Picking at the Storage Auction

Have you ever been approached by someone, after you purchased a storage unit, that was interested in buying a particular item in your unit? If so, then you've been picked. Does anyone use this strategy while attending storage auctions?

Ive only done deals on-site with some regulars I consider friends. I have tried to pick from newbs, but mostly they are so wide eyed and frantic after winning a unit they can't see straight let alone think about the offer. Rarely do they call me back. To be honest, I don't let newbs pick from me either, I tell them I don't know what I want for item X, I will call them back, typically I don't, especially if they seem to be trying to really get into the storage auction game and bidding on many different units. If I recognize someone who never or rarely bids on units and they ask to buy something from a unit then I might work with them cause they are only looking for specific items, but I am damn sure not going to let someone who competes against me buy something to flip for profit.

I've sold washer and dryer sets, mattresses, some furniture, etc......just so I didn't have to move it.  Other than that, I don't usually sell much until I've researched it.  I like to take my time and go through it myself before I let anybody else have a crack at it.

I have done a bit of picking from other auction buyers.  I have a couple that have "buying fever".  They buy and buy and buy, then they stockpile the stuff and run out of money and space, so then they sell cheap so they can get out and buy more.  I've made some really good deals with them. 

Yes, I've been approached (picked). Me...I'll sell anything to anybody if the price is right. The way I figure it is, why should I haul it, clean it, take photos of it, write up a listing for it, and finally wait for someone to come looking for it; when there is someone right in front of me that wants it.

It was me and only one other guy at a auction looking at a unit   He was very interested in a small table saw I said "what will you give me for it"   He replied "$15"  I said "Sold" then after some back and forth with the property manager got the unit for $25.  Sure beat him bidding and running the price of the unit up    

Have you ever been approached by someone, after you purchased a storage unit, that was interested in buying a particular item in your unit? If so, then you've been picked. Does anyone use this strategy while attending storage auctions?

we were at a U-Haul on Glenrose (Sacto area) and got a unit with a guitar and a case. The guitar was made in China so no biggie and it was a beginner's type training guitar. Anyway, this kid comes up and offers us 25.00 for it and said he would probably just dicker around with it. We told him thank you but no, we did some research online and it would sell for 200.00 new..We got 150.00 when we sold it. Since the kid thought we were newbees (new to the area at the time but not new) ;-) he thought he could con us. I would love for someone to come up and ask if they could buy the mattresses, washers and driers etc. but noooooo they don't do that...  If the price is right it's SOLD!! <doing my nest Jackie Sutton imitation>

I bought a unit that turned out to be the contents of an entire day car center. You could see a child's play kitchen from the door. When I was locking the unit, one of the other bidders approached me and asked if I would take $80 for it. I knew the set retailed for around $120, so I snatched that deal up fast.

I should mention I wouldn't pass up the "right" offer either. Problem is, most offers on the trail are so they can "flip" it themselves.

It seems most of the folks in my area are looking for suckers, and really do not intend to pay a fair market value for anything.

I should expand on this and say most offers are so low a chimpanzee could do the flip and make money!

I wouldn't mind the experienced re-seller who is going to sell item X for $150 & so he offers me $120, but generally that $150 item gets offers between $25-$40. Give me a break! Especially after one of those fine folks bid the unit up from $300 to $500? I don't think many people here would turn around and sell one of the higher value items in the locker to a competitor for $40 after having to spend $500 to win it.

Am I wrong here?

Your right. To me, the offer needs to be fair otherwise I have no problem selling it on my own. If it is a item I don't want to move like a projection TV or refrigerator, even if the offer is 10-20% lower, I'll probably take it.

Your right. To me, the offer need to be fair otherwise I have no problem selling it on my own. If it is a item I don't want to move like a projection TV or refrigerator, even if the offer is 10-20% lower, I'll probably take it.

I agree completely with this. If I am selling something pretty cheap don't try to dicker me even lower.  Like I am asking 20.00 for a fishing pole and you offer me 5.    As the saying goes... "You don't come into my house and disrespect my family!" 

When someone makes you a lowball offer, you can just reverse it on them.

For example:

Customer: Hey how much do you want for this?

You: $20

Customer: How about $5.

You: How about $25

I wouldn't mind the experienced re-seller who is going to sell item X for $150 & so he offers me $120, but generally that $150 item gets offers between $25-$40. Give me a break!

Am I wrong here?

Nope, you're right.  I bought a locker for $700 showing a nice kayak, a new BIG truck tire and other good stuff along with the usual crap.

As I walked up to pull the door down a fellow and his wife walked up and wanted to buy the tire. It was brand new with
nibs showing, white tag on the tread. I valued it for resale at $100. The guy had not bid on the locker so part of your message above didn't apply, but the rest did....he offered me $10.

His wife was so embarassed SHE said "Don't insult him!"

As I pulled the door down I said, "He's not insulting me, but he's saying a lot about himself."

Sold the tire on Clist a week later for the full $100 to a guy who recognized he was saving $50 plus tax over what he would have paid at the store.

I'll occasionally have people come up to me after an auction and either give me a business card or their phone number and say hey if you come across any stereo equipt give me a call or if you find any sports cards gimme a call. I like it, sometimes I can sell on the spot, if nothing else add another buyer to my rolodex.

We bought from a buyer once. At the auction and we needed some chairs to go to a table to make a set. We had been talking and he grabbed a unit with not much in it and sold us the chairs (3) for $10.

Sold three tv's and a pretty bad looking washing machine to a buyer oh and some ladies size 10 shoes (whole box) It was not so much about profit at the time we just did not want to move them. Old heavy type tv's.

Feel we missed an opportunity to sell to a bidder. They ran the unit up, older couple think there was just one item they wanted. (it was a wysiwyg unit). We only paid $75 for the unit would have sold them what ever they wanted cheap. But I did not approach them. Very large crowd.

In general we want pick from buyers. Or sell too either.

I got picked today at an auction. I bought a pretty decent unit with some nice home furnishings and knick knacks. Anyway, this guy approached me after the auction and explained that he was new in the business and was looking for some advice. He asked if he could tour the unit I just bought. He seemed like a pretty decent guy so I let him tag along. We went in the unit and started looking around. He had a ton of questions and I didn't really mind so I explained the basics to him. He ended buying a couple guitar shaped picture frames that were in the unit. Not sure if he really liked them or whether he bought them out of appreciation.