There are a handful of good container dealers in my area. I have nice relationships with most of them. We don't skip together and hold hands, but we do call each other now and again. Most of these guys I would send a friend or family member to if I weren't in the business.
So now, on to the bad guys-this is current behavior I am seeing:
*Sellers that change names like the seasons. They burn through a company name and start all over again. Some go by several different names online. They do this because their selling practices and vendor relationships are so poor. I hear about this from previous employees (some whom haven't been paid), vendors-who haven't been paid and customers with unfulfilled orders.
Exception-sorry to say, there are one or two dealers that have persisted for years and years with poor selling practices, but not many. All I can suggest, is use common sense when buying from anyone.
*Sellers that present photos of my work and others as their own. We do custom containers, so sometimes our material is represented, falsely elsewhere. I have done watermarks-but some ad sites prohibit the use of them. Very little custom container work you see posted online is done by the seller.
This is an excellent reason to visit!
*Sellers that don't deliver close to promised delivery date. This is because they underquote, take your money and have no idea how to fill it. I get three calls a month from a local container company scrambling to fill orders and arrange trucking. They are so clueless (employees rotate in and out quickly), they have no idea that I am a competitor. I have heard of customers that are told each day a container is coming-weeks in a row.
*Sellers of shipping container homes. This is a biggie. There are very few people qualified to do this. I promise you-promise you-promise you. Most are scamming, hoping you place a big order with no idea how to build a home out of containers. They won't announce this. Some will even sell cool books about how easy it is. I haven't seen one multi container home in metro Atlanta, save one or two worth a hoot. I have seen several butchered disasters. I am not kidding, not making this up. It is also unrealistic to think building with shipping containers is inexpensive. If anything, it is a larger investment of time and money. I know you read lots of blogs saying it is easy. See how many of those post poached photos from elsewhere. See if those folks followed through, hired a structural engineer, an architect and competent contractor. See if they got loans and permits. See if they ever built a single thing.
I will give you a few exceptions: cabins, offices and single unit structures are pretty simple. Multi structure container homes are much more involved.
*Sellers with no legit office or facility. This is a HUGE RED FLAG!!! Most will lie and mumble about how you can't visit for insurance reasons. They will explain how the boss doesn't want tire kickers pawing around. Really? Why not? We love to have customers visit us. Most personal visits lead to a sale. Make plans to visit, even if you never intend to do so. The seller should be willing to show you around.
Exception to the above:brokering equipment. I have brokered equipment in other cities for customers. But guess what? I tell them ahead of time-full disclosure.
*Sellers that under quote. I touched on this earlier, but if you see pricing that is really low with no explanation, something isn't right. Either the seller isn't current (or just clueless) about market price, the seller is under quoting you (see prior remarks) or they may be involved in selling stolen equipment. There was a huge scandal in the Atlanta market a few years back-a local equipment manager was reselling containers and pocketing the cash. This was a big deal around here. I myself purchased a chassis several years ago, and learned the hard way to do my due diligence when buying.
There is a rash, an outbreak of sellers that are pay me now and ask questions later. This little legion of sellers have been largely trained by one guy who picks up help on Craigslist. They sell nationally. He can also fix your cracked cell phone screen or get you a limo for hire. I am not making this up. They will tell you whatever you want to hear to make a sale.
I cringe to watch buyers walk into a bad deal. It hurts my industry, my business, my employees and vendors. I hope this helps you. Forgive my little rant, I will have cheese with my whine tonight. :)
If you are looking for a container, I am happy to help. If you get voicemail, please leave a message. I will do my best to make it worth your time.
Addie Turner
Atlas Sales & Leasing, Inc.
4485 Lilburn Ind. Way
Lilburn, GA 30047
www.atlas-leasing.com
678-380-9980 ext. 101