I for one have been going to many fewer auctions than I used to. It has turned into mostly a waste of time, between facilities holding on to the the better units, people not putting their best stuff in the units anymore, and the large crowds of hi-rolling gamblers! I still get a locker here and there, but the deals are few and far between.
Just a note about auctions in general. Not only have the shows messed up the storage auction business, but it has affected most other types of auctions also. I go to a lot of commercial type auctions and the attendance at these auctions is way up, along with a corresponding uptick in pricing! I went to one on Tuesday (didn't put it in the "auction scene" because it wasn't a storage auction) and prices and crowds were unbelievable!
I had researched a bunch of the inventory over the last couple of evenings and made a list of some of the things I was interested in and prices I was willing to pay, and what the values were. I have also purchased many of these items in the past (commercial restaurant equipment for those taking notes). Anyway, get to the auction, and prices were totally amazing. Some kitchen equipment was selling for more than you could buy it BRAND NEW at the restaurant supply store! Items I have purchased before for $45-$75 were selling for $200-$375! An item that usually will sell for $700-$800 (that I was willing to go to a grand on) sold for 3K! Plus, on top of these prices, they have a 10% buyers premium and tax! There were many more items like that, everything from espresso machines to coolers to deli counters, and everything was priced out of sight!
Sorry, guess I got a little off topic. Just to sum it up, I think the reason we're seeing fewer posts is that the members on here probably are not buying as much as they did earlier in the year. We haven't been seeing as many "treasures" or hearing as many stories overall. How many times can we write "I went to an auction, too many people, prices sucked, didn't get anything"?! At least that's my excuse.