The new popularity of storage auctions has brought out new buyers in record numbers. This can be a nightmare for professional auction hunters, auctioneers and storage companies alike. Thanks to shows like Auction Hunters and Storage Wars, events that used to draw just a handful of dedicated bidders are now bringing in dozens or even hundreds of spectators, first-timers and hobbyists.

While not a bad thing on its own, this can cause some issues. Bids can go quite high thanks to newbies overbidding for items, and the profit margins for veteran bidders can diminish. Overcrowded auctions cause problems for auctioneers, too. The more people who show up for an auctions, the more time they\’ll need to look at the available units and bid. This makes the auctions last much longer, which ties up an auctioneer\’s time and makes auctions less efficient. It can also cause traffic and parking problems for storage units that are not equipped to handle large crowds of people.

In order to combat these problems, some auctioneers have started charging cover fees. People interested in attending the auction would need to sign up in advance; people that didn\’t register in advance of the auction would need to pay an entry fee. Of course, this is a lucrative practice for the auctioneer, but it\’s not necessarily fair to the bidders.

Fortunately, the practice of charging entry fees for auctions is not widespread, but it is something to consider. When you\’re preparing to go to an auction, whether you\’re a newcomer or an old veteran, it\’s a good idea to scope it out in advance and get an idea of what might be expected of you. There may be limitations on how many people can attend the auction, for example, so you\’d need to plan to come early. This type of information will usually be listed online, or you can call the storage facility or auctioneer in advance to ask questions if something is unclear.

If you do happen to find an auction with a cover fee, you need to decide whether it\’s worth paying out of pocket for the chance to bid, even if there are no good items, or if you\’d rather sit the auction out. Depending on your situation, paying a small fee of $10 or so might not be a major inconvenience; others will choose to avoid all of these auctions on principle. Considering the tight profit margins in this business, any unnecessary expense can be detrimental.

No matter what you do, it\’s a good idea to be mindful of your behavior at a storage auction and be self-aware of how you might unconsciously be causing problems for the auctioneer or storage facility. For example, you might want to think twice before bringing family or friends along to spectate. Auctions can be fun, but they shouldn\’t be your first choice for family entertainment; people are there to do business, and too many people in the crowd can make that difficult.

Travis Lane is the owner and editor at Texas Storage Auction Schedules and News and a former professional storage auction buyer. For more information on storage auctions, visit our website at http://auctionstx.com/. Be sure to visit our blog which contains hundreds of articles on storage auctions.

Travis Lane is the owner and editor at Texas Storage Auction Schedules and News and a former professional storage auction buyer. For more information on storage auctions visit our website at http://auctionstx.com/. Be sure to visit our blog which contains hundreds of articles on storage auctions.

Author Bio: Travis Lane is the owner and editor at Texas Storage Auction Schedules and News and a former professional storage auction buyer. For more information on storage auctions, visit our website at http://auctionstx.com/. Be sure to visit our blog which contains hundreds of articles on storage auctions.

Category: Business
Keywords: Storage Auctions, Storage Unit Auctions, Fees