ConTrak Systems: Auction 

Conventions are frequently known for fast auctions and slow lines.  At one major Georgia convention, Dragon*Con, bidders had to wait in line for more than an hour to collect their merchandise!  Lines like this will go faster when workers use an appropriate auction system that automates checking out and receipt printing. 

We at PhoenixPo.com W&D have three years experience with the technical side of convention auctions and have been known to clear rooms out faster than anyone else.  You can rest assured our experience is working for you.  With the current auction system within ConTrak, we can successfully check one person out in 27 seconds (timed) and have the receipt printed 20 seconds later (slow printer) while other auction personnel are rushing to retrieve the auctioned items.

Before the Convention:

Lot Entry:  If you are the type to prepare before an auction, you can add lots to the system.  Lot information includes a lot name, list of contents, a note if someone donated it, and an optional lot number (lots numbers can also be assigned automatically). 

Necessary Reports:  Reports showing the auction lots are available. 

During the Convention:

Registration Integration:  All badge information and current registrations are provided via the registration module.  This feeds the art show receipts and guarantees the person with the winning bid is actually a member of your convention.

Auction Bids:  Our "bids" section is the nerve center of your auction.  It can also create auction lots on the fly and, through power and foresight, includes the ability to bundle lots at the auctioneer's whim.  Bid entry is fast and tab-oriented.  Editing bids is quick and easy, with the last ten bids entered available quickly via the "bids" screen.  Lot IDs can also be entered into the "bids" screen for more thorough editing.

Live Auction Stats:  Auction stats are kept up to date on the "bids" screen.  They show how many lots were sold out of the lots already entered into the system, the total monetary amount that should be collected from the auction, how many lots have been paid for out of total lots sold (bundled lots count as one lot here), the total amount paid thus far, and the next lot ID that will be assigned to a new lot entry.  This information can be refreshed manually as well.

Blazing Fast Check Outs:  The check out screen is based on badge ID.  After entering a badge ID, information concerning the attendee's winnings, including bundled lots, are displayed alongside information about which items have not been paid for.  The grand total of unpaid items is at the bottom of the screen.  Check the boxes to pay for the items, click the button to note either cash or check payment, and you will be given a receipt for payment.  Simply print that out for the attendee and go back to the check out screen.

Multiple Access:  ConTrak Systems is designed for network access.  This means your convention could use two or more computers to access the system at the same time.  Therefore, you can have multiple check out lines without any hassle whatsoever. 

After the Convention:

Access Reports:  ConTrak has all you will need to close the auction quickly, efficiently, and accurately.  The auction report provides information on sales, the number of unique buyers, and amount collected in cash and checks.

Convention Locking:  ConTrak Systems offers a way to lock a convention so no one can change data after the convention is over.  This means you can be certain no one will be able to modify information after you don't want it to.