Internet and Printed Auction Catalogues

Internet Catalogues and CatMaker Software

 

Pacts' auction management software for live auctions now include the ability to automatically generate Internet catalogues.  CatMaker (registered trade mark) software is now embedded in both Stock and SaleLink - it allows auctioneers to generate Internet catalogues with multiple images in their chosen style and livery.

 

CatMaker Internet catalogue generation software was first released in 2004.  New CatMaker has been entirely re-written to incorporate all we have learnt in past years.

 

Now over 50 of our auctioneer customers use the product.  CatMaker can be used directly by clients or we use it to produce Internet catalogues for them.

 

CatMaker software "gets inside" each sale to automatically extract the information needed.  No need to re-enter or duplicate sale data.  The original rich-text descriptions and condition reports are used without duplication.

 

CatMaker produces Internet catalogues in an unlimited range of designs.  Each client can have their own unique catalogue colour and layout format.  There are over 20 configurable catalogue design parameters including table and cell border widths and colours, use of grids or not, choice of cell colours, use of background colours, include condition reports and so on.

 

Sample Internet Catalogues
Watches and Clocks

Browse Catalogue

Search Catalogue
Marine and Scientific

Browse Catalogue

Search Catalogue

 

CatMaker Key Features
       

A detailed catalogue index/order of sale page allows users to browse the catalogue from precisely the section they want.

Catalogue split into 30 lot pages for fastest possible loading.

Lots with multiple images (up to 10 images available per lot) marked with a red border.

Images displayed at 1024 x 768 resolution - thumbnails at 100 x 75 resolution.

Printable text-only catalogue included by default.

One video clip per lot.

VAT on lot hammer price clearly stated including Nil, 5% and 15% bands.

Artist's Resale Right scheme status clearly stated.

Multi-currency - Currency indicated using international three letter codes.

Auto-suppression of  'Image not supplied' image.

Better presentation of catalogues with smaller numbers of images.

Fast catalogue search for keywords or phrase. Printable results with images.

Faster image resizing and processing.

Catalogue designs quicker to produce.

Gridded or non-gridded catalogue designs.

Unlimited colour schemes.

Condition reports optional.

Sale results shown on original catalogue alongside each lot.

CatMaker output is a single folder per auction.   Catalogue images, pages and search engine are encapsulated within the folder - which is then sent  (via ftp) to the host website.

Two hyperlinks to the catalogue folder are all that is required to put the catalogue on line.

Catalogue text retains the layout specified by the original cataloguer.

Catalogue text can use a wide range of special characters - dagger, double dagger, bullet, Greek symbols, fractions...
       

Commission Bids from Website

Commission bidding from the website goes hand-in-hand with an Internet catalogue.  Pacts' commission bidding software allows website users to send commission bids direct to the auctioneers.  In some cases direct to the auctioneer at the rostrum.

 

Bids are stored on the website and downloaded by the auctioneers.  The stored record is then always available should there be any dispute.  Click the link below for more details:

 

Commission Bidding

Click for Details

 

Printed Catalogues

 

All Pacts' systems can of course produce masters for printed catalogues.  The printed catalogue text retains the rich-text characteristics and layout in which it was created.  Catalogue output file structure has been specially designed to flow into and around the columns of any page layout software - including Microsoft Word, Quark and so on...

 

Please contact us for a no obligation demonstration