RE: Board Meeting - Auction Discussion

[rick-rose@comcast.net]

Thanks Clay!

Rick
> Good Afternoon,
> 
> I would just like to toss my two cents into the mix on the Auction
> process if I may.  I enjoy the process we have now, for reasons similar
> to Erik's.  I like the opportunity to be moving about and picking up
> things at random, to auction off....and I really like being in control
> of the flow of the items we auction...ie, mixing the good with the bad
> or the new tanks with the old beat, possibly dead back filters and such
> that we get.  Working with the audience one can get a sense of what they
> would like to see and play that to the best advantage of the club I
> think.  Thus, when I see the interest level starting to drop some I can
> auction off a new tank and bring the level back up.  This way I can work
> to sell off the less desired products in between the more desired ones.
> If I didn't have this luxury I would most likely find myself working
> with a disinterested audience.  The tough part is learning what the
> audience is interested in....it seems to change each year.  I really

> don't think our current process is too much work....it takes time
> yes....but, it is fun as we have it.  If we lost the fun, I would find
> it to be work.  Sure, each year I think of things we could do
> better....but, we do great as is too!
> I do think that each auctioneer needs to know the rules prior to our
> start.  I think this would have helped Matt some.  He got frustrated
> when we told him he couldn't do something he was wanting to do, selling
> multiple items.  Well, I knew we could not do that and I told him
> that.....but, he went ahead with it and caused some confusion and
> frustration.  But, the beauty of our system is, we worked through it.
> Now, if we only had one auctioneer and they got to do as they pleased,
> we would soon be in chaos I think.
> Finally, the mix of personalities putting on the auction I think
> attracts the audience into the Auction game.......and, afterall, isn't
> Participation a must in any auction?  Without it, we won't be selling

> much.  I agree that with some auctions a serious auctioneer is
> necessary.  These types of auctions are usually huge ones with very
> serious buyers involved in them.  We do not have that type of audience
> or that much material to auction.
> Our auction is in a more intimate environment and is small enough we can
> interact with the audience some.  I find it amusing and fun to hear how
> much people remember our auctions not only because of the items we sell,
> but, also because of the way we sell them too.  The Auction has become a
> show in its own way.  
> 
> I wish I could be there for the Board meeting, but, with the kid's
> sports and all now, I cannot seem to find the time to make it to the
> meetings anymore.  I miss them though.  But, I know you are all doing a
> great job and really appreciate all the time you folks put into the
> effort as well.  And, as Erik noted, the final decision in this matter
> is in your hands.
> 
> Clay
> 
> >  -----Original Message-----
> > From:       owner-gsas-board@thekrib.com

> > [mailto:owner-gsas-board@thekrib.com]  On Behalf Of Rick Rose
> > Sent:       Monday, April 19, 2004 9:41 PM
> > To: 'GSAS Board'
> > Subject:    FW: Board Meeting - Auction Discussion
> > 
> > Fellow Board Members,
> > 
> > I corresponded with Erik off-list to see if he might be able to attend
> > this week's Board Meeting given the fact that Matt Kaufman has
> > indicated that he will probably be attending and is wanting to discuss
> > our "unique auction methods."  Unfortunately, Erik won't be able to
> > make it, but he did take the time to provide some good input and he
> > gave permission for me to forward his comments to the Board List.  I
> > will have a copy of Erik's comments with me for reference, but I
> > probably won't include it in the text of the agenda, so, please read
> > on...
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > Rick
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Erik Olson [mailto:erik@thekrib.com] 
> > Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 2:03 PM
> > To: rick-rose@comcast.net
> > Subject: Re: Board Meeting - Auction Discussion

> > 
> > Hi Rick,
> > 
> > Matt e-mailed me as well.  From his e-mail, I think he definitely
> > would
> > like to see GSAS go the direction of the other 99% of the clubs out
> > there
> > in their auctions, i.e.  having the auctioneer stand in one place
> > while
> > people bring things to and from them.  He felt it was a lot of work
> > running around all evening.  Maybe he's right, we do end up working
> > all
> > three auctioneers ALL night, where other clubs rotate so they're only
> > working the auctioneers 1/3 the time, but have more runners to pick up
> > the
> > slack.  But I like our own approach, if only that we're the only club
> > that
> > has this little quirky system, and also because I think it actually
> > works
> > very well for us.  I actually *enjoy* going and picking up the items I
> > sell, coming up with little stupid jokes about them, or combining
> > weird
> > items into an unexpected lot.  Another cool perk is that we can swap
> > out
> > or add auctioneers completely seemlessly (as worked with Gilead and

> > with
> > myself last Tuesday).  I've seen the other clubs have "slow"
> > auctioneers
> > that just drag the evening down.  WIth us, that's only every 3 items
> > at
> > worst.
> > 
> > If the issue of selling a dozen of one item comes up, it's important
> > to
> > note that we CAN do this, but only if the auctioneer and the recorder
> > agree to it in advance AND the recorder is ready to jot down all the
> > bidders by hand on a piece of paper (and spend the next few minutes
> > scanning each won item into the computer & labeling the tags with the 
> > winners themself).  The problem is that once things start going at
> > 7:30, 
> > it's very hard to stop everything and say "OK, let's review some
> > basics."  
> > Better to say "No, no mult items!"
> > 
> > I don't think that "melding" the approaches is necessarily good,
> > because 
> > then you have a group of pre-runners, computer operators, post-runners
> > and 
> > auctioneers, i.e. TWELVE people!  Twice as much as we have right now 

> > (auctioneers and computer people).  I think it's far better to stick
> > to 
> > one or the other.  Note that with the single-auctineer approach, the 
> > computer setup typically used is far different than ours.  We could 
> > probably use it, but it would need some modification.  
> > 
> > I kinda wish I could be there on Thursday, but kinda am glad I can't.
> > 
> > Kathy's working full days now, and we've got to be packed for Portland
> > 
> > Thursday if we're going to take off when she gets off work Friday
> > night.  
> > Markus is home sick with me today, so they'll be wanting me to do more
> > 
> > work Wednesday and Thursday.  What a week.
> > 
> > Hopefully this will be of some use to you -- if you want to forward to
> > the
> > board or bring to the meeting, that's OK.  But this is your guys'
> > fight
> > now.  If you like the current approach, explain why and stick with it!
> > 
> > But there's no reason we can't try something different, right?  I
> > bucked

> > the system when I added the computers.  We couln't have done $800+
> > worth 
> > of splits before then, and now it's pretty painless.
> > 
> >   - Erik
> > 
> 
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