About us
Jacksonville's local auction marketplace.
ZooLots is a local online auction marketplace, based right here in Jacksonville. Bid online on the kind of things you'd see at retail — home goods, electronics, tools, toys, mystery boxes — starting at just $1. When you win, you come pick it up at our Jacksonville warehouse.
We started ZooLots because we believe local shoppers deserve real deals, with real people behind them. No shipping charges, no overseas dropship surprises, no hidden fees. Just a fair auction, an honest description, and a quick pickup down the street.
Every item on ZooLots is opened, inspected, and graded by our team before it goes live — so what you see is what you get.
Why shop with us
- Local, family-run, based in Jacksonville
- Every item inspected and graded by hand
- Flat 10% buyer's premium — no hidden fees
- Free local pickup — no shipping costs
- 7-day return window if something isn't right
- Real people answering questions: call or email anytime
How an auction works
Every item starts at $1 and runs on its own timer. Place a bid, or set a max amount and we'll bid for you up to your limit — same as you'd expect on any major auction site. If someone bids in the last minute, the timer extends by 60 seconds so nobody gets cut off.
Not ready to bid? Tap the heart on any lot to watch it. You'll see your watched, winning, and losing lots in one place so you never lose track. When you win, we email you right away (and text you, if you opt in).
Pickup is easy: after checkout you pick a window that works for you, we send a QR code, and you stop by the warehouse to grab your wins. Most pickups are same-day or next-day.
What you’re actually bidding on
Our inventory comes from major retailers like Amazon and Lowe's — returns, overstock, and items pulled from shelves. Some come back because the box was opened, some because a customer changed their mind, some because a new model replaced them. Most are still in great shape.
We don't list anything until our team has opened it, photographed it, and graded it by hand. Our default grade is “Appears New” — looks new even if the packaging may be opened. If something is more worn than that, we say so clearly with one of these labels: Gently Used, Used, Easy Fix, Heavy Use, Major Fix, or Mixed Condition. No surprises when you open the box.
The price you see is the price you pay
Bids start at $1. When you win, your invoice shows your winning bid, a flat 10% buyer's premium, and Florida sales tax. That's it — no shipping (pickup is local), no fee for scheduling pickup, no reserve hiding behind the scenes.
Payment runs securely through Stripe. And if something isn't what we described, just reach out — we'll make it right within our 7-day return window.
Meet the team
Pablo Denoue
Operations & sourcing
Pablo runs the warehouse side of things. He spent years in wholesale liquidation — working with major-retailer return streams, evaluating pallets, and learning what makes inventory worth your time. Every item you bid on has been through his hands first.
Madhav Soni
Engineering & product
Madhav handles the tech. He studied Computer Science and Cognitive Science at UC Berkeley and has spent years building marketplaces and commerce platforms before ZooLots. He makes sure the site feels easy: bidding is smooth, pickups confirm right away, and your account works the way you'd expect.