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Planning an Online Auction + Virtual Event

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Carolyn D
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Here are instructions for the various ways customers are using our software for fundraisers that include both Online Auctions and Virtual Events.

Most people are running their very first Virtual event and trying to figure out what will translate most effectively given the resources, talents and limitations within their community.

We have a unique vantage, in that we've now watched virtual events utilize all of these approaches many times over - and can provide some general feedback and insights on what we've observed, so we've included those notes as well.

  1. The Gala Model:  Online (Silent) Auction closes prior to Virtual (Live ) Auction.
  2. Pre-Function:  Online Auction closes during Virtual pre-function, segues into Virtual Live Auction.
  3. Pauses:  Online Auction begins prior to Virtual Event, pauses during Virtual Event, online auction continues and items awarded after Virtual Event.
  4. Hybrid:  Bidding begins in Online Auction, then items are transferred to Virtual Live Auction to be awarded individually.
  5. Virtual Launch:  Items introduced (and bids accepted) in Virtual Event, bidding continues and items awarded during Online Auction.
  6. Simultaneous:  Online Auction active during Virtual Event.

1.  Best Practice:  The Gala Model

Think of your Virtual Event as the Live Auction portion of a gala event and the Online Auction as the Silent Auction portion.

Silent Auction tables are universally closed prior to the Live Auction because everyone wants their supporters' undivided attention on the live auction.

It's the same with your online auction - you want your supporters' undivided attention during your Virtual event - so best practice is to close and award your online auction items before starting your Virtual Live Auction.

Pros:

  • Most auction teams and supporters are familiar with Gala auctions, so using the same schedule and structure is the most intuitive and requires the least amount of explanation/steering.
  • The online auction serves to build excitement and anticipation for your Virtual Live Auction.  It also allows you to gauge the actual participation levels (and increase promotion if necessary) prior to your Virtual event.
  • Having clear and finite bidding periods prevents event fatigue among your supporters.

How to Setup the Gala Model:

  1. Create separate items in the catalog for bidding via Online/Mobile Bidding OR Virtual.
  2. Set closing time(s) for online bidding groups prior to the start your Virtual event.    
  3. Enable Auto-closeout so online items are awarded to high bidders and placed in their carts automatically so your team can focus on launching the Virtual Event.  Enable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Bidding Settings
  4. Disable "Email notifications to winners" to avoid distracting the winners among your Virtual audience.   You can send invitations to self check-out to anyone who didn't review their cart and pay at the conclusion of the virtual event.  Disable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Email and Text Notifications.
  5. Any unsold items can be offered again in a post-event "last chance" online auction.

 

2.  Online Auction Closes During Virtual Pre-Event, Segues to Virtual Event

The basic plan:  use the Virtual event livestream to promote the online auction, draw in new bidders and encourage more active bidding in the final moments before closing - then moving on to the main (virtual) event.

Things to consider:

  • The typical attention span for a livestream is about an hour.  What is your best use of that hour?   If you have experience with gala auctions, how much revenue was generated from your past live vs silent auctions?
  • HOW will you promote the online bidding during your livestream?  How confident are you that it will materially boost participation and online high bids?

If you want to close online bidding before segueing into a Virtual Live Auction, we strongly recommend creating a Virtual "pre-function" for the online auction portion of your Virtual event.   The Virtual feature provides a separate "pre-event" screen which you can configure separately as a gathering place prior to your event.   Entice viewers to join in for a virtual cocktail party, online auction countdown, door prize drawings, inspirational video, etc.     You have the ability of starting your livestream at any point -- so the Pre-event function is the ideal place to exhort last minute bids and wrap up online bidding before launching the main event.

How to Close Your Online Auction During a Virtual Pre-Event:

  1. Plan a pre-function that will entice supporters to show up, keep them engaged and compel them to bid high and often.
  2. Setup the Pre-Event Screen for your pre-function.    If you're planning to start your livestream during the pre-event, be sure your livestream is scheduled appropriately at Admin > Site Settings > Virtual > General.
  3. Create separate items in the catalog for bidding via Online/Mobile Bidding OR Virtual.
  4. Set closing time(s) for online bidding groups prior to the start your Virtual event.    
  5. Enable Auto-closeout so online items are awarded to high bidders and placed in their carts automatically so your team can focus on launching the Virtual Event.  Enable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Bidding Settings
  6. Disable "Email notifications to winners" to avoid distracting the winners among your Virtual audience.   You can send invitations to self check-out to anyone who didn't review their cart and pay at the conclusion of the virtual event.  Disable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Email and Text Notifications.

3.  Online Bidding Paused During Virtual Event

Think carefully about what you hope to gain by continuing online bidding on all items after your Virtual event, then consider:

  • If everyone knows that bidding closes and items will be awarded after the Virtual event, what will be their motivation to participate in the pre-Virtual online bidding?
  • Is it worth risking "event fatigue" among your supporters?
  • If you're not sure you'll be able to create enough participation in online bidding prior to the virtual event -- and hope the virtual event will drive the online bidding after it -- you'd be much better served to focus on your plans to actively and effectively promote your event(s) BEFORE your virtual event.

You can minimize the risks above by using 1.  Gala Model:  closing all online items prior to your virtual event, then re-opening any unsold items in a post event online auction.

How to Setup and Pause Online Bidding During Your Virtual Event:

  1. Create Online Bidding Group(s) with the desired Post-Virtual closing date/time.
  2. Make sure that all Online Auction items are set up for bidding via "Online/Mobile" only.
  3. Use the (edit text) link at the top of your Catalog page to add a statement to the effect:   "We will be pausing our online auction during our Virtual event.  Bidding on these items will be temporarily halted on date at time.  They will reopen at the conclusion of our Virtual event - and will be awarded to the high bidders at date and time."
  4. When you are ready to "pause" bidding, uncheck the "Make Online/Mobile Elements Visible to Public" setting and save at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Bidding Settings.   This is the easiest way to hide/unhide all Online Auction items from the public.
  5. When you are ready to restart the online auction, check the setting box to "Make Online/Mobile Elements Visible to Public" setting and save.

4.  Hybrid Bidding:  Begin Bidding in Online Auction, Transfer to Virtual Event

Yes, this is an option, but there is little advantage in transferring online bids to another online platform. . .

The ability to transfer high online bids to become the opening bid at the gala event is useful to allow supporters that are unable to physically attend a gala event an opportunity to participate in bidding and preemptively place the winning bid on an item.

Because participants can join a virtual event from anywhere with internet OR cellular service, hybrid bidding is more likely to shift participation rather than increase it.   Offering to transfer earlier bids to a Virtual event:

  • Provides an "out" to skip your Virtual Event
  • Adds complexity (explaining that bidding starts online but will be awarded at virtual)
  • If successful, makes your Virtual event less interesting as some/most of the bidding has already occurred:  ie. the Auctioneer asks for bids, hears crickets, and awards item to high online bidder.

How to Setup Hybrid Items:

  1. Choose Bidding via "Online/Mobile pre-event, then Virtual" on the items you want to transfer to Virtual bidding.
  2. Create an online bidding group for hybrid items with a closing time prior to your Virtual event.   Online bidding will be halted at the specified closing time and will begin again when it is  selected as the "Current Item" in the Virtual Control panel.  
  3. Items are awarded manually to the high bidder (online or virtual) from the Virtual Control Panel.

5.  Begin Bidding in Virtual Event, then Transfer and Close in Online Auction

Things to Consider:

  • If everyone knows that bidding closes and items will be awarded after the Virtual event, what will be their motivation to show up for the Virtual event?
  • An online auction typically serves to build excitement and anticipation for your Virtual Live Auction.  It also allows you to gauge the actual participation levels (and increase promotion if necessary) prior to your Virtual event.   If you have experience with gala auctions, you are aware that "conspicuous spending" is real and improves your event's results.  Are you sure you don't want to introduce these as "hybrid" items in an online auction before your Virtual event, then award them to the high bidder in front of their peers?
  • Is it worth risking "event fatigue" among your supporters?
  • If you're not sure you'll be able to create enough participation in online bidding prior to the virtual event -- and hope the virtual event will drive the online bidding after it -- you'd be much better served to focus on your plans to actively and effectively promote your event(s) BEFORE your virtual event.

How to Setup Items to Transfer from a Virtual Live Auction to Online Bidding:

  1. Setup items as type = Silent and bidding via Virtual.
  2. Setup an online bidding group to open bidding after your Virtual event concludes with the desired closing time.
  3. If items will be available for preview in the catalog prior to your virtual event, add text in the item description to the effect:  "Bidding on this item will open during our Virtual event date/time then continue in our online auction until awarded to the high bidder at date/time."
  4. Open and accept bids during your Virtual event as usual - but do not award to a winner.
  5. After your Virtual event concludes, select items and bulk edit bidding style to "bidding via Online/Mobile Bidding" and assign to the appropriate online bidding group.
  6. Enable Auto-closeout so online items are awarded to high bidders and placed in their carts automatically.  Enable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Bidding Settings.
  7. Enable "Email notifications to winners" to automate the notification process.  Enable at:  Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Email and Text Notifications.

6.  Online Auction Active During Virtual Event

We strongly discourage allowing online bidding during a Virtual Live Auction or Virtual Paddle Raise as it would be similar to encouraging supporters at a gala to continue bidding at the silent auction tables during your live auction.

Things to consider:

  • The Virtual Event and Online Auction Bidding take place on separate screens.   Viewers at your Virtual event will be able to watch your livestream and place bids/donate on the current Virtual item from a single screen - but must place bids in an online auction from a different window/tab/device.  Dual screens introduce complexity, confusion, and frustration - is it worth it?
  • Online Auction Items are awarded to high bidders en mass, when auto-closeout is triggered.   Virtual items are awarded individually from the Virtual Control Panel.
  • The typical attention span for a livestream is about an hour.  What is your best use of that hour?   If you have experience with gala auctions, how much revenue was generated from your past live vs silent auctions?
  • HOW will you promote the online bidding during your livestream?  How confident are you that it will materially boost participation and online high bids?

 

How to Setup Simultaneous Online and Virtual bidding:

  1. Create separate items in the catalog for bidding via Online/Mobile Bidding OR Virtual.
  2. Set closing time(s) for online bidding groups as desired.    
  3. Enable Auto-closeout IF you want online items to be awarded to high bidders at closing times.   If you prefer to trigger close-out manually, disable Auto-Closeout until you're ready to award items, then enable and save the page.  Enable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Bidding Settings
  4. Disable "Email notifications to winners" to avoid distracting the winners among your Virtual audience.   Winners will be able to view and pay for ALL items from the cart icon displayed on the Virtual Screen and/or from "My Account" tab.   You can send invitations to self check-out to anyone who didn't review their cart and pay at the conclusion of the virtual event.  Disable at Admin > Site Settings > Online Auction / Mobile Bidding > Email and Text Notifications.

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