Author - Travis Lane

It's not often that the glamorous world of celebrity stardom intersects with the humbler industry of storage auctions, but auction hunters may get a rare treat soon. Lindsay Lohan, an actress whose name has become synonymous with irresponsibility, is currently in danger of losing the items in her storage locker due to delinquent payments. According to reports released on December 13, Lindsay Lohan owes $16,000 in back rent for her storage unit, which reportedly houses family heirlooms, designer clothes and other posh items. If the debt is not paid in full, the unit will go up for auction.

At the moment, Lindsay's chances of paying off the unit are looking slim. The starlet is currently in financial trouble thanks to a substantial amount of back-taxes owed to the IRS. Actor Charlie Sheen provided a $100,000 gift to help cover the costs, but that leaves a substantial amount of debt unpaid. Pleas to family and friends have yielded few results.

As a result, the IRS has frozen Lohan's assets. In addition to her delinquent storage unit payments, sources say that she is behind on her home rent as well and may be facing eviction. Of course, that's all assuming that she isn't arrested first. She's currently scheduled for a hearing on January 15 after a judge revoked her probation; she may face up to eight months in prison for parole violations.

As for the storage unit auction itself, few details are currently available. As the date of the auction nears, it will need to be announced publicly, and the unit will likely be well-advertised. Some sites have speculated that the Storage Wars crew should attend the auction in a positive PR move after the lawsuit with David Hester. After all, with a unit as full of celebrity paraphernalia as Lohan's is sure to be, the Storage Wars staff should have no need to fake anything.

Regardless of whether Storage Wars gets in on the action, Lohan's storage auction is sure to draw a substantial crowd of curious bystanders and treasure-seeking auction hunters. Since no one knows for sure what will be found in the unit, bidding is likely to get out of hand quickly. Designer clothing, jewelry or other expensive items are a given, but some eager bidders will surely be hoping for more personal effects that can be sold to tabloids for a hefty profit.

In 2006, a similar situation occurred with Paris Hilton's storage unit, and the winning bidder created a site called ParisExposed.com that charged visitors $39.97 for the chance to view the celebrity's personal belongings. Content included countless photographs, videos, financial records and diaries. Paris Hilton sued the site's owner, but much of the information posted on the site had already gone viral by that time. If Lindsay Lohan's storage unit does go up for auction, we can likely expect a repeat of this situation.

There is some hope for Lindsay, though: a New York city strip club called Scores has offered to pay off the actress's bill in exchange for some services for their company. Lindsay won't need to strip; instead, Scores is asking her to host a few live chats on their website. This would certainly bring Scores plenty of publicity, and they seem honest in their desire to pay off her storage debt and even help with rent payments. It's not clear whether Lohan will take them up on this offer or if it will even be possible if she ends up in prison this January, but it's worth keeping an eye out to see what develops.

AuctionTX.com’s Google Reviews

December 28, 2012

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Roy Richardsreviewed 5 months ago

Quality Excellent

I just signed up for this site. It saves me a lot of time and guess work. Excellent site! Makes it easy!

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Overall Excellent

Great web site and the owner is super helpful to people trying to figure this business out. Two thumbs up here!!! Carl Magnolia, Texas

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Overall Excellent

Signed up, love it, love their list. Its current & easy to read. No more searching to find the auctions near me. Great Job!

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Been using them for about 7 months. Found this site to very accurate and informative especially with their new format.

A Google User reviewed 7 months ago

Overall Excellent

Love The info that you get to get started. Great website can't wait to see what is up for auction every Saturday night. Heath Houston

A Google User reviewed 8 months ago

Overall Excellent

I have been using this site for about 6 months now and it is the BEST site to get all the auction information. It tells me all the information I need to know about the auctions going on in my area and all the info that goes with it. It lists all the auctions and not just some of them. I would recommend this site to anyone who doesn't use it already.

Dave Hester Alleges Storage Wars is Fake

December 13, 2012

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People in the storage auction industry have long speculated that the reality TV show Storage Wars is more fiction than reality. Now, a lawsuit from the show's own David Hester has blown the scandal wide open. Whether the fall-out will make a long-term effect in the popularity of these shows remains to be seen, but it's certainly giving the public something to talk about.

The lawsuit started when David Hester approached television executives with concerns that the activities going on in the show were illegal. Specifically, he alleges that the A&E staff “salts” units with pricy memorabilia and collectors items to make the show more interesting.

This is potentially in violation of laws that prevent television producers from fixing “competitions of skill,” such as game shows. This law, an amendment to the Communications Act of 1934, was passed after quiz show scandals in the 1950s. It's debatable whether the law applies to reality television as well, but Hester's concern was enough to lead show executives to terminate his involvement with the show.

Now, having been fired mid-season, Hester is retaliating with a lawsuit to recover his lost wages from the terminated contract – earnings of $25,000 per episode, altogether equaling $2 million in damages. Here are some of the complaints he raises about how the show has been faked:

The show “salts” storage units with valuable items to make the program more interesting
Some of the units are entirely staged, faked or put together by the show's team
The show films some footage while no auction is actually taking place
An antique store called Off the Wall Antiques routinely provides items for the show in exchange for being featured in episodes
A female cast member underwent plastic surgery at the program's expense to increase her sex appeal
Show executives sometimes buy units on behalf of weaker bidders to add interest to the show
Many interviews with cast members are scripted or staged

Although the producers have stated in the past that Storage Wars is not fake, there is a preponderance of evidence coming out that seems damning. There are emails, invoices and receipts for items procured by the show's production staff to salt storage lockers. Hester himself was asked to provide such items while filming the first season, and he states he was uncomfortable at the time.

According to Hester and other witnesses, the production staff wasn't shy about salting storage units. In many cases, they would pause filming to place items to be “discovered” in the unit in-between takes. They would do this in front of cast members and bidders, creating plenty of eye-witnesses. Indeed, many people on our own forum have mentioned similar phenomena at taped auctions.

Auctioneer Dan Dotson, who also appears on the Storage Wars show, has insisted that the show is not faked. He states that the units are kept locked prior to bidding and not tampered with. This does not, however, prevent the production staff from salting the unit after purchase, which is when the majority of these activities seem to occur.

Of course, most of this should come as no surprise to people in the industry. Whether it will have any long-term effects for viewers is something that remains to be seen. Most people seem to expect reality television to be at least somewhat scripted, but the knowledge that the show is largely staged may turn viewers off. Of course, if Storage Wars is faked, it's likely that its spin-off series Storage Wars Texas and Storage Wars New York are faked as well. If the lawsuit drives Storage Wars off the air, it's possible that its companion shows – and even competitor shows like Auction Hunters – may suffer a similar fate.

Even if the show isn't canceled, it will be interesting to see whether this revelation turns newcomers away from the auction industry. It will also be interesting to see what other cast members do now that Hester has departed. The bad publicity may damage their business – or it may help drive more customers to their stores. Until the lawsuit is resolved, we can only watch and wait for answers.

So, what do you think about this mess? Leave your interesting and creative responses in the comments section below.

Identifying Valuable Metals When Sorting Scrap

December 10, 2012

Storage Auctions 101

Whenever you're sorting through items you find in a storage unit, you're probably accustomed to making multiple categories: items for quick resale, valuable antiques, things to sell at flea markets. If you want to maximize your profits, you should also make room for scrapping. Scrap metal keeps going up in value even as inflation robs profits in other sectors, and it's a great way to get the most from items that can't be sold as-is.

Sometimes, though, you'll get more money from selling whole items than from scrapping them. It's important to know what items to scrap and what should be sold as-is through eBay or to a collector. You'd hate to scrap something that turned out to be a priceless antique, and you'd also hate to sell something for less than its scrap value.

Here are a couple of tips for determining whether to scrap or sell something:

If you know that something is a valuable collector's item or antique, hold onto it until you can sell it for its true value. This takes some practice and experience. Go to a few good antiques stores or auctions to get an idea of what sort of items sell there. Spend time on eBay, talking to collectors or reading books about antiques. This will help you tell the difference between a real item and a knock-off.
Recognize what metals certain items tend to be made of. If you're familiar with the composition of normal household items, you'll know which ones will have the highest quantities of scrappable material. For example, speakers often have large amounts of copper and rare earth magnets, and computer chips have small amounts of gold.
Even when items can be scrapped, they're often worth more whole if they still work. For example, you can probably sell a working TV for more than you can scrap. The exception to this is jewelry. Old-fashioned costume jewelry made with gold, silver or other metals may be hard to sell due to outdated styles, but the metal has grown in value over the years. Once you ensure that a cheesy-looking piece of jewelry isn't a valuable antique, consider scrapping it for some quick cash.

Also be sure you know how to identify certain materials. You may not be able to tell the difference between them before you buy the storage unit, but you can test things while you sort them. A magnet is one of the most useful tools for identifying ferrous metals, which tend to be worth very little compared to softer precious metals. You can also gently scratch or file the surface of an item to see if it's solid or plated. If you deal with a lot of jewelry, an acid-testing kit might be a good investment; otherwise, finding a precious metal dealer you trust might be the best choice.

It takes some practice to sort through your merchandise, but it's well worth it. If you take the time to do your research and determine what's valuable and how to best capitalize on that value, you can increase your long-term earnings.

Should You Go To Every Storage Auction?

December 10, 2012

Storage Auctions 101

It's easy to get overwhelmed with auctions. If you live in a reasonably large city, you can find several auctions per week, and your entire weekend can swiftly be overtaken with auctions. While more auctions can translate into better odds at big profits, it's also important to pace yourself so you don't get in over your head.

There are a few obvious benefits to going to every auction you can. First, you'll be exposed to a greater number of units, and this can translate to greater odds of finding great deals. You'll also be able to make valuable connections with others in the industry, and this networking can help you buy and sell a greater quantity of merchandise in the future.

Nevertheless, there are also several reasons to be more selective with which auctions you attend. Driving to multiple auctions can burn a lot of gas, and you might lose money if you hit a run of particularly bad units. You also have to be prepared to clean out units and store the items; if you're doing multiple auctions in a week, you might not have the time or space to deal with all of them.

When it comes to deciding whether a certain auction is worth your time, there are a few things to consider:

Is the facility in a nice part of town or a place that's more shabby? Of course, this isn't always a good indication of quality, but it might be indicative of general trends.
Are there multiple auctions within a single area, or would you need to travel widely to go to all of them? Pick the most heavily-congested areas and avoid the others to maximize gas economy.
Do you have a good relationship with the facility owners? Will you get any perks from going to the auction?
Is the auction well-advertised, and will there be a lot of people in attendance? A popular auction may be too crowded and expensive to be worth exploring.
Does the facility have auctions frequently or only a few times per year? You don't want to miss a major auction, but frequent auctions may not have enough variety to be worthwhile.
If you have a good run, will you have the space to store your goods? If you have a poor run, can you afford to recover from the loss of time and gas money?

When assessing whether to attend an auction, your main question should be this: Can I make a greater profit doing something else with my time rather than visiting this auction? If the answer is yes, you may want to spend your time selling items or dealing with other aspects of your business rather than buying more merchandise.

With time and experience, you'll get a better feel for which storage facilities have the most lucrative auctions and what facilities to avoid. The answer of whether to attend more or fewer auctions is something every auction-hunter needs to determine for himself, but following the guidelines above can help you make a final decision.

Newbies and Veterans: Is There Room For Both in the Storage Auction Industry?

December 10, 2012

Auction hunting is a business with narrow profit margins and sudden popularity, two factors that combine to make it somewhat unfriendly toward newcomers. Inspired by storage auction TV shows and other shows glorifying the resale business, many people are entering the field without much experience or understanding of how things work. The veterans in the industry are understandably reluctant to embrace these high-bidding newcomers, and they can be downright antagonistic at times.

A recent thread at StorageAuctionForums.com asked whether anyone had ever purposely misdirected a newbie or given bad advice to throw them off the trail. Most of the participants said no, but many did agree that newcomers should take some initiative and learn the ropes themselves rather than relying on old pros for advice. It's also important that veterans don't give away all of their secrets so they don't lose their competitive edge. Sharing specific sources for auction listings or personal bidding strategies can be self-destructive and disastrous.

If you're a newbie, here are a few tips for learning the ropes on your own:

Utilize a resource like this blog to find tips and strategies rather than asking the people you're bidding against.
If you don't use our service, make sure to do your research about an auction before you arrive. Check the storage facility's website, the auctioneer's website or the legal notice for the auction to ensure you know what the rules are.
Try to be friendly and professional; avoid just talking to people when you want something, and don't try to be too much of a chatterbox with people who are trying to work around you.
Avoid making yourself a nuisance. Leave your kids at home, park somewhere that won't block the entryway, and don't badger or heckle anyone.

As long as you treat your auction-hunting as a job, you should have an easy time fitting in with the others. Most auction-hunters aren't antagonistic toward newcomers who don't cause any trouble, and you can make lasting friendship in the industry by making an honest attempt. Once you become more experienced, you can pay it forward by giving a helping hand to other newbies.

Although the storage auction industry is experiencing growing pains, there is still plenty of room for people to enter the business. Many of the ill-informed newcomers won't stick around; the people who survive are those who truly understand and appreciate what they're getting into. By taking the time to educate yourself – and, when you can afford to, the people around you – you can ensure that commitment pays off.

So, how do you feel about this situation? Leave your interesting and creative responses in the comments section below.

Storage Aggregators Hijack Business Listings

December 4, 2012

8 Comments

With the storage business gaining so much popularity in recent years, it only makes sense that other businesses would find a way to jump into the industry. One of the things you've probably come across while searching for a storage unit is a storage aggregator site.

These sites collect data on storage facilities, and many people visit these aggregate sites to find information about storage facilities in their area. What you might not necessarily realize is that some of these aggregators are essentially stealing customers from the storage facilities and then reselling the customers back to them, In some cases, these practices are predatory and even illegal.

Aggregator sites get started through partnerships with storage facilities. Essentially, the aggregator will collect reservations from potential customers and sell those reservations back to the storage facility itself for a “finder fee.” This is very similar to the way a hotel or airline reservation site would work, and it acts as direct competition against the storage facility. Rather than allowing customers to find the facility directly, traffic is driven toward the aggregator site. This sets up severe competition between varying storage facilities and drives profits down as different companies struggle to offer prices competitive enough to attract business.

Some of these aggregator sites take things a step further by actually pirating information from the storage companies. They will create fake business listings in a storage facility's name and list them online in the Yellow Pages or other business directories. Instead of listing the storage facility's phone number and website, they list their own. This way, customers will contact them believing that they're making reservations with the storage facility itself; instead, they're dealing with an aggregator. This practice is illegal, it has obvious negative implications toward the facility's actual brand, and it can be used to essentially use one company as a public face or identity while selling services to a competitor.

One of the largest storage aggregators using this tactic is SpareFoot.com. Notice the photo above of a Uncle Bob's Self Storage listing on Citysearch.com. Everything looks legitimate; however, if you call the phone number listed, you will reach a SpareFoot employee. What is going on here is not only unethical but illegal. A quick search on Google revealed 160,000 results with the phone number (866) 666-5178. A majority of these results are misappropriated online business listings for storage facilities across the country.

Other industries, including hotels and airlines, are also attempting to draw away from using these aggregators and focus on building their own client base. It's a difficult task for mature companies, but storage facilities can be a bit more nimble in their approach thanks to their size and relative newness as an industry.

As a customer, you can do your part to end piracy and reduce the ability of an aggregator to steal the identity and business of a storage facility. Always try to deal with the facility itself rather than a third-party site for transactions where money will exchange hands, and keep an eye out for listings that may have incorrect information.

If you own or manage a storage facility, you can use a service like Yext.com to search for incorrect business listings. If incorrect information is detected, you can update your storage facility's information to reflect the correct address, phone number and other contact information. Once you update the information on Yext, the site will then locate and correct listings on more than 35 other sites across the web including Yahoo, Yelp, SuperPages, Citysearch and WhitePages. This will help ensure that information online is up-to-date and accurate, and it will prevent customers from unwittingly using an unethical aggregation service when they mean to deal with the company itself.

So, what do you think of storage aggregators and what they are doing to the storage industry? Please leave your interesting and creative responses in the comments section below.

Storage Facilities Lose Patience With Constant Auction Inquiries

November 19, 2012

Despite what the recent storage wars craze might lead you to believe, storage facilities are not in the business of holding auctions. Instead, their business is in renting out space for people to store their belongings. Storage auctions represent only a small portion of the work that facility owners must do in a given month, and they are not a major part of their day.

For a storage facility, auctions are simply a way to recover lost costs associated with defaulted rent. They help with emptying units so that they can be re-rented, and they help compensate for lost profits on abandoned units. In most states, storage facilities cannot even profit from units that sell for more than was owed in rent, and hosting large auctions can be a logistical nightmare for facilities in terms of parking and other resources.

In other words, the new auction craze fueled by hopeful treasure-seekers is not necessarily the boon to the storage facility industry that you might expect.

Meanwhile, auctions are getting more and more popular. Where a storage auction may have had a half-dozen bidders in the past, turn-outs of 100 people are not uncommon at auctions across the country. Worse, many of the people coming to the auction are mere spectators with little interest in bidding and no knowledge of the industry.

While curiosity is certainly not a sin, it can result in an excessive number of inquiries being made to the storage facility. A few particularly well-known names in the business – companies who are featured on television or appear in the news – suffer the worst of this newfound fame.

Some exasperated facility managers have resorted to directing all inquiries to the facility's website, and others have even begun getting short-tempered or downright nasty to callers.

If you ever find yourself on the brunt end of a rude interaction with a storage facility, try to keep this in perspective: You may have been just one of a dozen or more people calling with that same question today. Before calling to ask a question, see if you can find the answer elsewhere. The facility's website may list all the information you need. You can also check the website of the auctioneer.

There are numerous references online you can check, including this blog and our associated forum StorageAuctionForums.com, for general auction information. Be sure to research and learn independently rather than relying on busy professionals to walk you through the basics.

While there is no excuse for bad customer service, understanding where facility managers are coming from can help you relate to them better. The storage auction industry is undergoing some serious changes, and there are bound to be a few bumps along the way as things either go back to the way they had once been or adapt to these new changes. In the meanwhile, being well-researched and professional will help make your interactions more pleasant for everyone involved.

Storage Auction Pickers – Running a Mobile Resale Business

November 19, 2012

Storage Auctions 101