In my area the Goodwill is normally picked pretty clean.  All the stores are 90% cloths, with some furniture items and random stuff tossed in.  As for prices - I agree with the dartboard idea.  There seems to be very little methodalogy to the prices.  Heck - one of the furniture items I donated I couldn't sell at $50.  Two weeks after I donated it, they have it on the floor for $125.  The next week it was gone - so someone must of bought it for $125.  Just boggles the mind at times.

My caravan auction was dismal this week so I hit some yardsales saturday, and did the same thing previous saturday.  My picks for the two saturdays were as follows:

Last week:
Bookcase - $5 (was for wife)
50 CDs (various artist + metal stand they were on) - $25

Saturday:
Army footlocker w/ bunch of wires, remotes, cutting disk - $15   
Copper berry strainer - $3
60 CDs (various artist, mostly country) - $30


Can make money on the footlocker as people always wanted to buy my trunks I use for storage at the flea.  Plus, the big mason saw blades look new and retail for $5 to $15 each.  On top of a few other new items I found in the trunk.  The CDs sell for $2 each at the flea.  I had sold most of my CDs still in cases.  Only have a spindle of loose CDs and Movies that I sell for $1.  Not getting many bites on those so figure will try the CD rack and all these different CDs.  Small gamble if they sell or not.

I hate sealed bid / silent auctions.  I've lost the most money with one ($875) and gotten one of my best RoI with them ($32) made a few hundred on it.  For the most part due to it being a silent auction they give you longer to pay or most places take CC.  However, you can still over extend yourself by winning too many units or spending all your money.  It's just a gamble.

Now - if she will send you pictures ahead of time that is worth a box of chocolate.  You can take those pictures and study them.  Blow them up as much as possible and really look at things.  Even if it's a little grainy you can get an idea of what units you want to bid on and good idea of how much potential it has.  I'd love to get early pics even the night before an auction.

I've seen that Matches.  Normally it's someone underbid by mistake or the rules are $10 incraments and they are trying to do $5.  Still not seen a fully rejected bid as in removing the locker due to the facility didn't like the bid amount.

Ya Movieman - I've found it sort of sad that I have purchased as many lockers this year as you.  Even last year you were buying 2-3x more units then I.

The last unit Thursday of the caravan sucked for me.  Was a ok furniture unit but I didn't even really look into it.  The news crew was at this location also since the first locker was a complete bust.  I just got in my car and headed out.  Most of the regulars were a little upset with the TV coverage.  Going to hate to see how the auctions next month are.  Just as the crowds started to go down.

BTW - over 25 people waited around the 2.5 hrs between auctions for that 1 unit.  I went home and then hit that auctions as I was leaving town.

I've see the "reserve to reject a bid" clause in the paper and on the sign-in sheet at almost all my auctions.  I've never seen them do that however at the main auctions.  Now, we have a number of mom n pop places that never hold an auction.  So either they have some of the best tenants or they take posession of everything themselves.  Most places don't want to hassle with cleaning out the units, selling the stuff, etc.  So even $5 bids get accepted.

I would check those auctions out and just be cautious.  Or talk with some of the other regulars and get a feel for what they think.

This thread is over 9 months old.  Highly doubt you will get a reply from him.

As far as I know auctions are held year round.  Your best bet is to call around to some of the facilities in your area.  Check your local paper also.  Some companies hold auctions at a set day of the month (ex: Every 1st friday, every 3rd Monday) and always at the same time.  Others only hold them as needed so you have to watch for them.

Spend some time reading all the different threads.  I know a number of us are in various states.  I know we have a few people from up in Washington and New York.

There is a guy in south GA that purchased a large number of used matresses from some of the auction guys a few years back.  He used them in his barn.  He had a few horses that liked to kick in the stall.  He mounted them all over the stall walls to help protect the horse.