OCA Spring Auction 2021 Info and Rules
Email lewcarbone@gmail.com with questions, or ask on the OCA Extravaganza 2020 FB Group (which may help others with the same question).
Time frame:
• The auction begins at 9:00 AM on Monday 3/15.
• Submission window will end 9:00 PM, Saturday 3/20.
• Auction ends 9:00 PM, Sunday 3/21.
• Lot Exchange: Holiday Inn Strongsville, Saturday 3/27 1:00 PM
General Rules:
• You do not have to be an OCA member to participate.
• This is a Cichlid, Catfish, and Aquatic Plant auction only. New, in-the-box dry goods and other types of fish/inverts will be for donation to the Jim Smith Fund only. Known hybrids will not be allowed, with the exceptions of aquarium strains of Aulonocara, Symphysodon and Ancistrus.
• The split is 70% to the seller, 30% to the club. There is no per item charge. However, there is a $2 charge for each item that doesn’t sell.
• We will monitor the chat boxes that accompany each submitted lot. If the OCA suspects that you may be using this platform to sell fish outside of this auction, we reserve the right to ban you from the auction, with or without a warning.
• Each seller is limited to 25 items.
• Each seller is limited to 5 lots of the same species/location/color morph. For example, 2 different variants of Aulonocara stuartgranti would be counted separately.
• When naming your lot, “pair” means male and female, “trio” means male and 2 females, “reverse trio” means 2 males and 1 female. Groups marked as breeders must have produced viable fry.
• If a buyer brings a problem lot to the attention of the OCA within 24 hours, that contains fish that are obviously sick or deformed, the seller’s contact information will be given to the buyer so the 2 parties can work something out.
To Get Started:
• Read this page carefully, and if you decide to participate, and are sure you can be at the exchange (Saturday, 3/27, 1:00 PM), go to the bottom of this screen.
• Check the box next to “Yes, I will be at Strongsville Holiday Inn”, and click “Confirm pickup location and view lots”. You will then be registered for our auction.
Payment:
• All monies must be handled through the club, by PayPal.
• On Monday 3/22, every participant will receive an invoice from Auction.com listing all accounting, including selling price of each item you submitted, purchase price of each lot you bought, and a total that you owe, or that we owe you. Every balance amount will be rounded to an even dollar, in favor of the participant. It will also contain the names of people you bought items from and sold items to.
• If you owe money, you will also receive an invoice from PayPal Monday 3/22. Payment must be made by the end of the day Wednesday 3/24. Make payment to paypal@ohiocichlid.com.
• If we owe you money, payment will be made within 2 weeks of the Exchange.
• If you register with an email address different from the one you use for PayPal, you may email your full name and your PayPal email to lewcarbone@gmail.com, before the end of the auction. We’re not sure this is necessary, but it may simplify things for you.
To Participate:
• Once the auction has begun, click “Auctions” at the top of the page, find the OCA auction and click “View Lots”.
• If interested in a lot, click “See Details”.
• The amount in the white box is amount you will bid if you click the “bid” button. This platform uses proxy bidding, so you can edit that number in order to power bid, in which case your official bid will adjust itself to be $1 higher than the 2nd-highest bid until someone outbids you.
• To submit a lot, click “Create Lot” at the top.
• You can skip the species info if you put it in the Lot Name. Use the Description box to give important info not in the name, such as size or number of each sex. “Quantity” is for the number of individuals in the lot.
• You can upload a photo, but please be honest when declaring its source.
• Because we have a program for Virtual BAP submissions, we are not giving BAP credit if you click “I bred this fish…”. You can still add that info if you’d like.
• You have the option to set a reserve price, which functions as a minimum bid. Remember that we’re charging $2 for every unsold item that gets listed.
At the Exchange:
• Beforehand, write the name of the buyer on every bag that you’ve sold.
• Make a sign with your last name on it so that people can find you. Use 8.5x11” paper or bigger. Print in large, dark letters. You will tape it to the front or back window of your vehicle.
• Masks are recommended outside for face-to-face conversations, and required for when you enter the building.
• We’ll use the northernmost portion of the Holiday Inn parking lot, the part nearest the road. OCA board members will be out there to help you know where to park.
• Wearing a mask, enter the hotel through the event entrance, toward the northern portion of the front of the building.
• Inside, I will give you a validated copy of your invoice, unless you owe money and haven’t yet paid.
• Buyers, present your validated invoice to the seller to pick up your lot.
• Sellers, only give lots to buyers that have a validated invoice.
• After all your exchanges are made, but before leaving, check back in with me to report any problems or to tell us
Enjoy yourself!
Lew Carbone
Park in north end of the lot, closest to the road. OCA Staff will assist.
To check in, use the event entrance in the northern portion of the front of the building.
March 27, 2021, 1 p.m.