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I'm starting this new thread because I wanted to sit and take the time to tell those who haven't been before about this event, its history, how it works, etc.
History:
HAS has been having auctions since before I was around (literally-on the earth). My first memories of an HAS auction are actually from an auction that took place in a mall in one of their open areas. I was probably around 8 or 9. I remember getting a foot long pleco. After that I started going to the auctions at the YMCA and other locations. There used to only be two auctions a year, Spring and Fall. The Spring auction was traditionally smaller and was held at the Post Oak YMCA. The Fall auction was larger and held at a hotel or other venue as suitable. It worked that way for quite a few years. A few years back, some new people started to come into leadership positions within the club. We approached the FOTAS 2003 convention in a new way. (For those of you who are unaware....FOTAS stands for Federation of Texas Aquarium Societites. They have a convention which rotates to different host clubs around the state each year.) We wanted to make it a much bigger event...world class speakers, a huge auction, a show, etc. So, we promoted it in a very aggressive fashion....through television, vendor contact, mailouts, and general word of mouth. It indeed became a very big event. We challenged the capacity of the auction room in the hotel. We continued this type of promotion for future auctions and soon decided that we needed a third auction because the other two were getting so big. Thus the Summer auction was born. Now, it rivals the size of the Fall auction.
How it works:
It's pretty simple really. People bring fish to sell. We auction the fish. HAS gets a percentage of the sale price. Check in for the sellers starts at 10am. We try to start the auction itself at 11am. The auction can last anywhere from 6 to 10 hours.
Now for the details...
I'll start with the sellers. Sellers of all sorts bring fish. The great majority are individual hobbyists. Some sellers bring one or two bags. Some bring fifty or sixty. Some bring rocks, driftwood, tanks, filters, supplies,etc. We never know until the day of the auction. Here's how it works for the sellers. Sellers obtain a seller ID. It's best to obtain this previous to the auction by calling one of the numbers listed on one of the flyers, postcards, or website. Seller ID's are usually (but not always) your initials. The seller lists his items on the seller form in numerical order. Each item is labeled with Seller ID, Item number, and a brief description. So your first item would be, for example in my case, CEJ-1, followed by a brief description like "Half Black Veil Angels, Pair". The same information is written on an index card which accompanies the item. That way the auctioneer has a card with which to auction the item while its being shown to the crowd (bidders). The card also serves as a backup for us if the person who is writing down all the items and final bids gets a little behind. But, I digress. Also important to the sellers is that for every four items you bring you get four colored stickers: a red, a yellow, a green, and a blue. Here's why that's important. We auction everything on the red tables first, the yellow second, the green third, and the blue last. This gives each seller to have their items dispersed throughout the auction. It also gives the seller the option to use a little strategy if desired. Maybe you think you'll get better money on a certain item at the beginning of the auction...who knows? Sellers are mailed a check for their share of the proceeds usually within about a week. It takes a while to go through the paperwork. As a final note for the sellers, it is WAY easier if you fill out your forms and such before arriving. (They are available online)
On to the bidders. Each person that wishes to bid needs a bidder card. This is not the same as a seller ID. Bidder cards are $5 unless you're a member of HAS. It's free for HAS members. Membership is $15. So, after some higher math hopefully everyone realizes that if you go to three auctions a year membership pays for itself. Each bidder will have an area behind the auctioneer where his items are placed when won. At the end, or when you wish to checkout if before, the items are tallied and accounted for and payment is due. Payment is by cash or check. Sales tax is charged. (The Comptroller won't have it any other way). This is often a long auction. So if you wish to move up an item you may do so by paying a $2 fee. This doesn't guarantee you'll win the item. Bids are in whole dollar amounts. Once an item is closed, its final. Don't try to sneak in a bid at the last minute. Bid if you want it. There are too many items for people to try to be coy about it. Again, this is a very long auction and we speed it up as much as possible.
Some other notes. The American Legion Post where we hold this event is kind enough to hold their monthly steak dinner during our event. It's a great meal and, even better, you don't have to leave the auction to go get something. They also have chips, hot dogs, pizza and other snacks throughout the day at a nominal fee as well as drinks. We strongly discourage outside food or drink for this reason. They're helping us, so we try to help them. We also usually have a silent auction throughout the day on various donated items. Silent auction closings are announced at least 5 minutes prior to the closing of the item. For our auction, the hall is a non-smoking facility.
As a final note. This is a VERY big auction. It usually lasts between 6 and 10 hours. I've been told it is the largest fish auction in the United States. There are often close to a thousand items at the auction. Make tanks space beforehand because you always leave with more than you intended.
Here's the link for more details and forms:
Thank you for your kind attention and I will add to this if I think of stuff I've missed.
--Charles
History:
HAS has been having auctions since before I was around (literally-on the earth). My first memories of an HAS auction are actually from an auction that took place in a mall in one of their open areas. I was probably around 8 or 9. I remember getting a foot long pleco. After that I started going to the auctions at the YMCA and other locations. There used to only be two auctions a year, Spring and Fall. The Spring auction was traditionally smaller and was held at the Post Oak YMCA. The Fall auction was larger and held at a hotel or other venue as suitable. It worked that way for quite a few years. A few years back, some new people started to come into leadership positions within the club. We approached the FOTAS 2003 convention in a new way. (For those of you who are unaware....FOTAS stands for Federation of Texas Aquarium Societites. They have a convention which rotates to different host clubs around the state each year.) We wanted to make it a much bigger event...world class speakers, a huge auction, a show, etc. So, we promoted it in a very aggressive fashion....through television, vendor contact, mailouts, and general word of mouth. It indeed became a very big event. We challenged the capacity of the auction room in the hotel. We continued this type of promotion for future auctions and soon decided that we needed a third auction because the other two were getting so big. Thus the Summer auction was born. Now, it rivals the size of the Fall auction.
How it works:
It's pretty simple really. People bring fish to sell. We auction the fish. HAS gets a percentage of the sale price. Check in for the sellers starts at 10am. We try to start the auction itself at 11am. The auction can last anywhere from 6 to 10 hours.
Now for the details...
I'll start with the sellers. Sellers of all sorts bring fish. The great majority are individual hobbyists. Some sellers bring one or two bags. Some bring fifty or sixty. Some bring rocks, driftwood, tanks, filters, supplies,etc. We never know until the day of the auction. Here's how it works for the sellers. Sellers obtain a seller ID. It's best to obtain this previous to the auction by calling one of the numbers listed on one of the flyers, postcards, or website. Seller ID's are usually (but not always) your initials. The seller lists his items on the seller form in numerical order. Each item is labeled with Seller ID, Item number, and a brief description. So your first item would be, for example in my case, CEJ-1, followed by a brief description like "Half Black Veil Angels, Pair". The same information is written on an index card which accompanies the item. That way the auctioneer has a card with which to auction the item while its being shown to the crowd (bidders). The card also serves as a backup for us if the person who is writing down all the items and final bids gets a little behind. But, I digress. Also important to the sellers is that for every four items you bring you get four colored stickers: a red, a yellow, a green, and a blue. Here's why that's important. We auction everything on the red tables first, the yellow second, the green third, and the blue last. This gives each seller to have their items dispersed throughout the auction. It also gives the seller the option to use a little strategy if desired. Maybe you think you'll get better money on a certain item at the beginning of the auction...who knows? Sellers are mailed a check for their share of the proceeds usually within about a week. It takes a while to go through the paperwork. As a final note for the sellers, it is WAY easier if you fill out your forms and such before arriving. (They are available online)
On to the bidders. Each person that wishes to bid needs a bidder card. This is not the same as a seller ID. Bidder cards are $5 unless you're a member of HAS. It's free for HAS members. Membership is $15. So, after some higher math hopefully everyone realizes that if you go to three auctions a year membership pays for itself. Each bidder will have an area behind the auctioneer where his items are placed when won. At the end, or when you wish to checkout if before, the items are tallied and accounted for and payment is due. Payment is by cash or check. Sales tax is charged. (The Comptroller won't have it any other way). This is often a long auction. So if you wish to move up an item you may do so by paying a $2 fee. This doesn't guarantee you'll win the item. Bids are in whole dollar amounts. Once an item is closed, its final. Don't try to sneak in a bid at the last minute. Bid if you want it. There are too many items for people to try to be coy about it. Again, this is a very long auction and we speed it up as much as possible.
Some other notes. The American Legion Post where we hold this event is kind enough to hold their monthly steak dinner during our event. It's a great meal and, even better, you don't have to leave the auction to go get something. They also have chips, hot dogs, pizza and other snacks throughout the day at a nominal fee as well as drinks. We strongly discourage outside food or drink for this reason. They're helping us, so we try to help them. We also usually have a silent auction throughout the day on various donated items. Silent auction closings are announced at least 5 minutes prior to the closing of the item. For our auction, the hall is a non-smoking facility.
As a final note. This is a VERY big auction. It usually lasts between 6 and 10 hours. I've been told it is the largest fish auction in the United States. There are often close to a thousand items at the auction. Make tanks space beforehand because you always leave with more than you intended.
Here's the link for more details and forms:
Thank you for your kind attention and I will add to this if I think of stuff I've missed.
--Charles
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