This would make the bidder feel secure about the purchase and perceive your business trustworthy, ultimately benefiting you in terms of enhanced online reputation and reliability. As per the recent report, the market size of the eCommerce & online auction industry in terms of revenue generated is $467.3bn in 2020. Moreover, it has grown by 7.4% per year on average between 2015 and 2020. The reason behind this growth is the increasing popularity of online auctions. Be sure to include a photo whenever possible, a zippy description of the item, and an estimated value. Repeat the process with each successive item until the deadline you have set for opening the auction for bidding.
Facebook Buy and Sell groups don’t let you take payments through Facebook so you will need to arrange another method of payment, like PayPal. There’s no better way to secure donations than to simply ask for them outright. After a quick Friday morning conversation around what exactly the app would need to do, we decided to let them know by Monday whether finishing it in a couple of weeks was feasible.
If you have a few additional items up your sleeve, see if there’s any interest! Before silent auction websites begins, establish minimum bids and bid increments for each item to ensure fair bidding. Be sure to clearly display all bidding rules and guidelines to avoid confusion or disputes.
SchoolAuction.net offers auction software to aid your fundraising efforts and help you double the donation without doubling the effort. GoCharity has prioritized the needs of growing organizations and as a result, created a solution that makes charity auctions significantly easier at a very affordable price. SofterWare, the maker of AuctionMaestro Pro, is one of the leading providers of tools to nonprofits. You know it’ll work great and meet the needs of all charity auctions regardless of how simple or complex your event may be. Gesture provides mobile bidding software that enables donors to bid on items directly from their seats. BiddingForGood, a FrontStream company, offers a robust auction management solution for nonprofits who have a high degree of complexity in their fundraising auctions.
Display recently viewed and featured auctions to create a sense of urgency and encourage bidding activity. The plugin’s robust filter function enables users to find specific eBay products based on the category, keyword, or listing type. Combined with the flexible sorting system and multiple display options, Auction Nudge effectively highlights your near-expired eBay auctions to encourage biddings. Users can follow auctions and keep a comprehensive record of placed bids on their accounts. Communication with bidders is made simple through email notifications, ensuring users receive alerts for bids and payments. Admins also have access to email notifications for all auction-related activities, ensuring regular updates.
These factors will help guide you through the decision-making process. Your online silent auction platform is key to pulling off the entire fundraising event, so choosing the right one is a crucial first step. While the logistics and set-up of an online silent auction are very different from those of an in-person event, the process remains virtually the same. And the event will still require planning, maintenance, and teardown.
For these reasons, a Facebook auction will stifle bidding compared to an event run on auction software. The auction itself will be your organization’s primary fundraising method, but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate other strategies to raise even more from your silent auction. That’s because mobile bidding is much more convenient for your guests.
Silent auctions are fun, interesting, and an excuse to have a party. This is an aspect of in-person events that are sorely missed in the online equivalent. Much of the enthusiasm and excitement is lost without the social component. Displaying a fundraising thermometer during your auction allows guests to easily visualize how their contributions are adding up to help your organization reach its goals.