Are Storage Auction TV Shows Real?

Despite its name, reality TV is usually anything other than realistic. No matter the show, it will usually present a view of the world that’s over-the-top or somewhat idealized in order to make for more interesting TV. Nevertheless, there’s usually plenty of truth in reality TV as well, which makes it important to sort out fact from fiction when it comes to any show you watch.

Storage auction shows are swiftly gaining in popularity, and nearly everyone has watched at least a few episodes of Storage Wars or Auction Hunters. In terms of television, these shows are fun to watch because they combine the thrill of treasure hunting with quirky characters and a smattering of history. In real life, though, people do make a living from storage auctions, but the industry doesn’t look quite like it does on TV.

What Parts of Shows Are Fake?

The exact details of which parts of a storage auction TV show are faked are hard to tell thanks to nondisclosure clauses signed by people involved with the programs. Nevertheless, there are a few things that often happen to make a show more interesting:

• The bidding is often re-filmed after the auction is over. People at the auction will be asked to stay late to re-enact the bidding so the camera man can shoot it again. The bids themselves aren’t faked, but they may be reenacted several times.
• The units are often rearranged and filmed again after they’ve been won. In other words, the “establishment shot” you see on the program is usually filmed after the unit has already been purchased.
• The crew may shoot a lot of auctions and then only air a small percentage of what’s shown. Much of the daily reality of auction hunting ends up on the cutting room floor.

Although much of what you see on the television is a side effect of editing, the auctions on TV aren’t entirely staged. Real storage units are shown with real people bidding on them, and the people in the programs who frequent these auctions really do make a living at this. All the same, these individuals make substantially more money from being on the show than they do from selling items bought at storage units. Before you decide to start your own resale business, make sure the business is right for you rather than basing your expectations on what you see on TV.

For more information about storage auctions, please visit AuctionsTX.com.

Travis Lane is the owner of Texas Storage Auction Schedules and News, Storage Auction Forums and a former professional storage auction buyer.