Do you care who wins the unit?

We have one serious whale (we'll call him EF) and folks just generally groan when he shows up.  Everybody knows if he wants it, he gets it.  But I have never seen him 'overbid' on a unit.  A few folks truly dislike him, but I've found him to be quite pleasant.  When Don got that nice unit a couple weeks ago EF wasn't there.  He showed up the next day and was talking with Don about it.  He said "you know you wouldn't have won it if I was there."  Don chuckled and said "Yeah.....I would have.  I just would have paid more!"   

When I bid on a unit and it is apparent I'm not going to win it, I'm always ecstatic when I hear the 'yeah' from the back of the crowd, as I know who it is and what it represents.  I told Don one day that I love it when EF goes on a buying spree.  I know that he'll fill his sails and be done, leaving relatively smooth sailing for the remainder of the month~

I also know that there are a number of folks (newbies and looky-loos and one smelly, icky regular ) that I hate to see win units, unless of course it's an obvious bust then I'm thrilled!  Nothing will stop 'em more than losing their collective butts a time or two!

I've got certain folks who I am friends with and we have an unspoken (and often spoken for emphasis) rule that when one of us really wants a unit the other will only go so far.  It's worked quite well and I'm always happy when they land a unit.  A young lady actually beat out EF on an antique unit.  He got his bid in just as the auctioneer said sold.   I walked up behind him and said 'You're slipping old man!'  He chuckled and said he didn't know who had the bid.  I told him who won it and that she loves to restore antiques.  He said 'well then that's good'. 

About a month ago a gal (who has been driving me nuts) bought a unit (that was nothing but trash) and literally shouted "oh honey.....we got our first one!!"  Many regulars stated (loudly, but under their breath) 'yeah and you paid way too much for it'.   Last week they were out buying up units.  Come to find out she told my friend that they still haven't cleaned out the first locker they bought?!?!  WTF

Anywho~we're going out to a couple unadvertised auctions today.  Hoping to land a unit or two and if not us~I hope it's one of my buddies or EF.  Because if the sneaky mousy girl is there and lands another unit........I might just lose my 'nice' title and pop off at her!   

Only a clueless noobie.  Got on to my husband talking out of school about a unit and what was inside. We were not bidding, He said we were not bidding on it I said but our friend was.

We have an EF also. Only ours likes to dump units on noobies. He tried with us he was lucky a noobie jumped in.  And he keeps to himself, have never spoke to him (his choice). The more he sees us the better it is getting. Did see him get beat up (bidding) at an auction, it was sad.

He is also the one saying did you see the safe / gun/ starts trouble only when there is a lot of noobies. 

The mousy people are only around for one or two auctions. But there is always a new one in their place. 

Keep your cool Rockin don't want to see a post of the cops coming and arresting an auction buyer.

Oh wait might deter noobies. Go for it !!!!!!

I am not fond of one or more regulars who tend to buy "all" the lockers...spread the joy guys !

This happens less over time as some of the lkrs they get don't pay out well.

I also don't care for newbies who buy 5 out of the 10 or so at any given auction, but for them it's an even quicker death. One guy did that a couple of months ago and  no one has seen him since.

I also don't care for newbies who buy 5 out of the 10 or so at any given auction, but for them it's an even quicker death. One guy did that a couple of months ago and  no one has seen him since.

Maybe he's still selling off all the stuff he bought!

Maybe he's still selling off all the stuff he bought!

Most likely, he's NOT selling the stuff he bought, cause he didn't have a sales strategy prior to purchasing his units.

Just sayin'.   

Most likely, he's NOT selling the stuff he bought, cause he didn't have a sales strategy prior to purchasing his units.

Just sayin'.   

Or he needed to furnish his house.
We see those too. 

For the most part I don't care who wins the unit unless I'm really interested in it.  Then I hope I win it or one of my buddies so that I can at least take a look.  We have a few EFs in our mix.  One is a church but they have cut his purse some I think.  The other two are auction house guys.

We have a couple of what I'll call new regulars that have been tossing money around like mad.  Really wondering if they are making any money or not.  This is the guy that ran up to the auction on a Saturday in his PJs and flip flops.  He does yard sales and sells at the flea.  He may be doing ok but they sure do waste money.  I've bid him up a few times just to help him spend money.  They normally go after the same lockers I generally like.  So if they go for one I'm only semi-interested in I'll run him up a few bids if no one else is bidding.  They like to gamble -- he was one of the bidders Thursday going for the "empty box" unit that sold for $1375.  He stayed in till $1300 or so.

One of the regular buyers who likes to "buy them all" made a mistake recently.

He and his wife paid $3850 for a 10 x 30 that was pretty full but hard to really see anything.

Word has come down from people in whom he confided that he thought he would lose about $2,000 on it.

Oh well...take the fall and learn a lesson...and don't be so greedy.

and don't be so greedy.

IMO, paying $3850 for a unit where it's pretty full but hard to see anything, has more to do with stupidity and less to do with greed.

IMO, paying $3850 for a unit where it's pretty full but hard to see anything, has more to do with stupidity and less to do with greed.

That's right, but the fact they want to "buy them all" has to do with greed.

That's right, but the fact they want to "buy them all" has to do with greed.

I haven't seen them around after buying them all.  .

One of the regular buyers who likes to "buy them all" made a mistake recently.

He and his wife paid $3850 for a 10 x 30 that was pretty full but hard to really see anything.

Word has come down from people in whom he confided that he thought he would lose about $2,000 on it.

Oh well...take the fall and learn a lesson...and don't be so greedy.

Personally, I am going to be just as "greedy" as I can handle the quanity of units and buy at a price to turn a profit. I am always looking to expand this business and make more money! Auctions are a competition and a gamble. Generally when we lose a unit we wanted we console ourselves by saying the other guy "overpaid" or "got run up" when in a lot cases we would have paid just $10-$50 less then the winning bid.  Sometimes we make real smart or lucky buys, sometimes we roll the dice and hit craps. I don't like the idea of accusing someone of being "greedy' for trying to make money in this business by going big. There are two regulars in my area who work together and they are the only two who have seemed to survive the droves of newbies since the TV shows and they are now really starting to buy up the better units. Funny thing is a couple of months ago they accused ME of being greedy because I get the best units of the day (3 in all). These guys are constant buyers, buying every week, and lately they have been pulling the better units. So whose "greedy" now? No, I don't accuse them of being greedy, I just know if I want a certain type of unit I have to step on thier toes and bid against them. It's competition, and knowing how to run your business, simple as that.

Personally, I am going to be just as "greedy" as I can handle the quanity of units and buy at a price to turn a profit.

 It's competition, and knowing how to run your business, simple as that.

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree I guess. Among the regulars I run with we have an agreement to "share" the wealth and not buy every locker we like and can afford. There are always more lockers around the corner and we often say to each other "do you want this one?" knowing if person "A" needs one right now we can live without it.

On the other hand, the couple I am talking about want no part of that cooperation and subsequently they get run up by any number of people; they don't help us and we don't help them.

As far as knowing how to "run your business, simple as that" goes, there are different ways to "run your business" and they can all be profitable. Apple maintains their price points as an example (doesn't cut prices like others do) and they seem to be doing all right.

I have friends who "turn and burn" and I have friends who are willing to hold out for more .... both are successful. There is always more than one way to be successful (IMO).

Not to step on anyones toes but several of you have publicly admitted to "Bid Rigging" and "Collusion"
which is a Felony.

I would advise you not to post anymore about " agreements" that you have....and edit what you have already posted

Not to step on anyones toes but several of you have publicly admitted to "Bid Rigging" and "Collusion"
which is a Felony.

I would advise you not to post anymore about " agreements" that you have....and edit what you have already posted

                 Where is "Bid Rigging" at ? 

If you can live without a unit and someone you know wants it you just don't bid. They are still bidding against anyone else who wants it.

Running someone up on a locker is a gamble, you could win it.