From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Deer Park, WI

Reflecting on last night's SCGA auction (thanks to all who participated), it occurred to me that it was a pretty robotic, uneventful experience. Aside from three separate wifi connections failing at various times, not a lot stands out in memory.

Maybe that's ok? Maybe not. I'd like to host a memorable auction experience. But Im unsure how to do it. Its always exciting when bidding wars push a seed lot into the stratosphere (I recall many Eddy-aliases that got the blood flowing). But in the absence of the perfect alignment of hungry bidders around a rare, coveted seed, what else sparks the interest of auction lurkers?

I'd appreciate your feedback. Perhaps all auction boats can rise with this tide of input. How can auction hosts create a more engaging experience? What goes well? What doesnt go well? Who/which groups are doing it not just good, but awesome? and why? Will you share your thoughts please?

1/23/2021 4:19:15 PM

Grittyville, WA

Its all good. I'm always tempted to bid on the ones that give free memberships but the price is always out of my reach. I think the auctions would be a good time to collect membership dues... really rake in some money lol. Maybe people would get smart and run for the hills, ha ha. Seriously though. It seems like a club could mail out a newsletter with the seeds puchased and save postage and maybe win some new friends if they could line up those two things at the same time.

1/23/2021 4:58:19 PM

Grittyville, WA

I'm just joking. I want to spend my money and support the clubs but I think I would rather get hit up for money just once a year but in return maybe spend a little more.

1/23/2021 5:03:57 PM

Elk Grove , California

We've done very well in our California auctions. I think having really good seeds in a great mix of lots helps. We spark interest by adding certain items if the bids go over an amount that we determine during the auction. We gave away a 2350 Gienger, a 1940 Urena and several Webinar registrations to get the bidding up. We also did a "flash auction" which several folks say they really liked. When 2 or 3 bidders are duking it out we gave a one minute time and whoever was ahead at the end of 1 minute won. It was exciting and lots of fun. Being creative makes the auctions more interesting. You can also add "special lots" that aren't posted in your flyer. That way, people stay tuned to see what might pop up. Just a few suggestions.

1/23/2021 5:35:54 PM

Centennial Colorado

I would say speed is appealing though. I try for an average of 2.5 minutes per lot for rmgvg. We have pretty good turnout. It is difficult being an auctioneer. I started being the auctioneer at the age of 13 and was so slow. I learned a lot though.

1/23/2021 8:02:11 PM

Syracuse, NY

i don't care for an auction that emphasizes how quickly it can go as a selling point of it, thereby i might not have even attended Friday night's one, but my morbid curiosity would have taken over and there i'd have been, just to see what would be considered an intentionally-fast auction, lol. i work second shift so it was over anyway by my arrival @ home;

relaxed, easygoing, no fist raised to anyone with at least a comment or two once in a while, you know, sociable;

i don't like completely-unannounced surprise lots, as i might have JUST spent the wad and now, here's one i could have bid into; not only that, but, you might have had your dream seeds in the packet and now it just took off outta your price range - dayyyummmm...

and then i find out that it went for half of what it maybe 'should have', lol---

i think the auctions with Qtip and Venari (maybe even @ the same auction) are easy to be in alignment with 4 me.

as even you had said, Joze, you weren't worried about every last dollar being extracted, and it was a Friday night, so, too bad for ME!

joking amongst the auctioneers and no sense of rush, rush are good, good - i have time then to evaluate and shell out
more dough, even IF my max. is another's min. hope this helped---eric gerry

1/24/2021 1:23:45 AM

I would agree with 97pounder that 2.5 to 3.5 minutes on average over the night is a good guide line. Some more, some less.
Using the going once twice properly can speed it up cause it seems to take that to get some people to bid.
Using Lot # when the auctioneer is posting helps stop the interuptions asking "what lot is this".

1/24/2021 4:48:40 AM

South Dakota

I like it when the listing has pictures of the lots and lists percent over/under chart.

1/24/2021 8:33:53 AM

Centennial Colorado

I stopped attending the slow auctions. They go like someone at ... Wait 2 minutes, going once... Wait 2 minutes, then going twice... Wait 2 minutes, then sold. These are the the 3.5 hour auctions with 30 lots. They are so slow I get lost on what lot they are on. Then you slow it down more by asking.

1/24/2021 10:49:50 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I think no lot should last more than 2 minutes or less if bidding has stopped. There should be a visible clock that starts at the beginning of each lot.

1/24/2021 12:37:02 PM

Elk Grove , California

A timer is an interesting concept. If the bigpumpkins website can add a timer to the auction page the auctioneers could just set the timer at a certain 2-3 minutes and whoever is ahead when the timer runs out wins the lot. Might save a lot of typing by auctioneers. It is an interesting idea that might be fun to try out if its possible to do.

1/24/2021 1:16:12 PM

Syracuse, NY

A lot of comments here from already-auctioneers, justifying their own way of doing it; just sayin'; also, this post is abouuuuuut that it wasn't the way it was supposed to have BEEN, as it was robotic and uneventful, see? i shouldn't need seeds forEVER, but if there's one i really want, i'm willing to wait for it and not 'blitzkrieg' nor 'duke it out' with anyone too badly - auctioneers and those whom just wanna get their particular seed and go back to watching TV always bring up the speed issue and i always push back on it; it's like horn-honkers in traffic, lol---PERHAPS concerning a timer, that can be activated verbally by the auctioneer: Lot 12 Going Once (wait for another bid) Lot 12 Going Twice (TEN SECONDS)...however, there are always the under-the-wire guys; if there's a deadline, it'll be like the Silent Auctions, remember, Bill? We didn't care for that, lol! I'm reminded of Microwave Popcorn pop/pop.../pop....../no more pop...don't burn it! later---eric g

1/24/2021 1:49:41 PM

Westmoreland, KS

Drawings are always fun every 10th auction giving away a membership or a seed to the winners or even taking your top growers and doing a phone call consultation for the Drawing winners I think gives people more incentive to bid and win auctions

1/24/2021 1:53:17 PM

Westmoreland, KS

*10th lotnot auction

1/24/2021 1:54:07 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Another option would be all auctions are open 5 days ahead for bidding before the actual live auction starts.

1/24/2021 2:16:03 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Interesting conversation. Sounds like I’m doing it right when I put about 10 seconds between the Going once, Going twice. When it’s a $30 bid and not one of the most sought after seeds, there is no point in going long and putting the entire room to sleep. The best thing that can happen to an auction is having several people willing to BID! Then it gets fun! My club really stepped up and helped out this year. If it runs as well as it did this year I’ll keep doing it. I suppose stimulus checks are a big help.

1/24/2021 10:22:58 PM

Southern Iowa auction---cntryboy, sheriff, lunker99 did

81 lots in 3Hrs.,10 mins.
2.345 mins. per lot

Take a bow boys

1/25/2021 2:25:48 PM

Syracuse, NY

yeah, i was there and did a makeshift time trap of my own and was thinking that how they did it was perfectly fine. even resetting a timer is admittedly above my skill level, lol. good humor going on there as well---eg

1/26/2021 2:49:33 AM