2009 Giant Auction Information

[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...