LOOKY LOOS everywhere today

Sheesh, I normally don't go to auctions on weekends but decided to go to one today. 11 units mostly trash bid on two and didn't win, which was ok. Problem is that the normal 10 or 12 people on the circuit had grown to over a hundred looky loos. Only 3 or 4 of us were bidding and all the rest were just crowding around taking up space and time like it was some sort of athletic event. People who must have been watching the tv shows and were curious or nosy. Women with babies in strollers, whole families of mom dad and 3 or 4 kids from age 2 to 15 or so. What should have taken an hour took three and a half.  Then on top of that when the single decent unit came up, a couple of the Looky Loo Daddies decide to show their bidding prowess and run the bids up to three times what the unit showed as worth...........The normals on the circuit (me too) just quit and walked away. Guess we'll have to put up with it until they get their taste and fill of the show..........Sorry everyone just felt like venting............

I agree with you. It used to be me and 4-5 other guys. Now its on average 40 at an auction though one auction 300, not uncommong to see around 100.

Like you said it's 3-4 of us bidding and the rest just looking clearly no intention of buying anything, never even bid.

It's frustrating. In the past you could really check out a unit. Now when they give you 5 minutes to look and 100 people have to look you literally have about 5 seconds to scope it out as your walking in a single file line by the unit. It's especially hard with indoor units with those narrow hallways.

I agree, things will thin out soon enough. Peopel who are just looking will get their peak and move on and those who think every unit has rare guns, gold bars, and valuable antiques in them will realize that majority are crap and you really gotta hunt for the good stuff. The will move on as well.

Some of the crowds will indeed thin out over time, but I wouldn't expect it to ever go back to just being a handful of people showing up to these auctions.  Much of the world, myself included, did not know these auctions existed until the reality shows.  The "secret" is out, and people like myself are here to stay.  Hopefully things will even out a bit and a little extra competition will bring out the best in everybody. 

I'am not going to lie, the tv turned me on to it as well. But iam here to do for a while, it is a new hobby/income for me. I currently am outta work, so its going to help keep me busy and making a little cash on the side and also look into other peoples worlds in a way. But am not gonna be one of the putz that go all ridiculous with bidding and all.

Here in Memphis we have the same problem. Alot of passive onlookers. all they do is taking up space and making it take longer.

The real problem as i see it, is that they don't know the unwritten rules of the game, and they cause so much anger among the people who do this for a living or a side business.

So what have happen here in Memphis is that some of the old timers has started to give the newbies a taste of their own medicine.
Last auction this newbie know it all guy was bidding and thinking he was all pro. Well some of the regular guys bid him up on a unit and it stopped at $1425, for a unit that normally would have gone for 250-300

10 min later they guy was gonna pay for it, but did not have the full 1425, so the auctioneer guy said to the people that was in the room, " anyone wants to make a second bidding. Two og the regulars was then bidding again and it sold for 330.

Wow they bid him up $1100 that is pretty brutal!

Here in Memphis we have the same problem. Alot of passive onlookers. all they do is taking up space and making it take longer.

The real problem as i see it, is that they don't know the unwritten rules of the game, and they cause so much anger among the people who do this for a living or a side business.
So what have happen here in Memphis is that some of the old timers has started to give the newbies a taste of their own medicine.
Last auction this newbie know it all guy was bidding and thinking he was all pro. Well some of the regular guys bid him up on a unit and it stopped at $1425, for a unit that normally would have gone for 250-300

10 min later they guy was gonna pay for it, but did not have the full 1425, so the auctioneer guy said to the people that was in the room, " anyone wants to make a second bidding. Two og the regulars was then bidding again and it sold for 330.

Now that is JUSTICE !

Now that is JUSTICE !

Is it really though?  I understand defending your livelihood, but I also sense some immaturity in some of these posts.  I hear a lot of people on here commenting about people showing up and not even bidding.  Did all of you bid and buy at your very first auction?  Did you know all of the unwritten rules of the auction world at your first handful of auctions?  I doubt it.  If you did, more power to you.  The point is, the game has clearly changed.  The once private storage auction world has now been exposed, and the new competition is likely here to stay.  I'd guess that just as many "regulars" will end up being pushed out of the business as newcomers. 

Is it really though?  I understand defending your livelihood, but I also sense some immaturity in some of these posts.  I hear a lot of people on here commenting about people showing up and not even bidding.  Did all of you bid and buy at your very first auction?  Did you know all of the unwritten rules of the auction world at your first handful of auctions?  I doubt it.  If you did, more power to you.  The point is, the game has clearly changed.  The once private storage auction world has now been exposed, and the new competition is likely here to stay.  I'd guess that just as many "regulars" will end up being pushed out of the business as newcomers. 

I don't think the most of the new crowds are here to stay. As silly as it sounds I think some people really do believe it's really like the show and every unit contains some 50k rare item or cash or gold. That's the only way I can imagine people would bid some of the prices they do on some of these units we are seeing go upwards of a grand that used to be like $35.

I imagine people will see you really gotta buy a lot of units to find quality ones. I think people will discover they spend money and make nothing in return. I also think some people think it's all about buying the unit. What really makes you money is how many avenues you have to get rid of stuff. Every item you give away or throw away is money comming out your pocket. The people who can get rid of everything from old paper to scrap metal to clothes for a profit are the ones that will make it.

Oddly enough I actually did wind up buying a unit at my first auction and was surprisingly the best unit I have bought in the past year and a half or so.

I don't think this is uniqe to the storage game. Lots of hobbies and livelihoods are not welcoming of newcommers. Do a google search of how do I become a tattoo artist, tattoo artists are brutal on people looking to learn. Same thing with glass blowing. I ride motorcycles and found that when I first started out people as a whole weren't very welcomming of a new rider. I don't agree iwth it but its in all different aspects of life.

I do agree though its actually probably not wise to go out gungho and buying stuff your first time without scoping out how auctions run, what things go for, etc. In the same token its easy to see why those who have been doing this for 10 or 15 years and this is their sole livelihood are frustrated that some people see the show and just want to come out and look and have no intention of buying or getting into it and are essentially just taking up space and time.

Is it really though?  I understand defending your livelihood, but I also sense some immaturity in some of these posts.  I hear a lot of people on here commenting about people showing up and not even bidding.  Did all of you bid and buy at your very first auction?  Did you know all of the unwritten rules of the auction world at your first handful of auctions?  I doubt it.  If you did, more power to you.  The point is, the game has clearly changed.  The once private storage auction world has now been exposed, and the new competition is likely here to stay.  I'd guess that just as many "regulars" will end up being pushed out of the business as newcomers.  

A newbie buys one for $1400 or more and doesn't have the cash to pay for it. Mistake one and two.

Auction is resold and goes for the more realistic price of $300 or so.

Yep I call that justice. The final buyer will make some money. The first buyer would have lost big time most likley.

A newbie buys one for $1400 or more and doesn't have the cash to pay for it. Mistake one and two.

Auction is resold and goes for the more realistic price of $300 or so.

Yep I call that justice. The final buyer will make some money. The first buyer would have lost big time most likley.

When worded like that, I'll agree that it's justice.  I thought you meant it was justice that the experienced bidder ran the newbie up that high, and basically left him embarrassed when he didn't have the cash. 

I don't think the most of the new crowds are here to stay. As silly as it sounds I think some people really do believe it's really like the show and every unit contains some 50k rare item or cash or gold. That's the only way I can imagine people would bid some of the prices they do on some of these units we are seeing go upwards of a grand that used to be like $35.

I imagine people will see you really gotta buy a lot of units to find quality ones. I think people will discover they spend money and make nothing in return. I also think some people think it's all about buying the unit. What really makes you money is how many avenues you have to get rid of stuff. Every item you give away or throw away is money comming out your pocket. The people who can get rid of everything from old paper to scrap metal to clothes for a profit are the ones that will make it.

Oddly enough I actually did wind up buying a unit at my first auction and was surprisingly the best unit I have bought in the past year and a half or so.

I don't think this is uniqe to the storage game. Lots of hobbies and livelihoods are not welcoming of newcommers. Do a google search of how do I become a tattoo artist, tattoo artists are brutal on people looking to learn. Same thing with glass blowing. I ride motorcycles and found that when I first started out people as a whole weren't very welcomming of a new rider. I don't agree iwth it but its in all different aspects of life.

I do agree though its actually probably not wise to go out gungho and buying stuff your first time without scoping out how auctions run, what things go for, etc. In the same token its easy to see why those who have been doing this for 10 or 15 years and this is their sole livelihood are frustrated that some people see the show and just want to come out and look and have no intention of buying or getting into it and are essentially just taking up space and time.

All good points.  I've actually been wondering, how would one go about finding local facilities in which they can get money for scrap metal, paper, etc?  As far as clothing, I figured the best bet was yard/garage sales for low dollar price tags, or donation to Good Will for tax write offs.  Is there a better way to maximize profit on clothing?

Newbies will be run up and that's a fact. Been going on for years, not just since the tv shows.
Logic is to have them spend their money, get a lesson in economics and move on. It's a business not a charity organization of like minded entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, look at this side of bidding someone up. Sometimes the person trying to take the other person for a ride will get STUCK with the unit when the other bidder stops bidding. You have to know how to read people...know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

I saw an experienced buyer do this just the other day. He winked at me when he bid $400 for a locker that I would have paid $200 for. His face quickly changed when the other guy stopped and my friend got his $400 lkr. I offered him $200 for it but he decided to tough it out. I have seen people cut their losses though and this is yet another way of making money.
By the way, experienced bidders will do this to other experienced bidders. Some bidders are hogs who want to get every locker; if this is the case some of the other old timers will make them pay for the privelege. Once again, it's a business not a tea party.

Here in Memphis we have the same problem. Alot of passive onlookers. all they do is taking up space and making it take longer.

The real problem as i see it, is that they don't know the unwritten rules of the game, and they cause so much anger among the people who do this for a living or a side business.

So what have happen here in Memphis is that some of the old timers has started to give the newbies a taste of their own medicine.
Last auction this newbie know it all guy was bidding and thinking he was all pro. Well some of the regular guys bid him up on a unit and it stopped at $1425, for a unit that normally would have gone for 250-300

10 min later they guy was gonna pay for it, but did not have the full 1425, so the auctioneer guy said to the people that was in the room, " anyone wants to make a second bidding. Two og the regulars was then bidding again and it sold for 330.

LOL, I love it !!! 
Thanks for the laugh

I can see both sides of the debate here.  I'm a newbie and I'm frustrated that the crowds are so big.   However, I'm here to stay and the old heads need to get used to it.  I know my financial limits and I wont be "run-up" by anyone, ever!  I treat this like the business that it is. 

If you are world class and have a tough auction game then newbies dont intimidate you, they just make you stronger.  I hate the bellyaching.  The good-old-boys-club has been exposed.  Either up your game or quit your crying.