Lots going on here at Love of the Game.
First and foremost, we’ve got a brand-new website. Believe it or not, it’s been nearly five years since we launched LOTG, and while we’ve been working really hard on presenting quality auctions and designing beautiful, useful auction catalogs, we haven’t spent a whole lot of time on our website. So, it was time.
Our new website is much cleaner and easier to use than our last one (though we loved the last one when we launched it, web technology has changed quite a bit over the last five years). We wanted a way to present you with the most important information right up front, in a way that you couldn’t miss it, so we created a dominant home page graphic with a clear headline. We also wanted a way to make it easier for you to get in touch with us about consignments, so we placed that information in an easy-to-find place. And we also wanted to create a way for non-registered bidders to sign up to receive our email updates, so we added that technology right to the home page.
We also updated the actual auction software, changing the layout dramatically to incorporate longer lot titles (so you can see what each lot is more easily), and enabling you to add items to your watch list without having to click through to that item.
More importantly, we incorporated two brand new pieces of technology into the auction, to make bidding easier and more user-friendly:
- Our entire website, including the auction catalog page and individual lot pages, are now mobile-friendly. This means that it is much easier for you to view the auction and place bids from your mobile device or tablet. Next auction, give it a try!
- We’ve added a new feature to the site – you now have the ability to receive your outbid notices by text message! It is our hope that this feature helps to un-tether you from your desktop computer on auction night. Now, you’ll be able to configure your account so that instead of waiting for outbid emails or refreshing the page, you can simply get a text message if you’re outbid on a lot, and then increase your bid right from your mobile phone. No more waiting up all night in case you’re outbid!
Of course, we realize that not everybody wants to receive their outbid notices on their cellphone, so we set it up so that you actually have to turn this feature on yourself. To set it up, simply follow these steps:
- Log into your account.
- Click “Edit User Information.”
- Add your cell phone number in the “Cell Phone” box.
- Click “Receive Outbid Text Messages”
- Choose your cell phone company from the drop-down menu
- Click “Submit.”
That’s it. It’s that simple, and you can change it any time, just by un-clicking the “Receive Outbid Text Messages” box.
Our Spring auction is right around the corner. The photo above includes many of the items you’ll see (and yes, that’s a Gehrig rookie, and a Voskamp Coffee Wagner, and a 1923-24 Exhibit Babe Ruth). This auction includes another outstanding assortment of type cards, 19th Century cards and memorabilia, plus a large run of Felix Mendelsohns, a huge assortment of Exhibits (including tons of Ruths, Gehrigs, and Cobbs), and more T210s than we have ever seen in one place. For you postwar collectors, we have an enormous assortment of signed 1952 Topps (more than 400!), a stunning Roberto Clemente collection, and a beautiful grouping of 1950-52 Bowman Yankees, Dodgers and Giants. Keep coming back for more details – catalogs will mail in late March!