KittyCatS! Community Forum

Once again and through no fault of her own, Aubrey has had to cancel Marissa's 8AM Auction at Rainbow's End today and reason ?? Once again breeders can't seem to be able to get kitties on panels let alone early or on time. What's going on breeders ??

I know that it is Summer so there isn't as many breeders online and when they are it's usually to check on kitties but seriously, if you buy/win a panel, at least have the decency to honour that panel/auctioneer and put a cat up. We all know that things happen like loss of Internet or Real Life jumps up and bites us in the butt, those things happen. If you know your not going to be online, talk to the Auctioneer, talk to a friend, get someone to proxy for you, just don't leave the panel there empty so Sim owners or Auctioneers have to cancel and disappoint those breeders who have put kitties up.

Too many Auctions are being cancelled for this reason and to be honest, it isn't fair on Sim Owners, Auctioneers, Patrons and Auction Attendee's. Some people rely on these Auctions to help pay for food/rent of Kitty stores. It also doesn't feel great for Auctioneers and Sim Owners to have to cancel auctions because people aren't putting kitties up on panels. It only takes a few minutes to get a kitty up including making sure it's pedi is live and the kitty is posed etc.

Please have some consideration for others and put kitties up on panels. Talk to Auctioneers if you have issues with filling a panel, most are willing to help out especially if it means not having to cancel.

(This is NOT a personal attack on anyone or any sim it's self, I just wanted to make breeders aware and no offence has been intended by any part of this post)

Sincerely, RED (phoenixfire01)

aww Red hugs you! I think al around we're all frustrated with it. It's summer yes, but if you buy a panel and know you can't be there or something comes up we can proxy for you! We have said that many times. I don't work in rl on Friday's so I am always open for teh auction time, need a proxy? Just IM me! I don't mind at all, I owuld rather have everyone'scat be a proxy then have to cancel an auction. Marissa and other auctioneers put some much time to help you,you have to do your part and set up so we can adevrtise. Advertising 5 mins before won't help your cat sell. We have to constantly be doing it. The auctioneers do so much work! I was an auctioneer for wk cats for a short time and let me tellyou....if patrons don't do their part its 10x worse on auctioneers! Please please let us know if osmething comes up. Nothing is a lost cause <3 we love this community and love doing these auctons so lets have some fun!

Unfortunately its not just a lack of them putting out cats but also simply not turning up to the auction so the panel can't be sold, an auction I was at a couple of weeks ago was cancelled because not enough people showed up, less than half the sellers were present several had arranged proxies but too many proxies isn't great because it means fewer attendees and less potential buyers.
The repeat auction the following week was in all honesty a shambles because cats left on the panels from the week before were forgotten and sellers not present a good third of the panels were left unable to be sold.
So I second Reds call to breeders come on get yourselves organised or come autumn when you want to use the auctions to sell your new traits there won't be any because auctioneers and sim owners will have stopped bothering.

(07-17-2015 06:16 AM)phoenixfire01 Resident Wrote: [ -> ]Once again and through no fault of her own, Aubrey has had to cancel Marissa's 8AM Auction at Rainbow's End today and reason ?? Once again breeders can't seem to be able to get kitties on panels let alone early or on time. What's going on breeders ??

I know that it is Summer so there isn't as many breeders online and when they are it's usually to check on kitties but seriously, if you buy/win a panel, at least have the decency to honour that panel/auctioneer and put a cat up. We all know that things happen like loss of Internet or Real Life jumps up and bites us in the butt, those things happen. If you know your not going to be online, talk to the Auctioneer, talk to a friend, get someone to proxy for you, just don't leave the panel there empty so Sim owners or Auctioneers have to cancel and disappoint those breeders who have put kitties up.

Too many Auctions are being cancelled for this reason and to be honest, it isn't fair on Sim Owners, Auctioneers, Patrons and Auction Attendee's. Some people rely on these Auctions to help pay for food/rent of Kitty stores. It also doesn't feel great for Auctioneers and Sim Owners to have to cancel auctions because people aren't putting kitties up on panels. It only takes a few minutes to get a kitty up including making sure it's pedi is live and the kitty is posed etc.

Please have some consideration for others and put kitties up on panels. Talk to Auctioneers if you have issues with filling a panel, most are willing to help out especially if it means not having to cancel.

(This is NOT a personal attack on anyone or any sim it's self, I just wanted to make breeders aware and no offence has been intended by any part of this post)

Sincerely, RED (phoenixfire01)

Thank You Red. Last Saturday night for the first time in over a year and a half I rolled over an auction. We do the work, do the promos, and for me the panels were all full...all that was missing was the sellers...smh..At least if they won't be able to make it, let me know. I can always fill panels.

And here is an idea. On occasion I am asked if I have anything to put up to help fill panels. Just Ask me! I can't remember ever saying no because I know the work that goes into prep and I am happy to put up a cat...lord knows I have alot of cats and with time so short for me I often dont get a chance to buy a panel. So if you're out there, give me a holler!

I think the problem is that we don't have enough buyers. The auction community has gotten insular - and I don't think that's through any fault of the auction communities. But you know, we often see the same people at many of the auctions. And many of us buy cats when we attend; if you know me, you know that I do. But it does get to be a round-robin of buy one, sell one. And there's nothing wrong with that either, because we all make each others' Catteries stronger. But for a very healthy auction scene there needs to be more buyers than sellers.

We need outreach.
And the forum, alas, is I think not going to work for that purpose really. It's a necessary base that is already being utilized. And I suspect that we already personally encourage kitty and non-kitty friends to try out auctions.
One problem I think is that a lot of breeders think that they're not Ready for auctions and find them intimidating. (I know I tell Marissa every week that I don't have a cat that's good enough.)
Another is that a lot of people think that the cats at auction are going to be Waaaay expensive. Those of us who attend understand that many of the cats are amazing "Stolden" bargains.

One thing I really liked about this past week was the Lovecraft Fest auction. An amazing event. And there were people there who knew nothing about KittyCats who peeked in to see what on earth was going on. And I think - though I have no way of really knowing - that some of the cats may have been bought by people there for the fest not the cats per se.

Auctions are fun. Intrinsically. (Unless they are depressing because nobody is there.) I know it's hard, but we may need more actions that are tied to non-Kitty events like the Lovecraft event just to get the word out. As for other ideas on expanding the buyer base (and there are thousands of casual breeders out there that could be encouraged to set foot in an auction), I'm not sure.
One thing I'm thinking is that I know the CSRs are not allowed to push stores, and secondary market things in the KittyCatS Addicts chat, but surely it could be okay for them to talk about auctions in general, as a thing? (Do CSRs attend auctions? I once talked to one in-world who had never been to one and was intimidated by them.) I know that's not their function. But the chat (on all cat groups) is such a great form of outreach. It would be good to know that they aren't Forbidden to talk about them.

(08-22-2015 09:34 AM)Ivy Norsk Wrote: [ -> ]I think the problem is that we don't have enough buyers. The auction community has gotten insular - and I don't think that's through any fault of the auction communities. But you know, we often see the same people at many of the auctions. And many of us buy cats when we attend; if you know me, you know that I do. But it does get to be a round-robin of buy one, sell one. And there's nothing wrong with that either, because we all make each others' Catteries stronger. But for a very healthy auction scene there needs to be more buyers than sellers.

We need outreach.
And the forum, alas, is I think not going to work for that purpose really. It's a necessary base that is already being utilized. And I suspect that we already personally encourage kitty and non-kitty friends to try out auctions.
One problem I think is that a lot of breeders think that they're not Ready for auctions and find them intimidating. (I know I tell Marissa every week that I don't have a cat that's good enough.)
Another is that a lot of people think that the cats at auction are going to be Waaaay expensive. Those of us who attend understand that many of the cats are amazing "Stolden" bargains.

One thing I really liked about this past week was the Lovecraft Fest auction. An amazing event. And there were people there who knew nothing about KittyCats who peeked in to see what on earth was going on. And I think - though I have no way of really knowing - that some of the cats may have been bought by people there for the fest not the cats per se.

Auctions are fun. Intrinsically. (Unless they are depressing because nobody is there.) I know it's hard, but we may need more actions that are tied to non-Kitty events like the Lovecraft event just to get the word out. As for other ideas on expanding the buyer base (and there are thousands of casual breeders out there that could be encouraged to set foot in an auction), I'm not sure.
One thing I'm thinking is that I know the CSRs are not allowed to push stores, and secondary market things in the KittyCatS Addicts chat, but surely it could be okay for them to talk about auctions in general, as a thing? (Do CSRs attend auctions? I once talked to one in-world who had never been to one and was intimidated by them.) I know that's not their function. But the chat (on all cat groups) is such a great form of outreach. It would be good to know that they aren't Forbidden to talk about them.

Totally right. It was nice doing that auction because I got to meet new non kitty people, some of which became kitty people by accident LOL. And i got to see kitty people I dont often get to and I got to remember how nice they are! Its good sometimes to cast a wider net

(08-22-2015 09:34 AM)Ivy Norsk Wrote: [ -> ]One thing I really liked about this past week was the Lovecraft Fest auction. An amazing event. And there were people there who knew nothing about KittyCats who peeked in to see what on earth was going on. And I think - though I have no way of really knowing - that some of the cats may have been bought by people there for the fest not the cats per se.
...

One thing I'm thinking is that I know the CSRs are not allowed to push stores, and secondary market things in the KittyCatS Addicts chat, but surely it could be okay for them to talk about auctions in general, as a thing? (Do CSRs attend auctions? I once talked to one in-world who had never been to one and was intimidated by them.) I know that's not their function. But the chat (on all cat groups) is such a great form of outreach. It would be good to know that they aren't Forbidden to talk about them.

One of the guys that was bidding and buying a lot at the Lovecraft event/Autism benefit mentioned in the KC Addicts chat that it's rumored that even though he's taken, having Pinkies is a great way to get attention from girls. As some folks know, I won a pinkie at the event that Eleanor had put up, but I didn't get the mate because a couple of the guys bid it up really fast. It was so fast and furious that I just stood back and watched. This was a day or so after the event, and I responded to his comment in the Addicts group saying that that must have been why all the guys were bidding them up so quickly at the Autism event. I was immediately told off in IM by the CSR (Cinnamon) that because I was "advertising"!!! I pointed out that it was a single charity event that had already happened and it was hardly advertising. Then she wanted to know if he was one of the ones actually bidding on the cat, etc. So I'd say that they are very closed to the idea of discussing them, at least there. After all, this was an auction that had already happened... and it was for charity!

FYI... I've also been IMed by CSRs when I was apparently chatting too much in the Addicts group, even though we were talking about cats, breeding, traits we like, etc., and told that the forums are the place for that. So I guess they mean it to be strictly for asking questions and posting new births.

(08-22-2015 09:34 AM)Ivy Norsk Wrote: [ -> ]I think the problem is that we don't have enough buyers. The auction community has gotten insular - and I don't think that's through any fault of the auction communities. But you know, we often see the same people at many of the auctions. And many of us buy cats when we attend; if you know me, you know that I do. But it does get to be a round-robin of buy one, sell one. And there's nothing wrong with that either, because we all make each others' Catteries stronger. But for a very healthy auction scene there needs to be more buyers than sellers.

This is happening in other breedable communities as well. I'm too new to know whether it will improve after the summer or not.

---

(08-22-2015 09:34 AM)Ivy Norsk Wrote: [ -> ]And the forum, alas, is I think not going to work for that purpose really. ...
One problem I think is that a lot of breeders think that they're not Ready for auctions and find them intimidating. (I know I tell Marissa every week that I don't have a cat that's good enough.)

I think you've hit the nail on the head here. I'm just going to be direct: I have gone before to see what is hot, but, there is a feeling that auctions are very elitist, and only for breeders who are breeding the latest and most expensive traits. And that the cats will all be ones that go for thousands of lindens. I don't have a 9T loaded with Onyx eyes, Scotty Fold ears, etc... and don't really intend to breed them any time soon, so I don't usually see a need to go unless it a big community/charity event like this.

A personal example: I just found Double Plush whiskers in a line, and have been thinking of popping in to see if they are even a "thing" now. But mine are on low T cats with a Genesis fur that I was intentionally NOT traiting up so I'd feel okay selling them as affordable pets. I know the trait has been out for months so I feel that they wouldn't be "good enough" to bring to auction, and that I'd be judged as not being a good breeder unless I traited them up first... and that by then, they won't be special enough.

The other things that keep me from going is... well...

Stuff like I'm automatically someone's (fake) friend and part of their posse if I go to their auctions.
Ummmm... NO.
There is one auctioneer in all of the breedables communities where I am active that I think of as a friend, and it's because of things like crying on her shoulder when someone very close to me on SL attempted suicide in RL. I try support her, but still only make it to her auctions when it works for me.

Or that I have to be in a particular person's group to find out about really special events like this.
Umm... cliquish, much?

Along those same lines, I find sending me unsolicited TPs just plain rude, and if you send them after being told not to, it's harassment. I'm an adult and can read about (hopefully here or if I am actively looking for info on upcoming events - like most people, I turn off the announcements and IMs from the Secondary Market SIM groups that get a lot of spam) and attend the events that I'm interested in.

So the last thing I want is someone thinking that because I've gone to one of their auctions that they can start spamming me. I haven't turned off TP requests because I go to other events at some SIMs that have central TP points, so will ASK someone to TP me directly. I think Firestorm now has the option for turning it off for non-friends, and if so, I'll be doing that.

And there is that subject of community support and communication too. I was sitting in someone else's auction when the Lovecraft/Autcom auction started, and the auctioneer was really pissed. People were sending her TPs, and I understand her being upset about that.. even more so while she was working. But then she was also complaining the entire time about the auction going up against her (weekly) one. I almost picked my stuff up (I had a panel) and left.

If I'd been her, and I'd known in advance, I would have rescheduled my auction, or at least worked with everyone, to find a better time for everyone - not just to show support for a really good cause, but because it decreases the attendees for both events - but I don't know if she did know in advance.

I know there's an auction calendar somewhere and people are working together to not run over each other. I doubt it includes the multibreedable auctions though, and I often find them running over events that are dedicated to only one kind of breedable, but including every type of breedable wouldn't work either.

As I look back on it, I didn't know about the Autcom auction either until just before the event.. and then I ignored a post here for personal reasons in no way related to the event, and didn't really realize that it was a big charity event until I went back and read about it again. It IS a great cause and one personal to me, so I am glad I made it to the end. I made sure to buy something that I wanted because I did want to contribute. If someone had asked here about donating cats for an auction for an Autism Awareness Charity, I would have donated, but I didn't see anything like that in the days and weeks leading up the event... so... well, there are a lot of things that posting here would and do help with it.

Thanks to Eleanor for organizing the event, and to Pretty for sticking in there. I learned stuff about you that I didn't know. And thanks to everyone who took part... those who donated, those who bid... those who made it an event to remember.

I didn't know about the Lovecraft Autcom auction until a few days before when Kayla's poster about the event came up on this forum. At that point, they were still taking cat donations. So... about 3 or 4 days' notice.

Regarding the Addicts chat group: yes, I know they have rules about what to say and I sometimes feel like I'm stepping on toes in there. It Is the most active cats chat group though and the main one that new breeders turn to. Perhaps some of the market chat groups, owners and habituées, could make more of an effort to make their groups more "chatty". I know there's a line there and some people want those groups to be business-only and prefer the silence. And of course, within a market group, there will be rules about only promoting the auctions at that particular sim - or perhaps some affiliates, since some markets have friendly ties. The point isn't to create drama, of course. The point would be to just draw potential auction-goers towards auction-going in general.

Regarding doubleplush whiskers: I haven't seen them that much but I can't attend that many auctions so my view is limited. I suspect a lot of people don't have the cats traited up. I have them hidden on a couple lines of cats but the kittens are popping at 6T mostly; I've gotten it to 8T but with a gen fur. So, just not ready.

hi

i'd like to just chime in...

we encourage all kinds of discussion in the group and do encourage people to not discuss prices, giving away cats, sales, etc. the main reason is to be mindful of the many who do sell, etc. we like to keep that separate and respect that and let it have it's own place, which is not in our main chat.

talking about events is ok from the standpoint of attending, etc.

it's when people come in to "advertise" that we write them privately asking them to keep the simple group guidelines. (which i am not saying that anyone in this thread has done.)

we love to have the community share what goes on, it's just that it's a fine line... and some take advantage of that to promote things that they have other groups to do that in.

overall it's not a big issue we have, our community is pretty great at keeping to the guidelines. we have no rule about how much or little a person can chat! we love how diverse the community is.

if there is a time that there is a misunderstanding we apologize. we don't mean ever to send a negative message about sharing, and in the course of encouraging people to keep from advertising, it is possible there is a mistake in how things were interpreted.

i hope this makes sense and would encourage all who want to enjoy group chat!