When you first start Returns Outlet Simulator, the amount of equipment can feel overwhelming. Nothing is overly complicated on its own, but if you don’t understand what each item is meant for, you’ll waste money, space, and time very quickly. This guide explains every piece of equipment in simple terms and tells you how it actually fits into running your store efficiently.
Returns Outlet Simulator Equipment Guide
Store Sign
The store sign is where everything begins. It’s introduced during the tutorial and is mainly cosmetic, but it still matters. You can name your store whatever you like and customize the font and color. While it doesn’t affect gameplay mechanics, it helps personalize your shop and makes it feel like your own business rather than just a starter store.
Open / Close Sign
This sign controls whether your store is open or closed. Your shop operates on a daily schedule, opening at 8 AM and closing at 8 PM. When the sign is set to open, customers will start entering. When it’s closed, the store shuts down for the day, giving you time to reorganize, restock, or process items without interruptions.
Equipment Delivery Spot
Any equipment you purchase gets delivered instantly to this spot. There’s no waiting period, which makes upgrading your store much smoother. As your store grows, having a clearly organized delivery area helps prevent clutter and confusion.
Pallet Delivery Spot
This is where pallets of items arrive. You can place multiple pallet delivery spots behind your store, which becomes extremely useful later when you’re handling bulk shipments. More delivery spots mean smoother logistics and less item pile-up.
Checkout
The checkout is where customers pay for their items. You can open or close it depending on your needs. This is also where you receive bulk order lists every few in-game days, which are important for scaling your profits. Managing checkout flow properly keeps customers moving and avoids backups in the store.
Shelving
Shelving is where all sellable items go. Functionally, all shelves work the same. The only differences are size and appearance.
Available shelf types include:
- Small Single Shelves – $100
- Tall Single Shelves – $150
- Small Double Shelves – $200
- Tall Double Shelves – $300
You can place shelves either in the front of the store for customers or in the back for storage. Choose shelves based on space efficiency rather than price alone.
Outside Garbage Bins
These bins are used to dispose of trash bags created from scrapping items. Each bin is color-coded based on material type:
- Green Bin – E-waste
- Yellow Bin – Plastics
- Blue Bin – Paper
- Red Bin – Metal
Trash bags come from scrapping items using the Workshop or Shredder, or from breaking down boxes and pallets that deliveries arrive in.
Inside Garbage Bins
Price: $1,200 each
These work the same way as outside bins but are far more convenient. When placed next to the Workshop or Shredder, trash bags are automatically sorted and deposited into the correct bin. All inside bins cost the same and are a major quality-of-life upgrade once you can afford them.
Workshop
Price: $1,200
The Workshop is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the game. It’s used for repairing and dismantling items that contain electronic components.
Common components handled in the Workshop include:
- Batteries
- Cables
- Circuit boards
- Electric motors
- Graphics cards
- Processors
- Memory cards
- And many more electronic parts
When an item is placed inside, the Workshop shows:
- Whether the item can be repaired
- Its condition (Damaged, Used, Renewed, or New)
- Item details such as name, brand, and market value
If repairable, missing components are highlighted, and you simply drag the required part into place. If you choose to utilize the item instead, the Workshop returns all components, making it the most efficient way to scrap electronics.
Self-Checkout
The self-checkout allows customers to pay for items on their own. This reduces pressure on standard checkout stations and helps handle higher customer traffic later in the game.
Shredder
The Shredder is used to scrap items into trash bags while recovering about 75% of their components. While it’s faster than the Workshop, it’s less efficient. Like the Workshop, it can connect directly to inside garbage bins for automatic sorting.
Ball
The ball exists mainly as a simple interactable object. It doesn’t provide functional value to store management but adds a bit of life to the environment.
Paper Cutter
The paper cutter is used to:
- Cut straps off delivery boxes
- Break down boxes into trash faster
It saves time and keeps your workspace cleaner, especially when handling large deliveries.
Hatchet
The hatchet is used to break down wooden pallets that deliveries arrive on. This clears space quickly and helps generate scrap materials.
Product Scanner
The product scanner works like a handheld phone. Scanning an item shows its market value, which is extremely useful when deciding whether to sell, repair, or scrap an item.
Sampler
The sampler allows you to change:
- Wall colors
- Floor colors
- Equipment colors
Each change costs money, and prices vary depending on what you modify. It’s purely cosmetic but helps customize your store’s appearance.
Basket
The basket lets you carry multiple items at once, even if they’re different. How much you can carry depends on the size of the items. This is one of the most underrated tools for speeding up daily tasks.
Understanding equipment in Returns Outlet Simulator makes the game far more enjoyable. Instead of guessing what does what, you can build an efficient workflow, reduce wasted time, and scale your store faster. Start simple, invest in quality-of-life tools like the Workshop and inside bins early, and everything else will fall into place naturally.