A Target High Piece Count truckload is a full 24-pallet load of small and medium-sized general merchandise from Target, typically containing 14,000 to 15,000 units of overstock, shelf pulls, and customer returns. These loads are built around unit volume rather than large individual items, which makes them a common choice for bin stores, flea market vendors, and online resellers who need to fill shelves and bins quickly.
The merchandise in an HPC load is conveyable, meaning items are small enough to move through a distribution center conveyor system. Expect categories like toys, housewares, kitchen gadgets, beauty products, accessories, and consumer electronics, with many loads listing a high percentage of brand-new or Grade A condition goods.
Pricing, piece counts, and shipping origins vary by supplier, and so does the actual product mix inside each load. We cover what these truckloads include, what they generally cost, where they ship from, and how to evaluate whether an HPC load fits your resale model before you commit to a purchase.
Understanding High Piece Count Truckload Shipments
A high piece count (HPC) truckload is measured by unit volume rather than pallet count, packing thousands of small items into a single shipment. These loads follow a predictable freight profile and serve specific resale channels that depend on turnover rather than high individual ticket prices.
Definition And Core Characteristics
An HPC truckload carries the maximum number of small to medium items per pallet instead of bulky, low-count goods. Pallets are typically stacked to roughly 7 feet, or packed into 4-foot Gaylords depending on the supplier.
For Target HPC loads, we generally see the following structure:
| Attribute | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Pallets per truckload | 24 |
| Units per truckload | ~14,000–15,000 |
| Units per pallet | ~600 |
| Condition mix | 85–95% brand new, remainder Grade A returns |
| Estimated retail value | Around $200,000 |
Most HPC loads ship unmanifested, meaning there is no item-by-item list. Buyers are purchasing volume and category consistency rather than a verified inventory of specific SKUs.
Common Industries And Freight Profiles
Bin stores are the primary buyers, since a $5 or $7 opening-day price point requires thousands of units to fill tables each week. Dollar stores, flea market vendors, live auction sellers, and online resellers use the same loads for similar reasons.
The freight profile leans toward small general merchandise:
- Home goods and kitchen gadgets
- Toys and children’s items
- Beauty and personal care products
- Small electronics and accessories
- Housewares and impulse products
Many Target HPC loads specifically exclude apparel, shoes, and seasonal merchandise, though this varies by seller and warehouse. Shipping points commonly include North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, and California, so freight cost depends heavily on your distance from the originating distribution center.
Planning And Executing Efficient Loads
High piece count truckloads succeed or fail on three variables: how we fill the trailer’s cube and axles, how we stack and secure hundreds of individual handling units, and how we price and assign the move. Each decision compounds, so a poor loading pattern raises both damage claims and freight spend.
Capacity And Weight Considerations
A 53-foot dry van gives us roughly 3,489 cubic feet and 26 standard GMA pallet positions on the floor, with a legal payload near 42,000–45,000 pounds depending on tractor weight and fuel.
High piece count freight almost always cubes out before it weighs out. Cartons of paper goods, apparel, or e-commerce parcels commonly average 8–15 pounds per cubic foot, so we plan against volume first and verify weight second.
Key checks before we tender:
- Axle distribution — 12,000 lb steer, 34,000 lb drive, 34,000 lb tandem under federal bridge rules
- Pinwheeling or turned pallets to gain 2–4 extra positions in the tail
- Double stacking where carton crush strength and pallet height (typically 48–52 inches) allow
- Trailer selection — 53′ van, 48′ van, or high-cube for lightweight, bulky cartons
We also confirm dock restrictions at delivery, since a 30-pallet floor-loaded trailer takes far longer to unload than 26 stacked pallets.
Loading Methods And Securement
Floor loading maximizes cube for high piece counts but adds labor. Palletized loading costs space and speeds turnaround. We choose based on the receiver’s unloading capability and the value of dock time on both ends.
Practical rules we apply:
- Heavy, dense cartons go on the bottom; light and fragile items ride on top
- Load tight front to back so freight cannot shift; gaps invite damage
- Fill voids with airbags, void filler, or load bars every 8–10 feet
- Use straps and E-track for uneven stacks, and slip sheets between layers of mixed SKUs
For mixed-stop loads, we sequence in reverse delivery order so the first stop is at the rear doors. Bulkheads or load locks between stops prevent cross-contamination of consignments and speed driver counts at each delivery.
A signed, accurate piece count on the bill of lading protects us in claims. Seal numbers should be recorded at origin and verified at every stop.
Carrier Selection And Cost Management
Not every carrier wants high piece count freight. Loads requiring driver assist, hand unloading, or lumper fees carry a different cost profile than drop-and-hook palletized freight, and rates should reflect that.
| Factor | What we evaluate |
|---|---|
| Equipment | Van age, floor condition, logistics posts, swing doors |
| Detention | Free time offered, hourly rate after expiration |
| Accessorials | Driver count, lumper reimbursement, stop-off charges |
| Performance | On-time percentage, claims ratio on carton freight |
We compare contract rates against spot market benchmarks by lane and quarter, since imbalanced lanes can swing 15–25% seasonally.
Consolidating multiple LTL shipments into a single truckload usually lowers cost per hundredweight and reduces handling touches, which directly cuts damage exposure. Where volume supports it, dedicated capacity or a committed lane award stabilizes both price and equipment availability.