Silent auction bidding now comes with a choice between paper-based bidding forms and handheld automated devices. Which one is better?
I’ve planned silent auctions with both bid sheets and automated bidding. Most recently I used BidPal as an automated bidding device at the Junior League Bags and Bubbles event. Both options have their pluses and minuses.
- Cost: Paper bidding sheets are essentially free to produce and manage while there is a large fee for handheld devices.
- Experience: With automated bidding devices guests are free to experience the entire event and not feel tied down to monitoring a paper bidding sheet. Guest can bid from anywhere at the event, be alerted via the device if they are outbid, as well as a whole slew of additional features you just don’t get with paper.
- Management: With bidding devices you don’t run into the situation where two people claim they won an item. When bidding closes the handheld device disables bidding and the highest bidder wins – case closed.
- Revenue: I’ve experienced increased levels of overall bidding and higher bidding amounts using the handheld devices.
Bidding Sheet Example
End result: It really comes down to the event you are throwing. How big is it, how extravagant, how many auction items do you have? This all needs to be weighed before making a commitment either way. A return on investment for the bidding devices needs to be determined. Can your event sustain the cost of the device and still come out ahead as far as revenue?
Have you used automated bidding devices? What are your thoughts on the options?
Example of BidPal device in hand
2 comments
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Heather Floyd says:
July 27, 2011 at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
Another option is to use a service like CharityBuzz. which we used for the first time this year. They integrate an online auction with the live event, and in our case sent trained representatives to our event with mobile computers to directly assist guests in bidding on silent auction items. The cost was very reasonable, and we had one of our most financially successful auctions in a 20+ year history.
The “Bags & Bubbles” event was the first time I had used BidPal, and I really liked it. Being alerted of my bid status, long after I had left the room with the item in question was so convenient. I also knew exactly when I was outbid, so I could decide to raise my bid, or I could find something else to bid on immediately.
Audrey says:
July 27, 2011 at 1:34 pm (UTC -4)
Full disclosure: I love auctions. I love live auctions, I love silent auctions, I even love online auctions! And I attend enough events to be in an auction-situation somewhat frequently. Having said all that, I really think the BidPal handheld automated devices Cynthia brought in for NYJL’s Bags and Bubbles were terrific! Using BidPal I knew which bags hadn’t received bids yet (so I could check those out and see what diamonds-in-the-rough were passed over by other shoppers), and the current bids of other bags (so I could decide to jump in or up my bid). The other statements above are also true; my favorite perk was being able to mingle without having to stand guard over a paper bid sheet.
What is a Silent Auction? | Red Carpet Rollout says:
July 27, 2011 at 8:03 pm (UTC -4)
[...] auction fundraising events do not require an auctioneer. All bidding is done either on paper bidding sheets or via automated handheld bidding devices. Typically at a silent auction, the items to be auctioned off are displayed on tables for guests [...]