Auction FAQs
How often are our bids updated?
Bids will be updated throughout the day (eastern time).
When are the winning bidders announced?
During the last half hour of the auction, the bids come in fast and furious, much faster than I can handle - this is an entirely manual process : ) It takes a few hours to sort through the bids and record them on my spreadsheet. Once that’s done, I excuse myself for a celebratory cup of tea and short break : ) I then begin reviewing every email received during auction week to ensure that my spreadsheet is accurate. There are usually ties that need to be broken, so I email those folks for their tie-breaker bids. The winning bidders are usually announced on the website . On Monday, I begin sending the winners a personal email listing the items they’ve won and amount due to HRI.
What is the relationship between the online auction and HCA or HRI?
HRI is the sole beneficiary of the auction proceeds. The donors and bidders may be members of HCA or HRI, but one does not have to be a member of either to participate. I organize and host the yearly event to do my part to help Havanese in need, and to support those who do the real work of rescuing, rehabilitating, fostering and rehoming these beautiful dogs. We have been blessed in that donors come forward every year with great items to offer for bidding; our bidders open their hearts and wallets and may bid/fight to the finish over an item that clearly may not be worth what they’re bidding because they know the importance of this and other fundraising efforts on behalf of HRI.
Why not run the auction on eBay or use some other automated service?
Automation would make some of the tasks easier, however, among other things, our event would lose the 'friends & family' personal touch that we believe is part of its attraction and tradition. Our event is not state-of-the-art, that’s for sure, but 100% of the proceeds go to HRI and, as most people will tell you, it’s a fun week!
How do I donate an item?
Email a description and picture(s) (or link to an online pic) to me. The more detail you provide in the description, the better; size, color, type of fabric, washable or not, age appropriate, framed or unframed, and any other detail that will help the bidder decide whether they’d like to bid on the item would be helpful. If you can save your pictures in JPEG format and under 100K, that would be great, if not, that’s ok too, I’ll reformat them.
May I donate a gently used item?
Sure. Just include in your item description that the item has been gently used.
Does the item have to be Havanese or pet-related?
Not at all, in fact, the more varied the items are, the more successful the auction will be. We have featured gift cards, dog toys, totes and treats, dog carriages, pet and people clothing, accessories and jewelry, artwork, pottery, books and music, children's toys and games, antiques, holiday decorations, handbags, electronics, hand-crafted items, food, cookware and more.
Where should I send the item?
After the winners are announced, and as HRI receives their payments, they’ll provide me with the winners’ mailing addresses. I forward the winner’s address to the donor so the donor can mail the item directly to the winner.
I don’t want to let my item go unless the bid is high enough; is that ok?
Sure. Let me know what you would like to see as the minimum/reserve bid and I’ll add a note to the description that says “Please start the bidding at $xx”.
How do I bid on an item?
Just click on the link for the item and it should open an email box for you with the item and description already entered in the ‘subject’ line. Type in the amount you’d like to bid and your name (last name too) and send it to me.
If the link doesn’t work for me, can I send you an email from my regular email program?
Sure. In addition to your full name and bid, I’ll need the Item # and first few words of the description (best to copy it from the auction website and paste it into the subject line of your email). The description is important because bidders sometimes accidentally transpose or type the wrong number.
Can I combine all of the items I’m bidding on in one email?
You could, but it makes the process more difficult for me. Having one item per email allows me to sort incoming emails based on the subject line and I don't have to worry that I've missed someone's bid because it's embedded in a list. I can scan emails in “preview” mode (not open them individually), pick the highest bid of the bunch, perform my updates, and move on to the next item. When confirming the winning bidders, I have to print out the emails of those folks who have submitted bids in list form; as I review each item, I keep the lists in front of me so I can see if one of those folks happened to bid on the item I’m currently verifying. So, yes, you can list your items in one email, but you’ll help me run the auction more efficiently if you don’t.
I’ll be away or won’t have access to a computer during the last day(s) of the auction; can a friend bid for me?
Sure, feel free to have someone else bid on your behalf. If you can’t find a bidding buddy, I’ll bid on your behalf. Drop me a line with the items you’d like to bid on, the maximum you’d like to bid, and in what amount I should raise your bid (ie raise by $2, raise by $5, etc). Just know that in order to be fair to all, I absolutely never exceed what you have specified as your maximum bid – so please do not be upset with me if, in the end, someone has outbid you by a dollar or two.
Will you keep track of the items I’ve bid on, or should I?
By all means, keep a notepad handy with the items you’re bidding on and the amounts you’ve bid. If you lose track, drop me a line and I’ll be happy to check the spreadsheet to see which items are currently ‘yours’.
Is the event open to folks living outside the USA?
Please note that we must limit participation to US residents only. We remain ever grateful for the support of our Canadian and international friends. However, due to rising postage, bank fees to cash international checks, and often complicated rules and added expense to meet customs' packaging and shipping regulations, we made the decision to limit the event to US residents only. We hope you'll find it in your hearts to continue supporting HRI in other ways, as you've done for many years.