Business ProfileforStorage Treasures

July 2, 2023 Better Business Bureau Dear Sir/*****,I would like to file a complaint regarding the unfair, unethical, and possibly illegal practices of StorageTreasures. I have purchased almost 40 storage units at auction and over that time it has become convincingly clear that StorageTreasures engages in biased business practices. StorageTreasures claims to be an independent intermediary platform between the buyers and sellers of storage units sold at auction. This is false. StorageTreasures is 100% an agent of the seller and serves the best interests of the seller at the expense of the buyer, every time. BUYER BEWARE, SELLERS NOT FAIR. Some buyers receive preferential treatment from seller facilities, getting information and access related to unseen contents of units being auctioned, information that is not available to other buyers, in violation of fair competition practices and undermining ethics. This creates trust issues, because buyers depend on the storage facilitys transparency and honesty when bidding.While the StorageTreasures platform encourages bidding and facilitates sales transactions, it also requires the buyer to adhere to ALL rules, charging the buyer 15% of the final purchase price, but does NOT require the seller to adhere to ANY rules related to photos and descriptions of the items for sale. StorageTreasures claims to have an independent ********************** (ARS) that provides oversight as to the accuracy of the photos and descriptions of the units listed for sale. This is untrue. There is no oversight at all. There is nothing to protect the buyer or ensure the accuracy of the photos and descriptions. In fact, I have been told by several managers and one district manager at Extra Space Storage that each facility manager is in charge of taking photos and describing contents as they choose. Then why does StorageTreasures publish articles with seller photo and description instructions? In January of this year, I bid on and won a unit at auction. There was only one photo (included). The photo shows file cabinets and the description said file cabinets. When I got to the unit, what is NOT shown in the photo, was behind all those filing cabinets was an area of about 5 x 10 with wood, old tables, maybe bookshelves, garbage, walls, and who knows what else, from floor to ceiling. Even better, not one of the file cabinets shown had a top they were all open, and while each cabinet shows it includes keys, what good does locking do when you can reach your hand in the through the top. The one photo is clearly taken at such an angle that the buyer would not know they cabinets have no tops or that someone dumped their construction trash behind them. When I got there and saw the situation, I immediately looked on the StorageTreasures website what I should do and what the requirements of the seller are with respect to photos and descriptions. I then took photos and video, called StorageTreasures and remained on hold for neatly an hour waiting to speak to ******, but when I did, his response to me was too bad, so sad, you have to empty the unit, or your StorageTreasures account will be suspended. I asked if I could send him the photos, but he did not care to see them. Then why instruct the buyer to take them? I asked the facility manager for a refund of the purchase price, which was denied. I lost more than $60 and spent an entire afternoon on the phone with the facilitys district supervisor to straighten it out. In the beginning days of May, I decided to upgrade my StorageTreasures account from buyer to a pro membership. Although I upgraded it online, it was never upgraded, and it was from then on that I stopped getting emails from StorageTreasures. Typically, I get emails when I am outbid, when an auction is cancelled, and when I win a unit. On 5/19 I logged into my StorageTreasures online account to update my address and at that time I tried to update my email. The system would not allow me to change or update my email address. So, I sent StorageTreasures an email on 5/19 and again on 5/23 advising that I was NOT receiving emails from StorageTreasures and requesting to change my email address. When my email address was not changed despite two email requests, on 5/27 I called StorageTreasures and asked to change my email address over the phone. It was then I learned that my StorageTreasures account had been suspended because I won a unit on 5/23 and failed to pay for and clean it out. I FAILED TO PAY FOR AND CLEAN OUT THE **** BECAUSE I DIDNT RECEIVE NOTICE OF THE WIN. I repeatedly pointed out that despite repeated requests to update my email, it had never been done and I received no notice of winning. I asked why my account was not upgraded to Pro and I was advised it was because I owe StorageTreasures 15% of the final purchase price of the unit I won. When I protested, I was told I needed to speak with ******. I called ****** twice and he called minute entry back a week later. I was on the phone with the doctor, and I asked if I could call him right back. He said he would call minute entry back in one hour. ****** did not call back that day or the next, so I called ********************* again, and again and again. It was clear to me, like before, that he did not care to speak to me. Now, if I want to bid on anymore units, I will have to pay StorageTreasures a fee for a unit I never received. This is not fair, nor ethical, but at present StorageTreasures monopolizes Arizonas online storage unit auctions; if I do not shut up and pay, I have to give up my hobby. It feels like extortion and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Looking into my concerns, I learned they mirror the concerns of other buyers. In fact, one buyer is trying to get enough people organized to file a class action lawsuit. While I am not interested in class action lawsuits I am filing a complaint with the BBB concerning my experience with StorageTreasures because they are engaging in unethical and potentially illegal practices that need to be addressed. Sincerely,*************************** xc: Office of the ******* Attorney General