Help: Favorite Way To Bid At Auction?

Hello,

My name is Matt and I am conducting a survey of philatelic and numismatic collectors, dealers, and antique enthusiasts who regularly participate in auctions. Specifically, I am trying to get an understanding of how the auction landscape is changing as more live, non-Ebay auctions offer an online component. I would like to request your help by taking a brief 10 question survey about your bidding and auction preferences here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KMSVZNW

There is no cost and I can offer only my gratitude for your help. I appreciate any and all responses and questions.

Mods - if you feel this does not belong in your forum, please let me know and I will be happy to take it down.

Best,

Matt

Hi.. I am auctioneer and I have organized stamp auctions frequently. I have completed this survey and it is really enjoyable. I would like to create my own also.

Hi,
I have a question or two........... Why? What is your purpose, what will you do with the information?

You didn't include auction agents.
Most serious purchasers, if they can't bid live or on the phone, will use an agent.

Thanks very much for the responses and feedback.

Mobilman44 - I am trying to convince a colleague that as more people get used to buying items online from just a few photos that the same behavior will eventually apply to auctions and collecting. We are both collector/dealers and trying to make sense of what I think is a changing auction landscape.

Chipg - Yes, you are right, I did not include that. My survey was targeted mostly at auction participants who go to smaller, mid-size auctions. I did not consider that at some of the larger houses, there is a significant amount of agent activity. If you take the survey (and I hope you do), please include that in one of the open fields.

I appreciate everyone's participation and questions. Here is a link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KMSVZNW

Thanks!

Matt

As someone who writes a lot of surveys - you should ask demographics questions. You're going to want to sort the responses by different types of auctions (which you have), amount spent (total or average lot size), age, etc. Although you may be targeting a group of people, you don't have qualifying questions up front. Therefore, your survey questions need to present the superset of possible responses and do the sorting later.

Right now, you're going to get anecdotes, rather than statistically valid results.

C.

I have a couple demographics questions included in the survey - age and chosen area of collecting. My initial survey had twice as many questions and included some additional demographic questions, but survey monkey would only let me choose 10 questions without having to sign up for their full service. So I was rather limited this go around. I agree with your thoughts that to make it statistically significant I need a more in structured survey.

Thanks again for everyone's help. Here is a link to the survey if you have not had a chance to take it: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KMSVZNW. It's quick, straightforward, and easy.

Matt

Just a little side note ----------There are people like me out there ,we are considered the most dangerous to other bidders at stamp auctions . Most dealers and e-bay sellers hate us ,we take away their ability to make a profit and get a bargin. After people who view the collections and large lots make their plan as to what to bid on they usually want to know what lots were interested in . I include myself in the group of collectors who are buying entertaintment and really care less about market prices ,everything I buy I am going to have 10 or 20 years. We are collectors and those $5,000 or $10,000 lots don't scare us we can roll with the dealers .

Thanks for all the replies and feedback. I wanted to make a final request to try out my survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KMSVZNW

Matt