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Planning an Online Auction + Virtual Event

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Carolyn D
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The most important thing to understand when considering an event which includes both an online auction and virtual live auction is that online and virtual bidding takes place on separate pages - and by design, bidders cannot easily switch back and forth between the Catalog (Online Bidding) and Virtual Event screen (Live Auction Bidding).

In 2020, most of our customers were running their very first Virtual event and trying to figure out what would 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, and which approaches we can recommend and those we don't.   Instructions are provided below for each.

Recommended:

  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.

Not Recommended:

3.  Pauses:  Online Auction begins prior to Virtual Event, pauses during Virtual Event, then resumes and online items awarded after Virtual Event.

4.  Simultaneous:  Online Auction active during Virtual Event.

5.  (Not Supported) Virtual Launch:  Items introduced (and bids accepted) in Virtual Event, bidding continues and items awarded during Online Auction.

6.  (Not Supported) Hybrid:  Bidding begins in Online Auction, then items are transferred to Virtual Live Auction to be awarded individually.

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 Site Settings > Events > Online Auction/Mobile Bidding > Bidding Settings
  4. If you want Online Auction winners to be notified and pay immediately, Enable "Email notifications to winners" at Site Settings > Events > Online Auction/Mobile Bidding > Email Notifications..  If you would prefer to have everyone pay for all of their purchases at the conclusion of the Virtual event, Disable  "Email notifications to winners" and send invitations to self check-out to anyone who didn't review their cart and pay at the conclusion of the virtual event.  
  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 Pre-EVent screen (with livestream) to promote the online auction, draw in new bidders and encourage more active bidding in the final moments before closing - then move 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 Site Settings > Events > Virtual Event > General Settings.
  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 Site Settings > Events > 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 Site Settings > Events > Online Auction/Mobile Bidding > Email Notifications.

3.  Online Bidding Paused During Virtual Event (not recommended)

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 Site Settings > Events > 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.  Online Auction Active During Virtual Event (Not Recommended)

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 Site Settings > Events > 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 Site Settings > Events > Online Auction/Mobile Bidding > Email Notifications.

5.  (Not Supported) Begin Bidding in Virtual Event, then Transfer and Close in Online Auction

Why we discontinued support for this option:

Because there was little upside:

  • When the Virtual bidding was active and successful, the online bidding was limited - with most items still being awarded to the virtual high bidders.
  • When the Virtual bidding wasn't robust, the virtual event could feel awkward and unsuccessful.
  • Either way, launching bidding on virtual items that then transferred to online bidding on those same items usually created a lot of unnecessary work and complexity, given the limited upside.

Note:  while the software doesn't support transferring bidding on items from Virtual to Online, it does support running a Virtual Live Auction/Event, followed by an Online Auction with bidding on a different set of items (see instructions for Option 1 above - just create online bidding groups with an opening time AND closing time after your Virtual event.)

6.  (Not supported) Hybrid Bidding:  Begin Bidding in Online Auction, Transfer to Virtual Event

Why we discontinued support for this option:

Because there was no upside:

  • If pre-bidding is active and successful - it made the 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.
  • If pre-bidding isn't active or successful  - it only created a lot of unnecessary work and complexity.

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