The short answer
Yes — Advantage Lifts and Backyard Buddy have gone out of business. Below is what happened, and exactly what to do depending on whether you have money on the line, already own a lift, or were about to buy one.
Quick answers
What happened
If you have a deposit
If you own a lift
If you were about to buy
FAQ
Quick answers
What happened to Advantage Lifts and Backyard Buddy
For over a decade these were well-known names in the home-garage world, sold on a promise of “quality, safety, and strength.” Here’s the story of how it came apart.
They were all one company
Advantage Lifts started around 2010, originally importing home storage lifts (the model many owners know as the 9000-HD). Stacey Mack acquired the company in 2017. In September 2020, Advantage took over Backyard Buddy — an American-made lift line built by Steel Valley Lifts in Warren, Ohio, with a 30-plus-year history. The group later added Warren Steel Specialties and rebranded everything under one umbrella, Real Garage Life. So when the parent went down, both brands went with it.
The “American-made” problem
The brand leaned heavily on its US-made image — and that’s where the first documented trouble appeared. On December 7, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission issued a closing letter to Advantage Lifts, noting that its marketing had overstated how much of its lifts were made in the United States: the products were assembled in the USA but contained significant imported content. Important context: this was not a fine or a lawsuit. The FTC closed the matter after the company implemented a remedial plan — removing the unqualified “Made in USA” claims, correcting mislabeled products, and adding qualified claims where appropriate. But it was an early crack in the exact story the brand was built on.
Deposits in, lifts never out
Through 2025 the company signaled a move to real US manufacturing and kept taking orders — often with large deposits up front. Customers who ordered in late 2025 have publicly described delivery dates that slid from January 2026 to March, then May, then July, with upbeat updates the whole way and lifts that never arrived. (These accounts come from customer reports on forums such as The Garage Journal.)
The collapse
By August 2026 it was over. According to a letter sent to affected customers by a regional installer that worked with the brand, the factory had shut down, the company was insolvent with no remaining funds, and the senior secured creditor would be selling off the assets. Customers were told their deposits would not be returned and that a credit-card chargeback was effectively the only way to recover money.
If you have a deposit or an open order
This is the urgent part. Move quickly:
1. If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge with your card issuer now. For most people this is the only realistic path to getting money back — and card networks have strict time limits, so don’t wait.
2. If you financed the purchase, contact the financing provider right away, explain the goods will never be delivered, and ask about your options.
3. File complaints with the Attorney General in the state where the company operated and with the FTC. This may not recover your money, but it documents your claim.
We’re not attorneys, and insolvency situations vary — if a large sum is at stake, a short consult with a consumer-protection attorney in your state is worth it.
If you already own an Advantage or Backyard Buddy lift
Your lift didn’t stop working — but the support behind it did: no factory warranty, no factory parts, no factory service. The good news is these are mechanically conventional lifts, and most wear parts (cables, locks, hydraulic components) have equivalents from other suppliers.
Keep your lift running — parts & support guide →
If you were about to buy one
Don’t — orders can’t be fulfilled. If you were drawn to Backyard Buddy or Advantage for the low-ceiling design, storage capacity, or US-built angle, there are current lifts that cover the same needs and are shipping today. We mapped the closest replacement for every popular model.
See the best replacements you can buy today →
Frequently asked questions
Who owned Advantage Lifts and Backyard Buddy?
Did Advantage Lifts file for bankruptcy?
Can I still get warranty service or parts?
Were Advantage lifts actually made in the USA?
Is another company taking over the brand?
We’re following the Real Garage Life liquidation and updating this page as we learn more. Have information to add, or dealing with a lost deposit yourself? Contact us.