Auction Rules

•  Registration for both Buyers and Sellers begins at 9:30 AM.
• Registration for Sellers ends at 1:00 PM.
• The auction begins at 11:00 AM.
• Bids will be in whole dollar increments.
• $3 EXPRESS BIDS: After 1:00 PM, buyers/sellers may pay a $3 cash fee to have an item auctioned off immediately. NAR (New & Rare) items are excluded from Express Bids.
• Any items not claimed or left behind become property of GPASI.
• NO PRIVATE SALES. NO RESALE OF PURCHASED AUCTION ITEMS.
  PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE BIDDING ON BEFORE BIDDING AS ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
• Buyer Beware: GPASI does not guarantee any item and is not responsible for any loss or accidents.
• GPASI reserves the right to refuse the sale of obviously sick or deformed fish, fish that are too small or young, or fish regulated by the state of Pennsylvania.

Seller Rules

• All sellers MUST register BEFORE taking items to the “Check In” tables.
• A 4 (FOUR) Color dot system will be used to assure a fair mix of different items. Red Table is first, order of other tables is randomly selected.
• The split is 70% to the seller and 30% to GPASI. For bags that sell for $1, the split is 0% seller, 100% GPASI.
• Auction items may include Fish, Plants, Invertebrates, and New or Used Dry Goods. Prohibited Items: Open or expired chemicals or medications
• All Equipment should be labeled as to its conditions (e.g., New, Used, Works, Noisy, Leaks, etc.).
• Bags and items must be labeled with an alphanumeric system (ex. ABC 01, ABC 02).
• The seller chooses the 3 letter code. Bags must be numbered in ascending sequence. CONFIRM with the registration table if your 3 Letter seller code has already been taken.
• All bags containing water MUST BE DOUBLE BAGGED and fairly firm, no exceptions. Strongly recommended that the second bag be placed in the opposite direction, to help eliminate corners and pinch points that trap fish.
• All mature cichlids over 3 inches are to be bagged separately, to help avoid aggression during transport.
• All bags MUST HAVE A LABEL, either printed or neatly hand-written. No sharpie or magic markers directly on the bag. NO EXCEPTIONS. Label can be placed between bags to avoid water damage, or covered with clear tape.
• Labels MUST be marked CLEARLY with the following:
  • Bag Number (ex: ABC-01),
  • Your Name (separately from an email address),
  • Phone Number or Email Address,
  • Scientific name of Fish,
  • Common Name (if applicable), and
  • Actual number of fish in bag.
• BAGS WITHOUT LABELS OR THIS INFORMATION WILL BE CHARGED $3 TO BE CORRECTLY BAGGED AND/OR LABELED, OR WILL NOT BE AUCTIONED.
• Sellers MUST bring items to be auctioned off to the “Check In” tables. Do not place bags and items on any colored tables directly, auction staff will do so. Any issues spotted with be addressed at this time.
• Sellers are limited (per household) to 5 HARD GOOD items, either individual or combos (Example: tank, filter, light, stand, tank/stand/light combo would be considered 5 items). This will be enforced! Extra items will NOT be sold.
• Sellers are limited (per household) to 5 BAGS OF ANY SPECIES OR COLOR/ FIN TYPE OR ITEM TYPE. This will be enforced! Extra bags/items will NOT be sold.
• Appropriate terminology: PAIR = 1 male, 1 female of same species, MATED PAIR = pair that has spawned, TRIO = 1 male, 2 females of same species, REVERSE TRIO = 2 males, 1 female of same species.
• All fish MUST be housed in suitable bags or buckets. Not Allowed Ziplocs, Baggies, twist ties, or buckets without lids. Bags should be appropriately filled and inflated. Large fish should be bucketed with a lid, to prevent spillage.
• A $3 re-bagging fee will be charged for improperly bagged or leaking bags.
• Sellers may not remove items placed in the auction after they have been checked in.
• Seller’s proceed check will be mailed to the address given to GPASI at the registration table, usually about 2 weeks after the auction.

Bidder Rules

• All Bidders wishing to set up a Tab MUST register. A valid driver’s license or acceptable photo ID is required to be held by GPASI, until the Tab is paid in full.
• You will be given a Bidder Number, which must be written on every winning item slip, and initialed by the Bidder.
• If you are paying cash for each item at the time of winning, there is no need to register for a Tab and Bidder Number. (You may still fill a registration form to receive notifications about future auction events.)
• Accounts must be paid in full before leaving the auction. PAYMENT OPTIONS - Cash, Check, or Credit Card. GPASI reserves the right to refuse a check for any reason. There is a $50 fee for bounced checks.
• Should a Bidder leave the Auction without paying for their Tab, GPASI reserves the right to recover said charges, including court costs, lawyer fees, and legal prosecution. This information will be shared with other clubs.
• When checking out, please make sure you have your ID before leaving.