The used tote market in the Great Lakes has a rhythm. If you can move your buying or selling by four weeks, knowing the rhythm is worth more than any negotiation.
January — the cheapest month to buy
Nobody is doing anything outdoors, construction is quiet, and we have a yard full of units bought during the autumn clear-out season. Stock is high, demand is low, prices are at their softest. If your purchase can wait for January, wait.
February and March — maple takes everything
Sap season empties our food-grade shelves completely. Producers book in January and still sometimes miss out. If you need food-grade stock in Q1 for anything other than maple, order it in November.
Technical grades are unaffected and remain cheap.
April and May — the spring squeeze
Agriculture wakes up, construction restarts, and everybody discovers their winter freeze losses at the same time. Demand spikes across every grade at once and lead times stretch. This is the most expensive time to buy and the best time to sell.
June, July and August — steady, with a logistics problem
Demand is high but predictable. The constraint moves from stock to freight: everybody is shipping, carriers are tight, and the cost of a dedicated run rises. Backhaul slots become genuinely valuable, so flexibility on pickup dates pays.
September and October — the clear-out
Businesses tidy their yards before winter. Buyback volume peaks; this is when we buy most of our stock. If you are selling, you are competing with everybody else who is selling, so expect a softer number than you would get in April.
It is also the best window for a site clean-out, because we have trucks running the routes anyway.
November and December — the quiet turn
Buying slows, we wash through the autumn intake, and food-grade stock is rebuilt for the maple season. Lead times are short and nobody is in a hurry. A good time to place a non-urgent order.
| Month | Best for buyers | Best for sellers | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Best prices of the year | Weak | Short |
| Feb–Mar | Technical only; FG gone | Food grade sells high | Short, except FG |
| Apr–May | Worst prices | Best prices of the year | Stretched |
| Jun–Aug | Stable | Good | Freight-limited |
| Sep–Oct | Good, high stock | Soft — everybody is selling | Short |
| Nov–Dec | Good | Soft | Shortest |
Why we tell you this
Because we would rather have a customer who buys at the right time every year than one who overpays once in May and never comes back. The seasonality is real, it is not a secret in the trade, and knowing it makes you better at planning — which makes you easier to supply.
