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.

[dan2x38]

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.

thx that helps...

[White Lightning]

I too am a fan of grouping the items. As mentioned earlier, it would create a more efficient auction and probably relieve some of the congestion. On top of that, if I know plants are being auctioned and I have no interest in that table  I can sneak out for a smoke and return in time for the items of interest to me.

If OVAS is looking for volunteers to help arrange tables, I am certainly willing to help out.

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

Can we Like Bring Rice crispies  since it's going to be a long auction? some baked goodies would be lovely.

[dan2x38]

Can we Like Bring Rice crispies  since it's going to be a long auction? some baked goodies would be lovely.

Hey a bake sale would be a great idea... But it might cut into my auction money... 

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

Hey a bake sale would be a great idea... But it might cut into my auction money... 

Maybe a charity bake sale for like animal rescue?

[dan2x38]

Maybe a charity bake sale for like animal rescue?

Good idea but was thinking more for OVAS... charity starts at home... it wouldn't raise much get memebrs to donate goodies?

[littlelil]

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.

I agree with the grouping of items. What's the point of having people stick around for longer than they want to, especially if it makes the frustrated? It will only make people who want to bid on items leave before they get a chance, especially if they don't know how much longer it will be for the item they want to come up.

[jenifermarie]

I wish the items were going to be grouped too, I dont foresee my partner being patient enough to sit around all afternoon because I want to bid on x number of items that still hasnt come up.

[garnpet]

I wish the items were going to be grouped too, I dont foresee my partner being patient enough to sit around all afternoon because I want to bid on x number of items that still hasnt come up.

If you want a particular item to be at the start of the auction you can pay $1 to make that item a priority item and it will be done at the start of the auction.  During a break you can also designate priority items and they will be done when we restart the auction.

Grouping the items is not going to make everyone happy.  For every person who wants them grouped an equal number don't want them grouped.  If we decided to do all the plants first, this thread would be full of people complaining that they can't show up at 12:30 and they are going to miss their opportunity to purchase plants.

[dan2x38]

My son has his 4th hockey play-off game on Mar. 1st @ 12pm. I would never miss that for the World. So I won't be there until after 1pm. I sure would not like to miss out on a group of items because family and life are running it's usual course. 

[dan2x38]

The PDF of the preregistered items has the descriptions I entered cut-off. This is what I'd asked before. Will the tags for the items I preregestered for the auction be cut-off like in the PDF.

[BryanB]

hello...

I am new to the site....

I am thinking of driving down from montreal with a buddy or 2 to check out the auction and maybe bring a few items....  however... I would like to see what is up on the auction block...   My friends and I are all marine no freshwater....  Is it worth driving down for us???

Is there a list of what has already been registered? 

[garnpet]

hello...

I am new to the site....

I am thinking of driving down from montreal with a buddy or 2 to check out the auction and maybe bring a few items....  however... I would like to see what is up on the auction block...   My friends and I are all marine no freshwater....  Is it worth driving down for us???

Is there a list of what has already been registered? 

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=33713.0

There will be some salt water items and the updated list of items will be posted in the above thread.

[garnpet]

Can we Like Bring Rice crispies  since it's going to be a long auction? some baked goodies would be lovely.

There will be pizza available and other goodies.

[presto]

As someone who has been to the auction and really wants it to work for the club and so I can continue to buy great stuff I have some honest feedback.

If grouping is not going to happen then the auction list should be scheduled. The auctions I have been to had everything grouped, but besides that, there was time frames so between X time and Y time items 49-100, then 101-149, ect... as a rough measure.

It is an auction so you can't cater to people being available or not but you can spell out for them when they should expect certain items to be sold. Then they can prioritize what is important to them.

The point of the seller paying an extra $1 to be auctioned first doesn't affect the person who wants to bid. The point is what can be done for me, the buyer, so I don't wait all day long for something I want? It is all about the buyer not the seller.

Perhaps an auctioneer should be hired?  They are pros and they don't mess around. We could learn and copy what they did for the future.

Thanks for you time.

[garnpet]

The point of the seller paying an extra $1 to be auctioned first doesn't affect the person who wants to bid. The point is what can be done for me, the buyer, so I don't wait all day long for something I want? It is all about the buyer not the seller.

The $1 is for both the buyers and the seller.

Perhaps an auctioneer should be hired?  They are pros and they don't mess around. We could learn and copy what they did for the future.

We can't afford a professional auctioneer.

[littlelil]

If grouping is not going to happen then the auction list should be scheduled. The auctions I have been to had everything grouped, but besides that, there was time frames so between X time and Y time items 49-100, then 101-149, ect... as a rough measure.

I like this idea, too. There are already a few things on the list that I want, but can't make it to the entire auction. Hopefully i'll be able to show up for some of it... and know that an item I want will still be there!

Are you guys open to ANY new ideas or suggestions??

[garnpet]

I like this idea, too. There are already a few things on the list that I want, but can't make it to the entire auction. Hopefully i'll be able to show up for some of it... and know that an item I want will still be there!

We as an Exec have discussed the Giant Auction to death.  I personally have gone over all the suggestions from the past two years that the forum members have given us.  The format that we are following is what we decided up after looking at all the options.  We have added priority items for those who are only looking for specific items and want to make a hasty exit from the auction, we have changed around the format of the raffle prizes this year so that if you don't need another 75 gallon tank you can put your tickets toward something else and there have been numerous changes to streamline the registration process.

Idea from previous years
http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=25835.0
http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=14817.0

We discussed grouping the items and decided not to do it.  Personally I would love to give everyone a schedule of approximately when the items are going to be auctioned off, however since about 1/4 of the items aren't even registered until the day of the auction and the fact that some tables can be auctioned off in a couple of minutes others take much longer that is impossible to do.

What will be done this year is the order of the tables will be known before the auction starts, but not before the registration has been completed at 12:00.  So around 12:00 the table order will be know and you can try to estimate when the items you are interested in will be auctioned off.

Please see the following thread for further changes:

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=34404.0

[washefuzzy]

Sounds very resonable arrangement Garnpet.

[dan2x38]

Maybe someone could take it upon themselves to post the table order after they are determined on auction day. Then others at home can guess-ta-mate. I mean someone not working the auction...

[Rob Labonte]

how long does the auction usually last?  how many hours?

and you can only cash out and pick up what you bought at the very end?

[dan2x38]

Usually the whole day... when you buy something you pay right away an dit is yours to take away... if you sell you cash out end of the auction but it is very quick thanks to Garnpet's system. Whole event goes very smoothly an dis actually a lot of fun.

[garnpet]

Last year the auction was about 5 hours long.  We are planning on starting at 12:30 this year.

[ajm1961]

Where (and when) can I see pre-registered items online before the auction?
I'd like to know what kind of items will be on sale to decide whether to go or not.
Thx!

[garnpet]

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=33713.0

Updated lists of items will be posted in the above thread.

[dan2x38]

approx. how many items were autioned last year?

[garnpet]

Last year:

48 different vendors
641 items
489 preregistered items
633 items sold
70 donated items

Interesting facts to consider...

Of the 593 items starting at $2, 522 sold for more than $2, only 3 did not sell
Of the 48 items with reserved bids, 29 sold for more than the reserved bid, 5 did not sell

[redbelly]

Incase you haven't been to the Giant Auction before, there will be food will all proceeds going to OVAS.
Currently we are looking at having:

A variety of pop, water and juice

Cookies and such tastey treats

And pizza, cheese or/and pepperoni

[dan2x38]

Incase you haven't been to the Giant Auction before, there will be food will all proceeds going to OVAS.
Currently we are looking at having:

A variety of pop, water and juice

Cookies and such tastey treats

And pizza, cheese or/and pepperoni

Do you need to know who wants pizza for a guess-ta-mate?

[alongfortheride]

The day off we will be selling pizza tickets at the canteen as well as trying to have some people walking around tickets.
We will probably do pizza around 2pm like last year, and close off the purchase of tickets around 1pm so that we can order it.
We will post a poll next week, closer to the date, to know rough estimates.

[garnpet]

See the following post for Raffle information...

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=33973

[garnpet]

Please see the following thread for changes in the auction format...

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=34404

[Rob Labonte]

those are some impressive stats, garnpet.

looking forward to taking part in this years auction. will be my first. now, im just trying to figure out if and what I wanna sell and buy. lol

[pete]

will there be co2 stuff available there?

[garnpet]

The list of preregistered items will be updated in the following thread...

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=33713.0

[pete]

anyone know if there is going to be co2 stuff there?

[zima]

Please see the list of preregistered items - there will be lots of DIY CO2 setups available.

[garnpet]

Please note - unlike the mini-auctions where we limit the number of items with a reserved bid, the giant auction has no limitations on the number of reserved bid items you can register.

[garnpet]

On Sunday if you park in the Jack Purcell parking lot you MUST go to the front desk and get a parking pass.  Otherwise you will be ticketed.

[pcole6765]

This is my first auction so please excuse my silly question but do we pay taxes on the items we buy?

[garnpet]

This is my first auction so please excuse my silly question but do we pay taxes on the items we buy?

No.

[Heidi]

This is my first auction so please excuse my silly question but do we pay taxes on the items we buy?

no, what you bid is what you pay.