I've bought lockers from their owners twice. The benefit is you generally get to look much closer, look in boxes etc. On the first one it was a family with grandma's stuff. They had tried to sell out of the unit, garage sale style a couple times but it was packed really tight and they had only made back a couple feet. I think it was a 10x15. Tons of boxes all marked with tempting things. Paid $900. Got past the packed to the ceiling boxes to find tons of broken furniture. After costs, made maybe $600 profit. Lots of work, had to really make an effort to make a profit. Not a very good experience. On the second one, about the same size, paid $400. At initial viewing the owner kept pointing out items he was keeping. There was a $600 coffee maker in sight. He kept saying how valuable it was. Told him to get his "I'm keeping that" stuff out before we would pay. Came back to find coffee maker gone. Told him we wanted it or deal's off. He brought it back. Paid him and started to clean out locker. He stayed and watched and kissed all his "beautiful things" goodbye. Seriously! He called us several times over the next few weeks to ask if we had found certain things he wanted to have back. A chef knife, a drawing, a gold and ruby ring. Found the chef knife, nice but had a nick in the blade (gave it back to him). Didn't find the drawing, found the ring but had already sold it before he asked about so we told him we didn't find it. We ended up getting a little over $500 for the coffee maker on EBAY.  Overall, made $1700 profit on that one. Good money, awkward experience. 

My advice about buying from owners...if they say they have been selling stuff you can be sure they sold the good stuff, and if they seem attached to their stuff make sure they leave before you start emptying the locker.   

Just a follow up, I filed my claim with ShipCover on the 11th (very easy to do) and they paid me within 3 days. Got a claim form from the post office to try to get the shipping back and haven't gotten around to filling it out yet but from what I am hearing I shouldn't hold my breath.

I think it is an outside company that EBAY has just contracted with. I don't see a dropdown button to change the shipping to USPS

I've sold a few sets of china on Ebay. They definitely don't go for very much. I agree with listing the individuals. Also, packing and shipping china is a b**ch. Also if there are any pieces with chips just throw them away. Even tiny chips. Just not worth it.

I could say to make money but the reality is we love the treasure hunt. The money is just an added bonus.

Only when it is far from home, like more than an hour away.

I have a few nearby auction houses that I buy and occasionally sell at. After recently buying a huge estate I am looking for ways to sell some items. For the last month or so I have noticed that the auction houses are not getting many buyers and as a result stuff is selling dirt cheap. This is a good thing when I am buying but at the moment I'm more interested in selling. Has anyone else noticed the lack of buyers at auction houses lately?