Going once, going twice …why keep going at all?
Of course I’m talking about the live auctions that Jerry runs and I generally get in the way at.
We’ve run five now, three in Coventry and two at Sarratt in Hertfordshire. I thought I’d take this opportunity to give some insight about how we’d like to see them progress and perhaps some tips as to how you the punter can get the best from them.
First a little history. Be clear if it hadn’t been for Jerry we’d have never have gotten the first one off the ground in Coventry. I suggested trying a live auction in response to general muttering on The Pennymachines website. It had always been my intention to get a social event up and running on a grander scale to the ones I’d run when I was in the pub game, and a vague threat from a collector friend to pack it all in and allow me to dispose of his thirty odd machines provoked me to say “let’s have a go then”.
I don’t think I was really too naive about what was involved as I had done several events on my own and with Steve Hunt and John Hanson. However the mistake I made was to try and emulate what had gone before, whilst Jerry (very correctly) steered us in a more effective and tighter direction. I don’t know about Jerry but I was astonished at how much work was going to be involved in getting all of the little things done that would go towards making the events a success or not.
It seems from the feedback we get that generally speaking everyone enjoys what happens, but true to say that there have been times when we two have sat down at the end and said “That’s the last one!” only to stumble on and have another go six months or so later. So why is that?
We do as much of the forward planning as we can regards venue, refreshments, I.T. system, trade tables and being legal etc, but at the end of the day we can’t estimate how many tables we need to hire, the programme, all the printing and marketing etc. until we know what lots are being entered. And that’s the most critical thing, because no lots means no auction. To be fair vendors like to keep their options open until the last minute and who can blame them, if I were to sell my own machines I’d prefer to wait until the last minute before committing it to an event several weeks in the future, but would have to question if I was getting the best out of the opportunity. The problem is the running order needs to be decided and the programmes are most affective if they go out and tease the buyers a week or two in advance and not only a couple of days.
However if we don’t know what’s turning up we can’t do that, then we are guilty of accepting late entries on the day which does nothing to the smooth running let alone finishing on time. The amount of frantic last minute changes to programmes, I.T. system, running order etc. leads to very late nights even early mornings for someone in Dartford and real flying by the seats of pants for the Coventry team on the day.
I think everyone understands that in order to be able to pay vendors on the day we have to do the cash only and double queuing at the end; and we seem to have gotten across the message that doing deals in the car park is severely frowned upon. From our side we’ve learnt that unplugging the computer in mid auction or relying on a venue where the “gaffer” gets drunk and starts to threaten to start chucking machines off tables to establish his authority are best avoided.
So how do we all get the best out of this? I think we all want the same thing: -
1. A great day out
2. Good venue
3. Lots of machines and spares
4. What is in the programme being what turns up on the day
5. Finishing smoothly and on time
6. Good refreshments and clean toilets.Generally speaking I think we do the above, but perhaps without the confidence that numbers 4 & 5 will always be achieved.
My view is that we need to ask vendors to stick to the lead time for submitting lots so the programme can do its job and entice the slackening of purse strings. Also we shouldn’t accept last minute entries on the day. Looking at the figures over the auctions we've done confirms if your lot is in the catalogue (and consequently advertised) it does better than those entered late and not advertised. Sadly even highly sought after items entered on the day tend to do badly. I guess people plan before hand what they're going for, and even though a surprise gem attracts a lot of interest on the day, people still bid on what they've been drooling over in the catalogue, merely chucking a "half hearted" punt or two at the stranger of the day.
Also we need to stick rigidly to the ground rules and not make exceptions for anyone. Things like
“No lots to be paid for and removed from the saleroom until the end” must apply to all, it’s no good on the day saying you didn’t know and have to go; it’s only fair for everyone.
So that’s how I’d like to go forward, what do you think, after all it is your day?
I can honestly say that the last couple of years or so have been really fun, it’s been great to put faces to names and to see how old and ugly we’re all becoming. Thanks for being there.
So if you are contributing to this year's biggest slotty event in the UK at The Coundon Social Club Coventry on 29th November use the entry form from the next Mechanical Memories Magazine to ensure your lots get the maximum publicity. Alternatively if you are the one that still doesn't subscribe to the only magazine devoted to our hobby then e-mail your entries to Jerry
by clicking here without delay.
Jeremy Clapham
email address changed to clicky thing - Site Admin
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(yes, that's 60, and the entry forms haven't even gone out yet)! so don't delay - get your entry forms in before we're over-subscribed, and have to start refusing lots.
