AH Catalogs
 

I know I'm most likely in the minority here but I have no use for AH catalogs. Don't get me wrong, I'm active in most but find the online aspect (search, view, etc) more than enough. Catalogs just seem old-school to me. As with the yellow pages dropped off every so often at the foot of my mailbox, my AH catalogs last about 7 seconds (from mailbox to recycle bin). Seems like a huge waste of money for the AH as well to send. I need to get better (been too lazy) at asking them to take me off their catalog mailer list - again not for lack of interest in the auction, just don't use them.

That said, this is a personal choice and I totally respect others opinions on the subject. Curious what the community take is on this - AND - if your views have changed at all over the years one way or the other?

catalogs
 

Before the internet, I used to read every page of every catalog I'd get. REA catalogs in particular were a great way to learn, research, take notes in, etc. Catalogs used to be my bedside reading...

Then came the internet and I still get bombarded with catalogs that I rarely, if ever, even open! I might open it if I've consigned a bunch of stuff, otherwise it's straight to the blue recycle can out back.

That being said, it is on me, and all of us who don't read them anymore, to make AH's aware so they perhaps will produce less.

Auction Catalogs
 

I believe Huggins & Scott went with a "green" option whereby you can get an auction credit for any purchases you make as long as you opted out of getting their catalog. This seems like a no-brainer for all AH's to use. Let the potential bidders click the "go green" button and allow us to make the choice. AHs should encourage this catalog opt-out by providing incentives, just as H&S does.

I would probably do this for every AH except REA (depending on the incentive).

I think you guys are missing the reason there are still catalogs. Consignors have to have them = consignments. AH's need consignments so there will continue to be catalogs.
Buyers mostly don't care anymore. I see both points. Most I don't read and some I read in the morning :) and at lunch when eating alone and out. Great, I am the only one so far that voted "sometimes".....well, that is me, Mr. Sometimes.

It's nutso humans are still printing newspapers, magazines and catalogs...There are more, but lets stick with these three...Ridiculously foolish...

Good point, I understand the branding aspect catalogs have given in building awareness, name recognition and consideration for your next consignment. I'm sure that plays in for many. For me, personally though, that hasn't factored in at all and I've actually consigned more than I have purchased over the last few years. The influence points for whom I have chosen relied more on word-of-mouth, meet/greet at shows, recommendations and feedback from this and other forums, eBay fatigue, etc.

Again, that's just my take .. that's why I was curious on others, other points of view and if/how that may have changed over the years. I work in a capacity of ever-changing consumer view and influence points - - always looking at/find it interesting what resonates, what doesn't, how and why that changes.

PS - you are still the only "sometimes" vote :-) .. Edited. Strike that, spoke too soon

I'm the opposite way. If it's worth knowing it's worth printing. Auction catalogs are often a valuable resource.

The web is fine, but not when the information gets removed, or taken behind a paywall, or is too near to some other topic to be readily found with a search.

Look how many threads used pictured that can't be viewed because a photo hosting place changed policy.

Auction catalogs in time, become a piece of sports Americana. How can you throw away a Hakes catalog? I haven't thrown one catalog away since 1995. Some of my favorites are Lipset and Sloate (hi Lew and Barry if reading).

Leon nailed it - many consignors won't consider an auction that doesn't have a printed catalog.

That said, once I started doing one I discovered there are a lot of items that I can present much differently, and more effectively, with a printed catalog. As an auctioneer, I was originally not a fan. Now I'm a big fan, and I'm always looking at ways to improve my catalog and make it nicer and more effective.

-Al

I may be alone, but I often find myself skimming through the online version as fast as I can, which sometimes means missing something I am interested in. This happened in the current heritage auction. Also, sometimes when you have the image and description right there at the same time, you find something you might not have otherwise bid on. Which happened twice to me this week.

DJ

50% of time don’t look at all

Other 50% thumb through in 5 minutes and move to the recycling pile.

+1

Perhaps it is my age but I love the printed catalogs! I did not receive the last REA catalog, if anyone is throwing theirs away I will gladly pay the postage and your time for it.

Totally disagree. Spend way too much time already looking at this damn computer screen, no way I want to read a newspaper or magazine or book on a stupid screen.

My bidding in Hunt's internet auctions have cut in half since I don't want to peruse "thumbnails" and such.

Hi JC- my catalog was useful as a bookmark for the REA catalog.:o

I actually find it easier to browse through a catalog than to look at every lot online, so I still like them. I think they could be a little smaller and save on some paper; not every key card needs two pages, or every T206 Cobb a full page. They could be a little lighter and easier to handle.

I think they just did a big sweep of their mailing list and cut anyone who hasn't bought anything in x # of years, myself included. I know several other guys have mentioned not getting one either. Can't say I blame them.

Agree w/ Ken
I'd rather read a real newspaper or magazine then reading it on the computer
Same w/ auction catalogs.
Some I keep afterwards, if not I bring them to my post office and there's always someone who picks em up & keeps them.

A big part of the enjoyment of Auctions, for me, is paging thru a well laid-out and well photographed (real) catalog. Getting REA's is always like Christmas morning. Several other AH's do it very well also. I have a nice library of special catalogs saved, spanning 25+ years, including the Halper sale and Copeland.

I'm old school, and love it.

PS- I like Memorylane's offerings, but I really dislike their address book style with the tabs, it's impossible to flip thru...

The poll IMO is skewed having 4 of 5 choices to discard the catalog.

I like the online availability, and usually am viewing that before the catalog arrives.

HOWEVER, thumbing through the physical catalog invariably I find something of interest that I missed online.

50/50
 

I’m a Mr Sometimes.

Not just in this poll, but in many others.

Waste of resources. The catalog offers nothing that online doesn't. Massive waste...

I think this may be a generational issue also. For those of us who are less than 40, we were raised in a cloud based internet/tablet culture, where we prefer digital versions of books/catalogs that we always have instant access to. While the 40+ crowd tends to be less comfortable and trusting of electronic information and would prefer something tangible. Obviously there are many exceptions to this rule, but is more of a generalization.

For me personally, why would I want to flip through a 5 lb catalog and scratch down notes when I can sit at my computer, scan through the online catalog and place anything that piques my interest onto a wantlist with a click of a mouse?

Curt, very good analysis. Completely agree. One thing that always seemed odd in auction catalogs are, the notes page. Did anyone ever use those? I just dogged eared the page and then circled the lot I wanted to go for.

I've heard from many people that REA catalogs are the exception to the rule and they prefer to continue to receive them because of the great reference and resource the catalog can be, but as a reminder, if someone wants to be removed from the catalog mailing list for one reason or another, all you have to do is email us.

This is partially true. Anyone that has placed a single bid on any item since 2003 continues to receive a catalog. This does not have to be a winning bid, but just a participation bid. We have stopped sending catalogs to people who were on our list but have not bid once in 14 years. If they're interested in the catalogs as a resource, they can request one each auction and we'll send it out, but we've decided after many years that collectors should show some continued interest in order to receive the catalog. Conor, you fall into the at-least-one-bid category, so you should have received it. Please let me know if you want a catalog as a reference or confirm that we have your proper mailing address for the future.

Mike, you did not receive a catalog because you're not a registered bidder. You've only ever requested the free catalog, which we are happy to send, but you have to request them each auction or sign up and bid to stay on the list. If you want one from fall, let me know and we can send one out to you.

Brian

I still have every REA catalog going back to 1995. They are the only ones I've kept long term.

I have every Sloate catalog from 1995.

They have electronic baseball cards now. I’ll keep enjoying the paper.


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I don't spend much time looking through the catalogs, but they do often remind me to go online and check an auction I may have otherwise forgotten about.

At least "sometimes" got some more votes. :)
Pretty evenly split. Nice poll questions.

Whew!!!
I had a huge pile of catalogs building on the shelfs. It happens about every 3-4 yrs that I need to throw them away.
Yes, I receive many, many catalogs in like 15-20 auction houses over the yrs.
Now, just throwing away 2 garbage bags full, weighing like 200 lbs..I am done with it!!!
I wanna go green.
Over recent time, I been able to preview or look at the auctions before I get the catalog anyways. It only acts as a reminder when I receive it to maybe place a bid.
I also use auction reports frequently to view the calander or oldcardboard's site.
So I am asking---
Which Ah's have the 'go green' feature/option??

I'm a "sometimeser" as well.

What I do is scan through all of them to see if there is any full page photos of great historicity or Cubs affiliation, I'll trim it out and continue to decorate the back of my enormous desk I have in my office. I have nicely presented photos of Cobb/Ruth, Gehrig's famous speech, period Cubs jerseys, etc.