tuesdays. 

The store is closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

Since I went on a Tuesday, everything in the store cost less than a dollar.

I chose Tuesday because it was the cheapest day, and I figured I would score the best finds at the cheapest price. That was a mistake. When I started digging through the bins, I was sifting mostly through items I could find at my local dollar store. At first glance, I found a lot of holiday decorations, kids' toys, face masks, and loose underwear. 

Still, I watched as people around me filled their Ikea bags with items from the bins.

I began to wonder what I was missing, so I pulled the cashier to the side to ask if I came on the wrong day. He told that since the store restocks once a week, most of the great items are bought Friday and Saturday. In fact, the company's Facebook page said they were selling a piece of sports memorabilia worth $120, a hand blender worth $45, and a professional hair dryer worth $60 all for $6.99 each earlier that week. Callegari later told me they've even stocked some items worth $300. 

Even though most of those items are gone by Tuesday, the cashier promised me that if I dug deep, there were probably some great finds waiting to be discovered.

Determined to find something in the bins that I would want, I started digging through the piles of goods.

At first, I could only find empty boxes and more useless items, but I was determined to keep searching.

Eventually, I found a phone case that I loved and screen protectors.

On Amazon, the DTTO phone case costs $12 and the screen protectors cost $10. If I bought them online, I would have spent $22, but at Bingers, they only cost $2.

For me, that felt like a steal. 

I found two other items that I could use in the kitchen buried in the bins, too.

The 3-in-1 avocado tool costs $10 on Amazon, but I got it for only $1. 

When I started finding items I was interested in buying, something interesting happened. I noticed I was having fun — something I haven't felt while shopping in a long time. 

Next to the bins, there were stacks of books that customers could buy for $1.

Although none of the books appealed to me, there was a wide range of textbooks, novels, and self-help books. Each of them could have been scooped for $1. 

I was impressed by the sheer volume and variety of products that were offered.

Although Callegari didn't go into detail about his buying process, most major retailers sell off overstock items for cheap when they have too many of one item or when customers return something they bought. Callegari said he and the other founders of the company started buying these truckloads of goods from major retailers back in August.

They opened a similar business around that time, but closed it to start Bingers. Over the last few months, Bingers has become increasingly popular. 

"When we first opened, it took us maybe two months to sell a whole truckload," Callegari said. "Now, we are going through a truckload every week and a half." 

Above the books, there were three boxes that Bingers calls "mystery boxes."

The large mystery box costs $110, the medium costs $75, and the small costs $50. Callegari explained that each of the boxes — which can also be shipped around the US — is filled with items from Amazon and other retailers. 

Callegari explained the boxes are unique to Bingers and add another layer of uniqueness to the shopping experience.

Also, if I spent $50 or more at Bingers, I got to spin a prize wheel to earn even more deals.

The wheel is located at the checkout counter and allows you to earn up to 15% off your purchase or three free items. 

I only spent $5 dollars at Bingers, so I wasn't able to spin the wheel, unfortunately. 

Even though I probably went on the wrong day, Bingers is a unique and fun shopping experience.

As someone who doesn't love shopping online, I know how monotonous in-person shopping can get. But for me, Bingers breathed new life into the traditional retail space and put a unique twist on shopping. It's also clear that the store provides an affordable way for people to buy items they need that they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. 

Despite the fact that I probably should have gone on Friday for the better products and that I had to travel far for the store, I think Bingers is well worth it. Not only can you get great deals most days of the week, but you also get to have fun while doing it. 

Luckily, Callegari said he plans to grow Bingers by expanding the current space and opening more locations throughout the tri-state area. 

"We plan on growing the business and getting to as many people as possible," Callegari said. 

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