Why Do Online Storage Auctions Get Bad Reviews?

Why Does ST Get Bad Reviews Header
At StorageTreasures we are always looking for ways to do better and one way we do that is by looking at messages we get from our bidders. They can sting a littlebut it helps us learn our areas for improvement so we can give you a better experience with online storage auctions. Here is a recent Facebook Messenger conversation that may help answer concerns you might have about using StorageTreasures. Thank you, Sara Beth, for allowing us to share your message! 

Sarah Beth 

Good day!! 🙂   I am new to this (I haven’t even placed my first bid yet as I am still in the “investigation” part of this journey), so please hear me out.   I was totally stoked about getting into something like this as a side hobby, but reading the reviews kind of has me a little skittish.   Instead of posting something publicly and allowing a whole bunch of negativity to bombard me, I wanted to come to you directly and ask about the process.   Why so many negative reviews? The good ones are superb, but the negative ones are definitely an eyesore for anyone who is thinking about doing something like this.   Could you please take the time to enlighten me on this? I know there are a million sides to every story.  Getting duped is not something I would ever willingly sign up for.   Please take your time to respond🙂 I’d rather have this explained to me instead of ignored or just a quick response.   Thanks so much!! 

StorageTreasures Response: 

Sarah Beth: Storage auctions are not for everyone. A lot of people get into the business, hoping to have a great big windfall right out of the gate. While that might happen on TV, that is not really how it works in real life. You can find some great units out there. There are also some units you might pay little for but make a lot of profit. However, the vast majority of the units do not contain hidden treasures.   To be successful at buying and reselling storage units, you have to do your homework and prepare. You need to know what you are looking at and how much you can make in return. It is not a guessing game, where you buy the first cheap unit you find and make a ton of money.   A lot of people think the managers go through the units before they put them up for sale. While I am sure there are dishonest people in self storage, like every other business, by-and-large, the managers don’t care what is in the units. They don’t have time to go through the units.  

Read More: I Had the Winning Bid and Bought My First Storage Locker

From what we have seen, many self storage tenants are aware they are going to stop paying their bill and take all the stuff they want and leave the rest behind. Most of our career buyers are looking for quantity rather than quality, but always hoping for that big win. They need inventory to sell in their shops or at the flea market.   A lot of people also don’t realize you have to clean out the entire unit. This means you might have to make trips to the dump, which will cost you more money. You might also have to rent a truck to get the unit cleaned out by the deadline. A truck might also cost you money. You might have to take time away from your regular job or your family to get the storage unit cleaned out. There are personal and monetary expenses to buyers after storage auctions  People think storage auctions are a quick and easy way to make money. It is NOT quick or easy. It is a lot of work, and it might take you a while to start seeing profits. The good units will sell for a lot of money, leaving you feeling like you can’t get a good unit. You can get a good unit, but it takes time, dedication, and hard work to be successful in this business. A lot of people do not realize this and end up disappointed rather quickly. It takes a little while to build up your “finesse” at buying storage units. I hope this helps. 

Sarah Beth:  

Oh, it does for sure.   I work full-time and also run a drug recovery ministry, so it’s not all about profit for me. It would be something fun and then also a way to sell a few things here and there, but also be able to bless people (which would be the best thing for me).   I was just so concerned when I saw the rude/negative comments.   My idea (please let me know if it’s a bad one) was to get just a small unit as my first one (I know about the $100 refundable cleaning deposit as long as it’s cleaned out and all that good stuff) to test it out and I planned to do maybe one unit a month?   I am not out to get rich or anything. Just something fun and, in the end, possibly provide something worthwhile to someone in need. 🙂  I just wanted to make sure that before I even attempted that it was worth even trying out.   Thank you so much for answering my inquiry so thoroughly. 

StorageTreasures Response:  

You could get some units pretty cheap with clothes, household items, shoes, toys, and other things people need. You have to try and see how it works for youAs long as you do what you are supposed to do (pay, clean out the unit on time, etc.), you will be fine!  Sarah Beth:   Awesome!!  Thank you so much!!  StorageTreasures does not want anyone to have a bad experience using our website. However, we know that is probably not possible in this type of business. There are going to be sales that do not have spectacular results. There is a lot of money at stake for a lot of buyers. We do welcome your questions and comments by posting directly to Facebook or Twitter, messaging us, or contacting our Customer Support Team. We want you to talk to us, and we want to be the best we can at responding and trying to help you have the best buying experience possible!   To reach StorageTreasures Customer Support, call (480) 397-6503 or email support@storagetreasures.com 
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