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The Tips and Tricks for Bidding on the Best Units at Online Storage Auctions

April 26, 2024

Online storage auction platforms like iBidOnStorage have become more and more popular ever since television series like Storage Wars became regularly digested across South Africa over the last decade. The allure of storage auctions is clear: the possibility of stumbling upon an item inside the storage unit that is of great value.

 

With the surge in popularity, so too did the surge in the number of bidders participating in online storage auctions in SA. The rise of bidders has of course increased the competition at online auctions: today’s bidders must be highly informed and far more controlled than those bidders in the past.

 

To bid competitively on storage auctions online means bidding intelligently is more a successful strategy than bidding aggressively. While other bidders bid thousands on storage units that have obvious items of value in view inside, it is the less popular units that conceal an item of value that will provide the greatest return on your investment.

 

Such storage units though do not come around all the time, and are certainly hard to discern. Happily, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of uncovering that ultra-valuable unit at little cost.

 

Look for dust

Do the contents of the storage unit look old and dusty? Sure, let everyone else walk away. But you know that if a storage unit has been sitting for a long time, collecting dust, then there is a higher probability that there are valuable items inside. Why else would anyone be paying to store these items for so long?

 

Is it vintage?

Some dust is a good sign. Age is good for similar reasons. If you can describe some of the contents as “shabby,” then this may very well be a selling feature for you. Collectors and resellers exist for almost any possible item, and, more often than not, vintage items are worth their weight in gold.

 

Research ahead of time

It is always a good idea to go into an online storage auction with a plan in mind. Knowing where a facility is located can in fact point towards storage units with more potential value inside. If a storage facility is located near a more affluent neighborhood, then this increases the odds that items of greater value are stored at this location. If you’re looking for machinery or heavy equipment, then perhaps a facility located in an industrial area is where you should be bidding.

 

Research while you bid

A great benefit of bidding on storage auctions online is that a new browser window for a keyword search is merely a click away. Whatever you might be seeing inside a storage unit, search the web to gain as much information about it as possible. Is it worth your trouble to resell it? What is the value likely to be? Having a good grasp on the possible value of contents will allow you to bid reasonable amounts, and prevent yourself from spending amounts you won’t be able to make back.

 

Bid intelligently

Always remain rational when making bids at an online auction; try never to allow impulse and emotion dictate your bids. Set yourself a maximum bid amount for each unit, and be faithful to it. Do your homework and make the plan, and then trust your plan. Don’t risk losing money for a unit that you’ve already determined is not worth it.

 

In sum, the accessibility and popularity of online storage auctions in South Africa means that turning a profit will never be easy. But by applying the right method and a few simple tricks, you should be able to save yourself from big mistakes, while loading your moving truck with items of good value.

 

Stick to our tips, and register with us for free to start bidding today!


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