2009 Giant Auction Information

[garnpet]

2009 Giant Auction

Our annual Giant Auction will be held at the  Jack Purcell Centre on Sunday the 1st of March starting at 12:30 pm.  Everyone is welcome - both OVAS and non-OVAS members.

Item setup and viewing starts at 10:00 am.  All items being auctioned off must be registered and present at the auction by 12:00.  No new items will be accepted after 12:00.

General information
All items being auctioned are placed on tables in the viewing area.  During the auction the tables will be auctioned off in a random order.

If you wish to have your item(s) sold at the start of the auction, we will have a priority table this year.  The cost is $1 per item and this fee must be paid before your item is placed on the priority table. 

For the Giant Auction the starting bid is $2.  If necessary, please group your items to ensure that your lots have a $2 value.

Raffle tickets
We will be selling raffle tickets during the auction.  $1 for 1, $2 for 3 and $5 for 10.  Prizes include a brand new 75 gallon aquarium, a 32 gallon Waterhome aquarium kit and a 20 gallon aquarium kit.  Other prizes will be posted at a later date.

Item registration
The following methods are available to register your items

• On-line registration of your items.  Click here to submit your items for the auction.  If you have more than 10 items for sale, please fill out as many forms as needed.
  
• If you do not pre-register your items, please download the OVAS item form , complete it and give it to me before 12:00.

Identifying your items
Pre-printed labels are provided for all auction items and will be handed out when you arrive  at the registration desk.

For all items the starting bid is $2.00. If you would like to start the bidding for you item at a higher amount please indicate the minimum bid on your registration form. 

Packaging your items
Please package your items carefully!  Bags can leak, light bulbs can break, and fish can jump out of pails - just to mention a few possibilities.

All fish placed for auction must be in an appropriate container:

• Proper fish bags (preferred method)
• Glass jars of an appropriate size (Acceptable, but should be avoided if possible for safety reasons)
• Plastic buckets

Any fish placed for auction in an unacceptable container will have to be bagged at our Bagging station. OVAS will supply thick, heavy duty fish bags and will do the bagging.  Cost is $1 per bag, regardless of the number of fish bagged.  Anyone wishing to bring fish to the auction without proper bags are encouraged to bring their fish in a bucket, and we will happily bag them for you for the auction table.

Payment for bagging must happen BEFORE the auction commences.

Bidding
For those who are new to the club the auction works as follows:

• The auctioneer will read the lot number, description and starting bid amount.
• Anyone who wishes to bid on the item is asked to raise their hand at the start of the bidding.
• The auctioneer will increase the price and the last person with their hand raised wins the item.
• All items must be paid for immediately after the bidding has ended for that item.  Payment and item pickup is done at the Treasurers location an the side of the meeting room.

Auction fees
Any items preregistered before 8:00pm on Saturday the 1st of March will be charged a 25% commission.  Any items registered after this time will be charged a 35% commission fee for OVAS members, and 40% for non-OVAS members, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Donations
If you wish to donate the proceeds from any of your auction item please indicate this to me before the auction.  Any unsold donated items must be picked up after the mini-auction is over – OVAS will not be responsible for any items left at the meeting.

Vendor payment
Please see me after the auction to be cashed out.  I will provide you with a receipt which will be taken to the Treasurer for payment.  If you are unable to stay to the end of the auction please contact me and alternate arrangement will be made for you to receive your funds.

Note
Please respect your fellow club members - excessive talking during the auction is distracting to both the auctioneers and the people wishing to purchase items.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

Peter Garneau

[wish_Fish]

just a thought for Organizing the Auction items this year:
would it be possible to number the tables and organize them into different catalogs, such as:

- Plants (table 1, 2, 3, 4...)
- Live stock (table 5, 6..)
- Food (table 7, 8...)
- Equipment (table 9, 10...)
... ... etc ... ...
depends on how many items in each catagory.

it would be easier for people to know what are being auctioned when it comes to the particular table number, instead of having all the items mixed up on all the tables, which was a bit confusing for me last year ... just a thought... ...


 

[Heidi]

That sounds like a good idea...that way people who don't want any particular items on say the plant table, can go and get some food, mingle off to the side or go to the washroom. Maybe alternate it too...plant table, then livestock table followed by 2 or 3 accessory tables, then plant table, livestock table, etc...

It is a little confusing when people early on in the day look at an item on one table but later on someone else moves it to another table and the first person misses out on it cause it's not on table "A" anymore here they first saw it.

Heidi

[mseguin]

As for the auction idea, we've looked at different ways to organize, but our current way has a few advantages. #1 it's easier (and we all know Peter has enough on his plate on auction day). #2 the mixed tables maintain interest for longer, instead of having people wane off or even leave after their table has gone up. If there is one or two items you want to go up early, we do offer priority auctionning for only a dollar.

[pminister]

i am super excited for this.

[pminister]

is there an entrance fee ?

[garnpet]

is there an entrance fee ?

No.

[dan2x38]

How about a preferred table for saltwater frags & fish only. Make some extension cords & power bars available for powerheads, lights or heaters. They would still pay the perferred price. Maybe a little more? Try to encourage more marine stuff. Might raise interest and enthusiasm to create a swap meet in the future too? Read all about it, OVAS 1st Annual Saltwater swap Meet! 

[pminister]

^^^ haha i like how he put it in words. lol

[cichlidicted]

can we see the items in auction on ovas ?

[garnpet]

can we see the items in auction on ovas ?

From time to time I will be posting the items that have been registered.

[Cbellehumeur]

okay so i've been to the aution last year but this year i was think of bring items to auction....i just need clearifcation. So it's a  $1 per item/lot than an additional  25-40% fee??  is this right? so really if your item goes for $2 really your only making 40-75 cents?

[dan2x38]

You pay $1 for the preferred table so it is auctioned ahead of the rest that are just selected randomly. OVAS receives 25% on preregistered items that sell. OVAS receives 40% on items that are registered at the auction that sell. The min. bid starts at $2. The first post in this thread explains it all in detail.

So on an item selling for $2 you make $1.50 if preregistered. If registered at the auction on Mar. 1st if it sells for $2 you get $1.20.

Remember folks this is not just for you to make money which you will. It is to support OVAS so we successfully operate each year.

[presto]

I too found it confusion with the mixed tables and I missed out on some big items I wanted. It may be easier(I don't see how) but I went home with far too much money in my wallet as a result.

I appreciate the work volunteers put into this. I think OVAS would attract more interest if the auctions where more effiecent. Grouping items and selling all the plants first, then fish, then equipment, ect... would ease congestion, allow everyone interested to be there ready to bid up prices and the ones who only wanted plants could leave after and free up room. There will be plenty of impulse buyers there anyways, no need to force someone to spend 8 hours to buy some moss or cheap heaters or whatever.

If making more money is the problem, increase the sellers price by a dime, it would make up for the dollar cost to get in front of the line.

[dan2x38]

Read this complete thread it discusses all this...

[Cbellehumeur]

Thank-you i understand now i just miss read it before.

I do agree with pesto thou...more organization (in grouping items) will incourage more people to attend the auction...that was my huge turn-off last year.

[dan2x38]

How many characters will fit on an auction item's label? What is the longest name that can be printed to describe the item...

[garnpet]

Dan,

If you register online the maximum length of the item description is 80 characters.

[dan2x38]

Dan,

If you register online the maximum length of the item description is 80 characters.

That is the form online length but is that also what is printed on the labels? I just have a couple items with long descriptions... thx

[garnpet]

The max. length on the labels is around 150-200 characters, however if you don't register online I reserve the right to shorten your descriptions to save me work.