Online Storage Auction Websites

It seems that now at least two facilities in my area are going the online auction route. They are using these to websites/services.

sealedonlinebids.com

storagebattles.com

This is not an endorsement of these 2 websites or the practice, just letting you know this might be a trend going forward. I can imagine that it's possible within the next 10 years as many as 50% of the facilities (or more) could be using these services.

It's also possible that this is a "fad" that only lasts a couple of years if the interest in buying storage lockers continue to decrease and the serious buyers reject the use of online auction websites.

My thinking is had these storage facilities and the website creators jumped on this format when the auction scene was getting really popular about a 1-1/2 years ago they probably would have been really successful. Not so sure now that the peak of interest seems to be over.

It was great when it came out it started in my state which is where the home office is. But the prices are way to high and I avoid them all together. When It started I bought a few and made alot of money as there were some of the best units Ive ever bought

Hi Cobia,

I am Kevin with Sealed Online Bids. I haven't checked this site in quite a while (months), but what a coincidence.

Actually, we are almost rounding our THIRD year of business. We honestly started this business model before the TV shows even began airing the teasers - probably a year before the shows started.

Business is great for us and growing daily - if you have any direct questions, please feel free to ask.

Have a great day,


Kevin Gorzny
Sealed Online Bids
801-893-1345

This is really neat I'd like some in nc

Hi Cobia,

I am Kevin with Sealed Online Bids. I haven't checked this site in quite a while (months), but what a coincidence.

Actually, we are almost rounding our THIRD year of business. We honestly started this business model before the TV shows even began airing the teasers - probably a year before the shows started.

Business is great for us and growing daily - if you have any direct questions, please feel free to ask.

Have a great day,


Kevin Gorzny
Sealed Online Bids
801-893-1345

Kevin,

I will make a suggestion here in public that others can read and perhaps if they agree, they can call you or the facilities and ask to ammend the process.

The primary problem with the online auction format is the lack of sensory information bidders get from attending a live auction as opposed to an online auction. Since it's the facilities taking the photographs, there are often multiple problems with the photographs being used to show the units on the website. Blurry photos, grainy photos, photos at strange angles, photos were the subject is too dark or too light, bad use of flash, multiple photos of useless information (I don't need 2 photos of a closed storage door to verify which unit I am bidding on). Photos also do not properly show depth perception & often do not reveal what can be seen in the back of longer units. There are also other clues that bidders use to determine the value of a unit, for instance are there any noxious odors coming from the unit? (rotting food, dead animals, gasoline or other potentially dangerous chemicals); How much dust is on the surface of the boxes and such? Can't see that in the photos. Has the dust been disturbed? (fingerprints & footsteps that tell use the boxes have been gone through). Any visable water damage on the boxes & furniture? Smell of mold? The photos are not detailed enough to sight water damage. How about just the condition of furniture? A clean piece of furniture is a lot more valueable then a piece of furniture with many scratches, scraps, nicks, etc. that can't be seen in those photos.

I'll get to my point.

I believe your service and the facility will realize greater support & higher bids if they offered a preview day and a guaranteed lock out. Advertise a time and a day for all potential bidders to preview the unit before the online auction starts. All the manager would have to do is gather the crowd, open the door for say 5 or 10 minutes then close it, and direct them to the website were they can bid on it. A guarantee that the unit will not be re-entered by anyone (barring emergencies) until the winning bidder arrives to claim their property would be great too.

I realize one of the reasons for using the online auction site is so a facility manager or owner doesn't lose the whole day conducting the auction, and doesn't have a huge crowd on site, but having a preview day wouldn't take up nearly as much time as conducting an auction, and the added benefits of having more & higher bidding would probably make up for the trouble.

I for one would like to be able to try the online auctions but there are none in the Puget sound region yet.  I think it would be good for someone like me who works full time and does the lockers as a hobby lead into retirement income type of thing.  I can not spend more then one day a month actually going to auctions. It would be nice to be able to pick them up online.  So any prospects of the lockers in Western Washington?   

I for one would like to be able to try the online auctions but there are none in the Puget sound region yet.  I think it would be good for someone like me who works full time and does the lockers as a hobby lead into retirement income type of thing.  I can not spend more then one day a month actually going to auctions. It would be nice to be able to pick them up online.  So any prospects of the lockers in Western Washington?   

Like Cobia stated and its true you see what the storage company wants you to see. Its a huge gamble and to me its blind bidding without see unit live. Would you buy a house or a car online without looking at it first? The unit needs to be looked at in person before bought period! Its your money do as you wish. Online auction are perfect for newbeeis, let them blind bid and learn.

I think it would be good for someone like me who works full time and does the lockers as a hobby lead into retirement income type of thing.

If not being on site causes you to overbid, then you're better off skipping the day of work, it'll be cheaper in the long run.

If not being on site causes you to overbid, then you're better off skipping the day of work, it'll be cheaper in the long run.

Well since a day at works is worth more then $300 to me if I overpay a bit but would have held back in person it would not be a big deal. 

Well since a day at works is worth more then $300 to me if I overpay a bit but would have held back in person it would not be a big deal. 

Live and learn I guess

I for one would like to be able to try the online auctions but there are none in the Puget sound region yet.  I think it would be good for someone like me who works full time and does the lockers as a hobby lead into retirement income type of thing.  I can not spend more then one day a month actually going to auctions. It would be nice to be able to pick them up online.  So any prospects of the lockers in Western Washington?   

Sometimes buyers are stuck holding items until the right buyer emerges. Indeed, the third-generation auctioneer, added in an interview that if someone told him that they quit their jobs and decided to become a storage buyer full-time without previous experience, he would advise them to try and get their old job back.

Sometimes buyers are stuck holding items until the right buyer emerges. Indeed, the third-generation auctioneer, added in an interview that if someone told him that they quit their jobs and decided to become a storage buyer full-time without previous experience, he would advise them to try and get their old job back.

BWD didn't give attribution on that statement, so I will. It was from Dan Dotson in the NBC story linked by  BWD in another thread today.

It seems that now at least two facilities in my area are going the online auction route. They are using these to websites/services.

sealedonlinebids.com

storagebattles.com

This is not an endorsement of these 2 websites or the practice, just letting you know this might be a trend going forward. I can imagine that it's possible within the next 10 years as many as 50% of the facilities (or more) could be using these services.

It's also possible that this is a "fad" that only lasts a couple of years if the interest in buying storage lockers continue to decrease and the serious buyers reject the use of online auction websites.

My thinking is had these storage facilities and the website creators jumped on this format when the auction scene was getting really popular about a 1-1/2 years ago they probably would have been really successful. Not so sure now that the peak of interest seems to be over.

This service will be selected by the market, but the buyer might be the winner. Many storage facilities will choose to use a service like this to keep the people (crowds) out of the site. These sites bring less money for the units, but it is real difficult without a professional photographer documenting the unit for bidders to judge the unit.

More choices for you the bidder to use - not a bad thing. If you dont bid online the service will die, but it looks like people are bidding. Every other auction on the planet has gone to online bidding - why would this be different?

A new generation of bidders...

Look Out! lol