Featured Covered up. I don't even know where to start.

I am covered up. The gallery is a mess and it is making me crazy. I don't even know where to start and every time I try to get the photos done the phone rings or someone drops off more stuff. We are going to have another 500 lots with an extra 200 for the next auction already. This is good but I am losing my mind in this pile. On a side note I did finally get my very own display case so that's a plus. I have things piled up in every corner.

There is some method to this madness but for the most part it is just becoming pure madness.

This is hard. LOL! It's so hard. I don't want to pull an all nighter but I can't rest when the gallery looks like this. Be careful what you wish for is starting to make sense to me. My partner was afraid we wouldn't get enough consignments. Ha! Everyone that is calling now I am telling they can bring it but today was our cut off for the next auction. My head hurts. My feet hurt. My body hurts. This is more than one person can handle. I feel so scatter brained right now. This isn't even including what I have locked in the other office.

The display case is looking nice though. LOL!

 

At least all those dining tables are good for something!

 

I agree I know I need help. I'm kind of afraid to hire someone because I'm afraid something could go really wrong and I won't be able to pay them if we don't have a great o
Turn out or they might rob me blind. We're at a critical point though I'm going to have to hire some people. I guess I just need to take the leap and post the ad

 

Robin, you are my heroine!
Hang in there!
Sending our dear San Ex's karma your way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EDIT
Do you have any family/friends you can indenture? That's how Mexicans do it.

 

I wish I did I mean I have a couple but they usually work like auction day Unfortunately they have pretty steady regular jobs that don't really allow them to offer much help otherwise.

 

Ahhhhhhhhhh, welllllllllll...
We have plenty of unemployed vatos to be embonded.

 

Some Russian advice....

 

You ain't kidding. LOL! I know I shouldn't have put stuff on them but I was careful and it isn't going to stay there. LOL! Heck they are taking up so much room I have to use them for something. LOL!

 

I like that advice. I also like Vodka. It works miracles. LOL! I recently switch from my usual Mexican Martinis (A very Texas drink made with Tequila) To Regular Dirty Martinis the last couple of months. I have been enjoying them very much.

 

What you need more than staff is the ability to say no.....or at least , we're full, try again for the next auction.

It's great that so many folks are flocking to your door to drop off their myriad of items in the hope of cashing in............but....& I say this with only good intentions for you future growth......from your pics above...your space is looking like a GW store...or worse ...a dumping ground for folks cast offs !!

You need a plan.........soon !

IMHO....

 

You need some parameters for your auctions.

I noticed a lot of stuff starting at a $1. Stuff that you shouldn't even waste your time on.

Stuff that starts at $1. should go into a lot box or be rejected.


Hiring staff -
Start with a bookkeeper.
Someone who can help set up your paperwork system. If done correctly it will save you an enormous amount of time.

 

Looks like komokwa and I have the same thoughts.

 

An auction house that sells hot cars....& coffee bean bags.....will have an issue keeping clientele ......you can't be all things to all peoples....

I realize it's early on , but having a business plan is something you need from the start....

I think both Cluttered and I are seeing a bigger problem that could derail your good intentions.

& we both recognize clutter when we see it !! .....

 

Kasper...I know other auction houses that sell off restaurant equipment.....& Inuit Art....& nice jewelry.........but not in the same auction.

They build up inventory for each auction...over several months.

Don't let your sellers dictate who you are .....set the direction you want to go in ..yourself !

 

I beg to differ. The auction house I work/attend every Friday night basically sells just about anything you could think about. I tell folks that you can find just about everything from some very fine antiques to items that you wonder why in the blue blazes someone would even want it in the first place. LOL

When Bill started his auction business 40+ years ago he took note that there were high end auctions, more or less flea market type auctions & ones that catered to specialties. However there were none that were more or less middle of the road where you could buy nice furnishings for your home, dishes, etc.

He now has 2 auctions every week. The one on Tuesday is a walk around where he sells the majority of stuff by the table or shelf lots. He considers this a more or less flea market sale where he sells the run of the mill stuff & furniture that needs some TLC. Friday night is the nicer furniture, the better decorative items, jewelry, silver, coins, paintings, prints, toys, books, etc.

His crowd is as varied as the stuff he sells. He of course has a good many dealers who sell everywhere from ebay to ones that own their own shops & he also has a lot of folks who buy for themselves to furnish their own homes or add to their collections. Over the last 40+ years he has built up a HUGE following by being honest & by having all types of stuff available. He also knows who to call when something special comes in to set up a real bidding war.

Specialty auctions can be a wonderful thing, but you are catering to a very select clientele & I would think it would be very difficult to get enough items to hold a decent auction.

JMHO & my 2 cents worth.

Peggy

 

This exactly. Yes.

I have learned to stop assuming what people want. I have seen people get into bidding wars over items that I would have personally tossed. Last month was the first month I went to offering up $1 lots and we drew a HUGE crowd every sit was taken. We have 50. We also had around 80 people bidding simultaneously online. I will tell you this they all spent well over a dollar before the auction was over. It really opened my eyes.

I am actually turning a lot of things down or telling them it will have to go next time. These are some very behind the scenes pictures of what it looks like when you have a couple of truck loads coming in everyday and you can't get it all sorted. So it's everywhere.

Some of these items will be auctioned, some will go in larger lots and some will need to be picked up, thrown away or will be held for another auction all together.

It looks like a pile of junk right now because well it is but there are some treasures in those piles, I assure you.

We have been told over and over again since the last auction how much fun people had. Even during the auction during my break people were coming up left and right just to shake my hand and tell me what a wonderful time they were having. It was wild. They loved seeing what was coming next.

The people that are coming to my auctions are so varied right now. Young, old, red neck, rockabilly, dealers, collectors, bikers, white collar, blue collar, very eccentric types, and people that just followed the signs out of curiosity. I swear. We had a packed house last month. We had a lot of $1 items last month. I think only a small handful actually sold for $1 many went much higher. We had a clock that we had tried to sell starting at $10 the first month. No one would bid. I dropped it to $5 the next month and still no one would bid. I dropped that clock down to $1 last auction just to move it and guess what. It sold for $70. It was the craziest thing.

I would have agreed with Komo and Cluttered a few months ago. I didn't want to have $1 lots. Eww! LOL! Now I am like please let me start your item at a $1. Please! It won't be $1 by the time the live auction starts. LOL!

I do also do some specialized auctions I mostly reserve them for online only. We have a vintage beer coaster auction going now and a week or so ago we had vinyl records. The matchbox cars will be a specialized auction and probably be online only. Haven't decided, maybe we will webcast that one.

It looks funny now but come auction day this stuff will be staged and looking good. Which is mainly why I need help. I can't do it all on my own. It's too much to sort and photograph and catalog and some of it requires research. It's a lot of work but in the end it pays off. I like variety. I would hate calling bids on the same thing over and over. I get bored too easy to do that.

 

Kasper....while I believe there are some valid points I've raised......the way I've stated them was too forceful and narrow minded.

I hate it when I come off like a know it all, & poke my nose where it don't belong !!
Sometimes , thinking I can be helpful...goes all to shit !

You & Peggy are correct in everything you say , & your insights at the very least are more realistic than mine.

Of course the place looks like a mess NOW....but once everything is put in it's proper place I'm certain your display will be amazing.

You can sell what you want where you want and as much as your crowd can handle.
Dazzle them with your diversity , wow them with your wares, & keep them coming back for more.
It was wrong of me to think you should pigeon hole yourself at this early date , or even ever.
I hope you sell a million $1 items, and a million more cars, & profit handsomely from anything that walks in your door , & anyone who follows it it in !!!!

I apologize for thinking with blinders on, and even suggesting how you should run your business.

I hope the day comes soon where your staff of many , run like a well oiled machine !!!

Komo Out !!

( please members...no LIKES here, as they are undeserved,,)

 

I beg to differ in your request for no likes for you opened up and said what is so hard to do for so many.
To be clear I meant your apology.

 

I was being a Jackass & a Smartass at the same time.

Setting the record straight .....in a contrite manner....was called for ...and need not be applauded ....