Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
1. Auctions by members- our club takes 10% of sales
2. Dealers coming to meetings to sell stamps - this will be a topic for discussion at a future meeting. One member thinks we should charge 10% of sales and most of us think we shouldn’t charge anything (reasons vary).
What do other clubs do?
Login to Like
this post
our local club charges Members 10% for auction sales; charges all non-members 30%.
A dealer who is a member gets the member rate.
We have auctions once a month; we also have a business meeting where we've recently allowed people to place their wares on a table and these private transactions are outside the scope of any auction surcharge.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
At our local club our membership fee is only $10 a year and we have a few internet sellers as members and glad to have them, since some of them have some good deals to offer and one that almost gives his stamps away! We only charge a $1 to sell a single lot, with a limit of 3 lots. We actually have a rather large attendance with collectors driving from Naples, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Arcadia and even some smaller places in between, to our meeting place which is a church in Cape Coral. We have to charge some fees since we pay almost a thousand dollars a year to rent their nice community hall for the meeting and the auction. We also have some that donate to the treasury which helps us with the rent. We have quite a few "aged" members (such as Moi) and we still get new members all the time, especially last year when we had a big influx of new members. I missed the last meeting but seem to remember we had an attendance of 40 or more members.
Mike
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
The club I'm in (JPSCC) Has auctions every other meeting.
We don't charge anything for having auctions that benefit members.
We do it as a courtesy, and we have had a few members who joined because selling here was free! 
Then again it is always up to the club to decide if they want to do a courtesy or charge.
I think free is better, as it attracts more members, and more members means more dues and growth!
Also we don't have a lot limit per person.
Haven't thought about that.
Our club likes BIG auctions! 
Anyone else have any thoughts?
-Ari 
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Our club, just a bit north of Mike in Cape Coral, does not charge a sales fee. We also only pay 100.00 per year to rent the church hall once a month. Before COVID, we met in another church and had 40 or so regular attendees but after COVID, we dropped to 10 members or so but are now back up to 19. Our dues are 10.00 per year and we have a good auction each month and are averaging 15 attendees each meeting.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Thanks for all the information! Very helpful.
Login to Like
this post
The Huntsville AL club has an auction based meeting on the third Tuesday evening of each month from January through November. 10% of the proceeds from items sold goes to the club treasury to help with club expenses. We have one individual who is actively involved in selling stamps through shows but he does not normally sell through the auctions but often will purchase items. Most items that appear for sale in the auctions are low value.
Login to Like
this post
Our club meets twice a month on a Monday ,since I have been a member we have moved three times (the club not me)We have an auction every meeting with 10% going to club funds.
Brian
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Thanks for all the responses. It sounds like lots of clubs do auctions and take 10%.
What about just having a dealer come to a meeting and set up shop? Do you take a fee or % of sales?
Login to Like
this post
Smaier,
In that sense, it may benefit if it is just one dealer that you request he donate, say $XX from his club sale profits to the club each year.
We don't do this, but if you think your club is leaning towards that, then this may be a good solution for you.
Let me know if you need more help with this.
-Ari 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Thanks for that suggestion. The dealer is only coming this one time and it will be an hour trip both ways for him.
Login to Like
this post
That is quite a distance to travel and a considerable investment in time by the dealer. Is this because there are no dealers nearby where club members can shop outside of the club meeting?
You might want to look at a policy which allows any dealer to visit the club one or two times with no fee, with the understanding that after the "free' visits, if it is mutually acceptable to both dealer and club, then have a modest fee to be paid by the dealer.
Or if the primary value of a dealer's visit is to the members who can buy material more conveniently by having a dealer to visit the club, then maybe the club should not charge a fee.
Is the objective to add income to the club treasury or to provide a service to the membership?
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Those are points which we will be discussing at the next meeting. Several of us agree that the dealer is doing our club a favor and we should not be charging. Others think there should be a fee. Our treasury is just fine as we have no expenses other than the newsletter and postage.
Just wondered what other clubs do, and I appreciate all the input. Thanks to all
Login to Like
this post
Sally,
If club funds are good, I wouldn't charge.
The dealer could help bring traffic to your club's show maybe?
Login to Like
this post
Sadly, our club doesn’t host a show anymore. When we did have shows, they were one of our supporting dealers
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Sally, If your club ever wants to host a show again.
Shoot me a message, and I'll give you some tips on what we do for the JPSCC shows.
-Ari
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Thanks Ari. We hosted shows for decades and had a top notch location. Our membership has gotten to the age where it is just too much work, and we just didn’t have the attendance to make it worthwhile for the dealers. Unless we get an influx of younger members (and I mean younger than 80 years of age), we won’t be doing shows again.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
I get it!
The club wasn't doing half the events until I came in.
Said I was the first "youngster" in 35 years!
-Ari
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
In clubs I attend, the club takes enough of a cut from the auctions to cover all expenses including an annual dinner.
I don't think the dealers who set up shop turn over any fixed percent, but they are also members and officers, and the chance to browse their stock is a major draw for attendance.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Wondering how other clubs handle the following:
1. Auctions by members- our club takes 10% of sales
2. Dealers coming to meetings to sell stamps - this will be a topic for discussion at a future meeting. One member thinks we should charge 10% of sales and most of us think we shouldn’t charge anything (reasons vary).
What do other clubs do?
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
our local club charges Members 10% for auction sales; charges all non-members 30%.
A dealer who is a member gets the member rate.
We have auctions once a month; we also have a business meeting where we've recently allowed people to place their wares on a table and these private transactions are outside the scope of any auction surcharge.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
At our local club our membership fee is only $10 a year and we have a few internet sellers as members and glad to have them, since some of them have some good deals to offer and one that almost gives his stamps away! We only charge a $1 to sell a single lot, with a limit of 3 lots. We actually have a rather large attendance with collectors driving from Naples, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Arcadia and even some smaller places in between, to our meeting place which is a church in Cape Coral. We have to charge some fees since we pay almost a thousand dollars a year to rent their nice community hall for the meeting and the auction. We also have some that donate to the treasury which helps us with the rent. We have quite a few "aged" members (such as Moi) and we still get new members all the time, especially last year when we had a big influx of new members. I missed the last meeting but seem to remember we had an attendance of 40 or more members.
Mike
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Approvals
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
The club I'm in (JPSCC) Has auctions every other meeting.
We don't charge anything for having auctions that benefit members.
We do it as a courtesy, and we have had a few members who joined because selling here was free!
Then again it is always up to the club to decide if they want to do a courtesy or charge.
I think free is better, as it attracts more members, and more members means more dues and growth!
Also we don't have a lot limit per person.
Haven't thought about that.
Our club likes BIG auctions!
Anyone else have any thoughts?
-Ari
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
08:02:28am
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Our club, just a bit north of Mike in Cape Coral, does not charge a sales fee. We also only pay 100.00 per year to rent the church hall once a month. Before COVID, we met in another church and had 40 or so regular attendees but after COVID, we dropped to 10 members or so but are now back up to 19. Our dues are 10.00 per year and we have a good auction each month and are averaging 15 attendees each meeting.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Thanks for all the information! Very helpful.
Login to Like
this post
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
The Huntsville AL club has an auction based meeting on the third Tuesday evening of each month from January through November. 10% of the proceeds from items sold goes to the club treasury to help with club expenses. We have one individual who is actively involved in selling stamps through shows but he does not normally sell through the auctions but often will purchase items. Most items that appear for sale in the auctions are low value.
Login to Like
this post
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Thanks for all the responses. It sounds like lots of clubs do auctions and take 10%.
What about just having a dealer come to a meeting and set up shop? Do you take a fee or % of sales?
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Smaier,
In that sense, it may benefit if it is just one dealer that you request he donate, say $XX from his club sale profits to the club each year.
We don't do this, but if you think your club is leaning towards that, then this may be a good solution for you.
Let me know if you need more help with this.
-Ari
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Thanks for that suggestion. The dealer is only coming this one time and it will be an hour trip both ways for him.
Login to Like
this post
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
That is quite a distance to travel and a considerable investment in time by the dealer. Is this because there are no dealers nearby where club members can shop outside of the club meeting?
You might want to look at a policy which allows any dealer to visit the club one or two times with no fee, with the understanding that after the "free' visits, if it is mutually acceptable to both dealer and club, then have a modest fee to be paid by the dealer.
Or if the primary value of a dealer's visit is to the members who can buy material more conveniently by having a dealer to visit the club, then maybe the club should not charge a fee.
Is the objective to add income to the club treasury or to provide a service to the membership?
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Those are points which we will be discussing at the next meeting. Several of us agree that the dealer is doing our club a favor and we should not be charging. Others think there should be a fee. Our treasury is just fine as we have no expenses other than the newsletter and postage.
Just wondered what other clubs do, and I appreciate all the input. Thanks to all
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Sally,
If club funds are good, I wouldn't charge.
The dealer could help bring traffic to your club's show maybe?
Login to Like
this post
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Sadly, our club doesn’t host a show anymore. When we did have shows, they were one of our supporting dealers
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Approvals
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Sally, If your club ever wants to host a show again.
Shoot me a message, and I'll give you some tips on what we do for the JPSCC shows.
-Ari
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
Thanks Ari. We hosted shows for decades and had a top notch location. Our membership has gotten to the age where it is just too much work, and we just didn’t have the attendance to make it worthwhile for the dealers. Unless we get an influx of younger members (and I mean younger than 80 years of age), we won’t be doing shows again.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Approvals
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
I get it!
The club wasn't doing half the events until I came in.
Said I was the first "youngster" in 35 years!
-Ari
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
01:45:04pm
re: Dealers and Auctions at club meetings
In clubs I attend, the club takes enough of a cut from the auctions to cover all expenses including an annual dinner.
I don't think the dealers who set up shop turn over any fixed percent, but they are also members and officers, and the chance to browse their stock is a major draw for attendance.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.