I was just looking at the Sales Report of Month within Category (click here to see report) and noticed some interesting sales trends that correspond with the more extreme weather that some regions have. Auction Lots from North American, particularly the US, where the winters are very cold, show peak sales during the winter months. Similarly, the Auction Lots from down-under (Australia, New Zealand etc) show significantly higher sales during the summer months when the temperatures are very high. In both cases one could draw the conclusion that when the weather is uncomfortable outside one turns to stamps for relief. Interestingly enough, categories that have countries with a more even climate (temperature-wise) have a much more even sales trend.
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
Hi Tim,
But what does this represent: the country of origin of the sellers or the country / region in which an auction lot is listed? In the latter case, a lot with Australian stamps might be sold by someone in Iceland or Canadian stamps by someone in Sudan
OK, that's exaggerated, it is safe to assume most auction lots will be posted by people in North-America and North-western Europe and in those cases one should see an increase for the autumn and winter months...
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
One thing I learned in "Fundamentals of Statistics 230" was "correlation is not causation", so I did my own review of sales activity and time spent on THE HOARD over the past year. I solicited my wife's opinion, which was "basically every possible minute of every day".
Therefore, I took a serious look at it found some very interesting factors that may, in fact, have a causal effect on time spent with stamps (buying and selling activity). Here are my findings:
1. In the summer my wife nags me to mow the lawn and clean the pool.
2. In the fall she nags me to rake up the leaves and trim back the ornamental grasses.
3. In the winter she nags me to shovel the driveway and front steps.
4. In the spring she nags me to clean out the garage and pool shed.
5. Every day of the year, regardless of weather, she nags me to clean the man-cave bathroom, turn down that &**(&% rap music, and pick up my underwear.
So that explains my sales (i.e. selling) activity.
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
"1. In the summer my wife nags me to mow the lawn and clean the pool."
What is the pool season in Canada? A few days in August?
I have an inground pool in Pennsylvania... the pool water never warms up here, so I have to run the heater to make it usable. And my pool season is like 2 months!
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
"What is the pool season in Canada? A few days in August?"
Bwaahaahaa Tom! Yes, and there are also only a few days in August when we don't need snowshoes to go to the Post Office...Our pool gets opened in mid-May and closed in late-September. With 3 "Princesses" in the house the heater is set to 84 but we usually don't use much gas between mid-June and late-August.
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
Hi Everyone;
I just finished reading something from PayPal, that will put a enormous dent in sales for most sellers that are using older computers or older browser software. Here it is:
"Reminder - To avoid service interruptions, please ensure that your systems are upgraded and compatible as testing will occur between now and September 30, 2016.
Kenneth Jackson,
At PayPal, data security and safety are our top priorities, and as a result we’re implementing a series of security upgrades throughout 2016 and 2017.
To comply with industry standards, we’re moving the SSL certificates on our endpoints to stronger encryption known as SHA-256 starting after September 30, 2016. Compatibility with SHA-256 will help strengthen your protection and ensure that your business systems are up to date with the latest security measures.
If your systems aren’t SHA-256 compatible, your business will be unable to accept payments with PayPal until changes are made. For more details on our transition to SHA-256, please visit our SSL Certificate Upgrade Microsite."
Maybe Tim, our guru can help us here. My first question is what the hey is SHA-256? Do I need a newer computer (WIN98)? Do I need a newer Browser (FireFox 2.0.0.11)? Do I need to change to an Apple product?? Kinda looks like me and a bunch of other folks won't be using PayPal anymore!!!!
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
Just curious fellas - do you have to nag your wives to get her chores done or does she do them without your nagging? Hmmmmm. Think about it for a minute. Are ya getting a glimmer?
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re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
Hi Ken,
SHA-256 refers to the encryption algorithm that is being used by the SSL (HTTPS) certificate. There are many different algorithms that are used, some more secure than others. You would only be affected if you are running your own selling website that links directly to Paypal. This will not cause you to have to upgrade your home PC, although keeping your browser and security patches up to date is a good thing. In your situation with Win98, security patches would be a challenge. Your Firefox browser is a tad old also. I would update it if you can.
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
Hi Jan-Simon,
My thought was that the people who buy the most Australian and New Zealand stamps would be Australians and New Zealanders, and the people would would buy the most USA stamps would be Americans. Hence when the weather was uncomfortable outside, they looked for solace in their collections of choice.
I could be completely wrong in this analysis. It could mean that Americans like to collect Australian and New Zealand stamps as well as USA, and those long cold winters just keep them busy.
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 25 Sep 2016 04:44:35am
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
My son's new house has a decent sized pool in the backyard. The weather here in Las Vegas is routinely between 85º and 95º with some days well over 100º. Entering an 85º pool from close to 100º atmosphere reminds me of using the pool on Long Island ( New York) in the late fall/early winter. The shock to the body is the same.
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re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
A feature story I heard recently on NPR talked about a study that found a positive correlation between ice cream consumption and deaths by drowning. Oh yeah, there was one other common factor that correlated (and causated) with both of those -- hot weather.
re: Some interesting observations on how weather affects Stamporama Auction Sales
I heard that a recent study indicated eating ice cream causes drowning; and that drowning causes hot weather.
Hot weather, in turn, causes an increase in postings regarding NPR talks, which in turn is a causative factor in the rise of silly rebuttal comments by Canadians. A race of people who are well known to cause cold weather and eat ice cream in same; but they never drown because they can't slip through the ice!!!
Hard to follow the science. And makes as much sense as getting riled about sellers quoting catalog values. All are information. All can be useless. All can be useful. (See another current thread, the name of which I can't remember).
And now for something important: getting ready for the last World Cup of Hockey Semi-Final.
Cheers, Dave.
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