Randy A. Smith, director of operations for Another Closet Self Storage in McAllen, Texas, is launching a full-scale attack on the self-storage industry's many aggregation websites in an effort to drive them out of the business. Smith's campaign launched with a controversial video message displayed at NoStorageAggregators.com, where he makes his objective clear.

Self-storage aggregation websites consolidate listings of available self-storage units from facilities nationwide. These websites work for the self-storage industry much the same way as Hotels.com for the hotel industry. These aggregators capture consumers online and sell the reservations to facility operators.

Read the full story here: http://www.insideselfstorage.com/new...-websites.aspx

So, what's your reaction to Smith's crusade, and is he right or off-base?

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John Carlisle
Community Manager, Self-Storage Talk
Online Content Editor, Business Solutions Network
VIRGO
jcarlisle at vpico dot com
480-990-1101, x1214

I don't have time to read 19 pages! However, I agree with his basic premise that the customers should find us through our own website, which they could do much more easily if they were out of the picture.

That being said, I think he's fighting a losing battle. As much as we would all like to see them go, they are here to stay, just like Amazon and Hotels.com!

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MamaDuke

Greetings fellow self storage professionals!

I'm new to SST but not to the industry. In fact, I'm the one who has begun to take on the aggregator segment of our industry. See the latest news (press release) on the home page of the ISS main site.

Have any of the members seen the video which launched this initiative? Has anyone visited the site to read some of the articles supporting (I believe) my claim that aggregators are bad news for our industry?

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the subject.

I'm actually speaking at the Vegas show in March and in one session debating Chuck Gordon, co-founder and CEO of SpareFoot.

If you have the chance, go visit the site: www.nostorageaggregators.com and watch the video and send me your thoughts.

Have a great day!

antiaggregatoroperator - aka Randy A. Smith

MamaDuke,

It's not a losing battle because they aren't entrenched in the industry like Amazon is in retail or Expedia is in travel.

Self storage is highly fragmented (lots of independent operators) and companies like SpareFoot are propped up with venture capital (i.e. not making money on their own yet). If operators unite and agree to not patronize them AND take that money they would have spent with the aggregator and turn around and pursue other online strategies to deliver customers to their OWN websites, then aggregators shrivel up and fade away.

The marketing model / strategy the aggregators use to gain traffic is flawed. This flaw enables us to proactively address the threat before they DO become entrenched.

If you don't want to read the paper, at least watch the video!

Sincerely,

antiaggregatoroperator - a.k.a. Randy A. Smith

Love the video!

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Have A Wonderful Day

Randy

Your video and your information raises a number of questions that everyone in our industry must consider. I would everyone to take a few minutes to see what Randy has put together.

I am really looking forward to the Debate at the EXPO.

MisterJim444

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Learning Never Ends, But Will Time?

Ultimately I don't think you'll have to do much of anything for for these types of sites/aggregators to fail.

Otherwise, there isn't going to be much you'll be able to do to stop it if it does start to become successful. As soon as one company/site goes under 3 more will pop up.

Such as the way of things on the internet. One day, someone may hit on a good formula, and the next thing you know you'll have the "Expedia of Storage Finding" on the web.

Good luck.

I'm excited for this. I will have my popcorn ready! (Sorry, not trying to make light.)

In all seriousness, this is one of many reasons why you need to make plans to attend the ISS World Expo in Las Vegas.

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John Carlisle
Community Manager, Self-Storage Talk
Online Content Editor, Business Solutions Network
VIRGO
jcarlisle at vpico dot com
480-990-1101, x1214

Great Video. That is scary. I am working with a freind with SEO. They can screw that up.

DAK Self Storage so far has said NO. I will get my own tenants.
Do a Google search for: What is mini Storage? See where we come up. My guy is getting us to show up in searches. Anyone looking for a good SEO GUY Let me know. He is Not an SEO FACTORY as many of the email I receive are. Google crawlers figure them out.

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Joe Krezdorn
DAK Self Storage
Leesport, PA 19533
www.dakselfstorage.com

Being entrenched has absolutely zero to do with losing the war you are fighting here.

As long as there is internet and ad revenue to be had, there will be things on the internet you don't like.