Sale Catalog's

[jackpotcattle]

So the last month or so I have been getting a lot of sale catalog's, as it is that time of year. For some reason, it seems as though every one of them has gotten to me no sooner than a week before the sale. Now to me that is not near soon enough.
I completely understand the amount of work that goes into putting on a sale and getting pictures and a catalog ready, but has anyone else thought that they were coming late. When buying cattle, I am one that is a pretty loyal customer, as I buy most of my cattle from three breeders.  However; a good picture will get the ball rolling and if time provides I will look at the cattle or have someone who has seen the cattle give me their opinioin. But when you only get the catalog a week a head of time....I don't know about anyone else but by the time I decide I wanna buy then talk to the banker, the week is over. I am sure there are cattle out there that I would have bought and would have worked for me, but if I don't have the time to do a little bit of studying and planning then I normally convince myself that I don't need them.

What is everyone's thoughts on this. And for dang sure you need to have good pictures and an ad out 3 weeks prior to your sale, IMO.

Guess I should have proof read before I posted. Or shouldn't steerplanet and drink at the same time <beer>

 

[drl]

A little more time before would be nice. A recent sale we have bought embryos from the last few years doesn't even send a catalog anymore. They even have a website to ask for a catalog and I even do that but still don't get one in the mail. I understand keeping costs down but expecting me to look on the computer or print off all the pages myself is a little tiresome when they could easily send a catalog to at least repeat buyers.

 

[olsun]

It is just my opinion, but I believe a well done catalog can make the seller a lot of money. A good case for that would be the catalog for Hoover Angus Farms. They put a lot of time and effort into their catalog. They give good information about the animals and their history of production. They also menton past buyers of a cow's progeny. They pack the barn, and the cattle sell good. I wanted to say they sold high, but good might sound better. Also, I believe a good picture can work wonders, and a bad picture is much worse than none at all.

 

[DSI]

I have wondered the same thing until i found out how much it costs to make and mail sale catalogs. I was told that it was close to $30,000 for the printing and postage of sale catalogs. Would definitely make you think twice about mailing one i guess.

 

[cowman]

Not to mention that all of these sales are seemingly connected anymore. Same people every weekend, same cattle (genetically), and same prices. Then when you do see sale reports they're all just buying from each other. There's no way with calf prices the last 2 years that even with the improved cattle economy that bred cows/heifer should be averaging over $5K. Not trying to hijack your thread, just not a sensible time to buy cattle. The clubby deal is crazy right now.

 

[jackpotcattle]

I don't buy any "clubby" cattle...I was talking more on the purebred side. But what made me post this was last night I was looking online at bulls and only one sale even had their catalog up on the internet (most of the sales are within the next two weeks) and I couldn't believe how many didn't even have their website updated with when their 2011 sale was!! Just little things that bug me and I had too vent.

And yes it is very expensive too put a catalog together, but if you want to save money you have to have your website updated and put a catalog on there and put more money into advertising, IMO.

 

[DSI]

I agree. It doesnt do much good to spend all the time and money getting the cattle fed, clipped, and looking good if you arent going to let people know when the sale is or what the info is on the individual lots before sale day.

 

[wrc]

What I really like is when you get a postcard in the mail telling you about their online sale then you go to the website and they don't have the sale posted yet.  Usually by the time I think to look again the sale is over or in the last few minutes.  On another note I got a catalog the other day that had a bull I liked in it.  The picture was obviously photoshopped, which I would expect, but they had videos of the cattle so I thought I would get a true look at what he was.  The entire video was doctored.  I turned it off and threw the sale catalog away.