Storage Auctions
The Storage Locker => Reality Shows about Storage Auctions => Topic started by: Travis on January 03, 2013, 07:53:32 PM
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In a recent interview with NY Daily News, Mike Braiotta was telling a story about the time a delinquent tenant showed up to an auction and was crying because she couldn't afford the back rent.
“You’re always aware that what you buy can recount someone else’s life,” he says. “One time I went to an auction for a locker where the lady hadn’t paid her $200 storage fee. She was there, she was crying. I paid $350 for the locker and told her, ‘It’s yours.’
“It was all personal stuff. She was so thankful. Sometimes you spend your money just to do something nice.”
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/new-yorker-love-lands-storage-wars-article-1.1229487#ixzz2Gy1uBBTP
If this is true, it just shows he has a heart of gold. Have you or would you ever do something like this for a total stranger?
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Have you or would you ever do something like this for a total stranger?
No.
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I would, and tried to when we first got in the business. It ended up backfiring, I got harrassed by the owner and then the owner's daughter, and I tried to sell them a particular item they kept whining about for a measly $10 and then they never showed up. I sold it on Ebay for $100 later. Now when I see owners there trying to win their stuff back, I just steer clear.
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I think its just good PR. If Mike wasnt on tv you or I would care or ever hear about it.
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That's what I was thinking too...It's just a PR piece.
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This is Mike from Storage Wars. That is a 100% true story not made up for good PR.
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This is Mike from Storage Wars. That is a 100% true story not made up for good PR.
Well "Mike" assuming you are the real guy...can we expect some good info from you about the show ?
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Hey Mike! You're my favorite on storage wars. :-*
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Well "Mike" assuming you are the real guy...can we expect some good info from you about the show ?
It's definitely him. The email address on file is attached to his apparel website oplockdown.com
The Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr accounts on the page all reaffirm it.
So Mike, what's up? People treating you any differently now that your famous? How long were you buying units before you made it on the show?
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That's what I was thinking too...It's just a PR piece.
Really? The guys throws down $350 and helps out someone in emotional duress and instead of the compliment he deserves, he instead gets trashed as a PR stunt hog?
NOT 8)
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Really? The guys throws down $350 and helps out someone in emotional duress and instead of the compliment he deserves, he instead gets trashed as a PR stunt hog?
NOT 8)
No one actually accused him of anything, we just put that out there as plausible.
Nice smiley manipulation by the way...I like that!
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What's up guys sorry for the late reply. I bought 8 rooms on Tuesday and in 10 degree weather it is no joke unloading and sorting. Thanks for all the support. Me buying that locker for that lady was one of those things I just felt I had to do. I grew up in a real hard way and I know what it's like to be piss poor. Anyway I will deff answer as many questions as I can for you guys.
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That's awesome, I'm glad you decided to drop by again. I'm sure you have a lot of fans here. Do you sell a lot of your merchandise on Craigslist or through contacts and word of mouth? Any plans to open a store in the future?
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I'm a normal person just like the rest of you. Few fans here and there nothing crazy. I use every trick in the book to try and get rid of my stuff. Craigslist used to be great but has been taken over by spammers. eBay also used to be the way to go but the fees are out of this world. I did own a 2nd hand store. I opened about 3 months before hurricane Irene hit. The area I was in was flooded and I lost pretty much everything. After that storm considering I just opened I had no energy left to rebuild. I went back to the old school way of selling what I like to call (hand to hand combat) granted there is a lot of work trying to sell things without having a store but it does have its perks.(little to no overhead). I have thought about opening a new shop but I'm still unsure about it. I just started listing some items on my website so hopefully that will take off soon.
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That's smart. I like to buy the unit, rent it and then sell the items directly from the unit. No sense in having to move stuff if you don't have to.
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eBay also used to be the way to go but the fees are out of this world.
For me it's not so much the fees that ticks me off when it comes to eBay. What ticks me off is the way they cater to the buyers and dump on the sellers any time there's a conflict, plus the way bad buyers can give but not get negative feedback.
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Oh yea I have dealt with a ton of that also when it comes to ebay. The buyer is always right no matter what. A few times I shipped items and the buyer told me the item arrived broken or "not as described". I would tell them to ship it back and I would refund a 100%. I never received item back but yet ebay refunds the money. Now I have a college kid that works on commission for the items he sells for me. This way he deals with everything and posts items on his own terms.
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Now I have a college kid that works on commission for the items he sells for me. This way he deals with everything and posts items on his own terms.
Heh heh, nothing wrong with delegation. It's the American way!
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Now I have a college kid that works on commission for the items he sells for me. This way he deals with everything and posts items on his own terms.
I've been doing something similar for about four years now. I've got three different people I use to sell my ebay items depending on what it is.....one guy is good for just throwing up volumes of stuff, but he doesn't research well or write great ads.......but he moves a lot of cheaper items fast. My main girl takes her time, researches stuff, and usually get's me top dollar on my stuff. Then I have another girl that I give a few items to......mainly if I have my main girl too backed up.
But a question for you......what kind of percentage do you pay your college kid, and is he reliable? I went through a lot of people before I found some reliable ones I could trust and that actually get the stuff sold. Thanks.
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It usually depends on the item. If its a big item sale $1,000 or more I give him 6%. Nickel and dime items I like to call it I usually split the profit with him. After all he is doing all the leg work.