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COMMUNITY  Sold to the Highest Bidder! Traditional live auction raises funds by Dreamingen Writer
DIEGOLAND — “2500 bid, now 2700 to Champion, now 2700, will you give me 3000? Do I hear 3000? 3500 to Pollywog. Now 3500 going once, will ya give me 3700? Going twice, do I hear 3700? Sold to Pollywog for 3500.” So went the patter of gray-bearded auctioneer Auction Hammerer on the stage of Diegoland’s fine replica of Spreckel’s Organ Pavilion in virtual San Diego’s Balboa Park. This patter, also known as “chant,” helps the auctioneer sell an average of sixty items per hour, keeps the auction moving, creates excitement, and makes the auction environment entertaining. Auction Hammerer led two auctions the weekend of October 27-28, 2007. The first auction for Open MLS brought in $L10,900 in donations for the Uthango Social Investments Project. The second and more ambitious auction at Diegoland resulted in the more substantial sum of $L236,182, plus an additional $L7,760 from Diegoland donation jars. This came to a total of $L313,842 (which at the current exchange rate is $1,167.00 USD.) Champion Valiant, organizer of the auction and owner of the Diegoland sim, rounded the amount up to an even $1,500.00 USD, which he presented to the San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross to aid the victims of recent Southern California wildfires. These may be the first-ever auctions conducted by a live auctioneer using traditional American auctioneering chant in Second Life—or any other virtual world for that matter.
Items auctioned at Diegoland included virtual artwork, jewelry, household items, land, and a virtual date with Diegoland regulars, including owner Champion Valiant.
 Dreamingen Writer: Welcome, Auction! After doing your first two auctions here in SL over the weekend, how do you feel about auctioneering in Second Life (SL)? Auction Hammerer: Ahh wonderful, I wish to bring the traditional feel of auctions back to the Internet. Internet auctions are so, well... absent of the real social scene that it takes to have an event. The Red Cross event at Diegoland was a great cause and Champion [Valiant] has a beautiful sim. It was something I was honored to be a part of here in SL. There really are so many wonderful people in SL. It would be nice for everyone to see that, the generous nature here. Dreamingen Writer: How many auctions have you done in SL so far? Auction Hammerer: Well this weekend I did my first two. I have been planning on opening auction houses, however these causes and opportunities came along before I could open them. So I moved forward ahead of my schedule. I did one auction on Saturday for the Open MLS conference, and then on Sunday for Diegoland. Dreamingen Writer: Did you find it to be everything you expected? Auction Hammerer: Well it was very typical of a real life auction. Very similar, except that moving items around is much easier in SL. [Grins.] The proceeds went to Uthango Social Investments Project. Dreamingen Writer: How big was the audience for Open MLS? Auction Hammerer: The audience was about 20 to 25 avatars at the auction. A decent turnout, but the Diegoland auction was larger, more like 30 to 40 avatars. Dreamingen Writer: How long have you been doing auctions in real life prior to SL? Auction Hammerer: I am a second-generation auctioneer, which means that I was born in the family business. Most older auction businesses are all handed down from the family. So I have been going to auctions my whole life. I really enjoy getting to connect with people in real life auctions and it is interesting the ways in which a similar connection can be made here in SL. Dreamingen Writer: What do you see as the similarities between real life and SL? Auction Hammerer: The obvious is that you can see those bidding against you... in real time. It’s different than just a user name outbidding you like on eBay. Also the competition is real even if they are just avatars. However, the bidding and the interaction is different because you can not see when someone is going to bid, like in real life. Dreamingen Writer: So, would you say there is more of a “human” element to it in SL as opposed to eBay? Auction Hammerer: Yes, that is correct. Traditional auctions involve a community, which eBay has done very well. But you are bidding against a user name rather than a virtual representation of a person. Dreamingen Writer: Do you see limitations here in SL? Auction Hammerer: Well, the same problems exist for all who wish to conduct commerce here in SL. Verification that an avatar is who she says she is, for example, or that indeed they have the Linden dollars to bid. However the community here is quite wonderful as a whole. There were not any problems at either auction, because I believe everyone there wanted to help the causes and donate. However, in real life, verification of payment is easily done by seeing cash. Here it is hard for someone to show me their Linden dollars. Dreamingen Writer: How did you handle that limitation? Auction Hammerer: The auction was public so that everyone could see and no one wanted to be the avatar that did not pay—the community came into play. Dreamingen Writer: Have you been involved in any Linden Lab auctions? Do they involve a live auctioneer? Auction Hammerer: They have never used a live auction, at least not to my knowledge. I believe that I am the first live auctioneer in SL or any virtual world community. I was very excited for the opportunity to give back to this [SL] community. Dreamingen Writer: You mentioned auction houses in SL... what are these, and what are your plans for them? Auction Hammerer: I have two auction houses. One in the Independent State of Caledon and another in Sede di Marte next to the OpenMLS build. Dreamingen Writer: Are your auction houses a location for holding auctions, or more like business offices?  Auction Hammerer: Both really. They are set up for auctions. I would like to open up an auction academy here in SL. The auction houses will be a good place for students to practice. So, more than anything, the auction houses are a teaching tool, a way to show the residents what auctions used to look like before eBay. I grew up going to auctions in the Midwest, and there is a look and a feel to an auction that I have not found online anywhere yet. In real life we auction everything from multi-million dollar real estate, to large yachts, islands, heavy equipment and just about anything else that has value. Dreamingen Writer: Do you think that a virtual world like SL can revitalize the old ways and bring back something more like a live auction? Auction Hammerer: I believe that SL has many exciting opportunities for connecting old and new ways of doing anything. Auctions have been around as long as commerce has existed and will continue where ever commerce goes. Kinda like the tax man I guess... [Laughs.] Dreamingen Writer: How do taxes apply to auctioned goods in RL? Auction Hammerer: Well, it depends on what state you are in and what you are selling. Property taxes are usually prorated. For personal property, a sales tax is added. Dreamingen Writer: Is it possible to conduct auctions in chat rather than voice? Auction Hammerer: I remember back in the days before voice here in SL. I attended some auctions and it was in text. There is something lost in translation. Modern auctions came from England. The chant was developed in the tobacco warehouses in America, and the chant is purely American. I have traveled to Australia to study auctions, and they use the American chant. However it does sound quite different than here in the States. The community of auctioneers is great one, and I do believe they will enjoy a virtual community like SL. Dreamingen Writer: Well, Mr. Hammerer, do you have anything else you’d like to share with our readers? Auction Hammerer: I must admit, it was so much fun, so exciting, and so energizing to be a part of the Diegoland auction—and for such a worthy cause.
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