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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