[GSAS-board] Plant Auctopsy 2006

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

Here are the numbers for comparison with previous years:

                2006    2005    2004    2003    2002    2001    2000

bidders         28      39      43      30      34      39      38
lots            267     242     322     264     259     231     260
gross $         1195    1299    1636    1327    1180    1624    1479
splits $        146     194     453     265     150     403     413

As you can see, the number of bidders was way down, and the income is 
lower than, but kinda similar to previous years.  I suspect we'll make a 
similar amount as we did last year, which is not really the point of the 
auction anyway... it's more to get the plants out to people!

Now in terms of speed, the team SMOKED, averaging a stunning 3 
items per minute.  You can see we sold the 2nd highest number of lots 
ever, and did it in probably the shortest time ever (90 minutes).  The 
auctioneers kept moving, the computer folks kept things from getting 
backed up, and the runners were there to pick it all up.  I really liked 
the new table arrangement with the single row for computer folks sitting 
in the DMZ instead of against the wall in previous years.  It also helped 
that Paul was able to check folks in and out on the fourth laptop -- kept 
the three ops free to work on bids.  Similarly, having the bogwood sales 
done like a silent auction with fixed price really moved things along. 
Checkout worked smoothly as well.

OK, criticism:  ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE BOGWOOD.  PLEASE.  I actually had 
some used bogwood from an ex-member that I didn't even bother bringing to 
sell because of the bogwood mania.

Maybe for next year we could have a "dollar table" for simple stem plants 
for pre-auction sale in place of the bogwood table.  But I think we were 
fast enough on those that it doesn't matter.  Maybe for some items in the 
general auction, though?

Other criticism: I don't think the event was advertised to the members 
online at all until last weekend, and there was very little external 
advertising to bring in non-members or members of other clubs (like 
Portland).  You can see that this is the lowest member splits we've ever 
done, so it seemed even as though our own member sellers were "tired" or 
something.  It might do well to consider a bit more for the general 
auction & the next plant auction.

It would also have been nice if Bob had not had to do so much of the work, 
getting the plants, bringing the scale, carting everything in on his own. 
A couple of the members told me "Oh, *I* have a laptop I could have 
brought in".  I thought I posted that on the general list, but only Deb 
replied.  It was very lucky that Paul Winchester brought his, since my 
last-minute-scramble laptop didn't work.

Anyway, smooth event.  Hope the general goes this well!

  - Erik



--
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com
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