Mini Auctions

Mini-auction rules for the Capital Cichlid Association, Inc.
(Hereafter known as CCA or “the club”)

Definition

The mini-auction is held during a regular monthly meeting. Fish and fish-related items are offered for bid to those in attendance. The items usually auctioned off are the property of the membership, donations from members and speakers, or items donated by manufacturers and sponsors of the club.

The mini-auction is one facet of the meeting that allows members of CCA to buy fish, sell fish, and raise money for the club. The auction also provides the membership an avenue to diversify existing bloodlines of their stock and acquire new and rare species. The members may also acquire Breeder’s Award points by selling the required amount of fry from each brood in the mini-auction.

Donations

Donations are items that the manufacturers, local fish stores, online retailers, members, speakers, or others have given to the club. The full amount obtained from the auctioning of these items goes to the club to offset the costs of running the meetings.

Sellers

Members: On items that Members of the CCA put into the auction and not designated as a donation, the club will get the first $1.00 of the selling price. The remainder of the money, if any, will go to the seller.

Non-Members: On items not designated as a donation, the club will receive 1/3 of the selling price (minimum $1.00) with the remaining 2/3 going to the seller. The splits will be rounded, up or down, to the closest whole dollar.

The Board of Directors, for special circumstances, may waive this rule.

Buyers

Persons bidding on items will not need to register. The mini-auction will not have bidder numbers. When a bidder wins an item, a runner will bring that item to the bidder and, in turn, will collect the money immediately. Members may, at the discretion of the Treasurer or the Auction recorder, run a tab.

General rules

All items must be preregistered with the Auction Coordinator prior to the beginning of the mini auction. The proper form must be filled out and all bags must be properly labeled. The form can be downloaded here for your convenience.

All live fish must be properly bagged in bags designated for fish. Fish brought in zip lock or other non-fish bags will not be accepted. Make sure the bag is large enough for the species and always have about 1/3 water and 2/3 air or oxygen. Large aggressive fish must be triple bagged.

The auctioneer will start the bidding by asking for a dollar amount that he or she sees as a reasonable starting bid. Items will increase by $1.00 until they get to $10.00, at which point subsequent bids will increase by $2.00. If the item is a “high dollar” item, the auctioneer may ask for bids at a $5.00 interval. A seller may put a “reserve price” or minimum bid amount on the item at their discretion. This information must be marked on the item as well as the registration sheet.

Any item that does not receive a reasonable offer will be put back on the table and re-offered at the end of the mini auction. Any item that does not bring the minimum designated bid as prescribed by the seller will not be sold, unless the seller agrees to lower the minimum at the end of the auction.

Any person who has been banned from membership in the CCA will not be allowed to bid on or sell any item.

Other Definitions

Seller: The person who brings the item to the meeting for the purpose of selling that item in the auction.
Bidder: The person who is placing bids on the item with the intent of purchasing it.
Runner: The person who brings the item to the winning bidder and then collects the money.
Auction Coordinator: The person sitting at the head table who is taking the registrations and recording the bids.
Member: Any person who is current with the yearly dues of the CCA.
Non-Member: Any person who is a visitor or non-paid member of the club.
Banned: Any person who has been refused membership or has had membership privileges revoked by the Board of Directors of the CCA.

Any of the rules may be changed without notification by a vote of the Board of Directors of the CCA.

The final say on any rule of discussion will be by the Board of Directors or the President of the CCA.