Closing Your Auction
Communications
At the end of an auction, a series of emails, push notifications, and text messages (if your account has a phone number saved) are triggered out to all guests and admins.
- A push notification and text message will be sent to each winner letting them know they won one or more items and linking them to view their results.
- An email will be sent to all winners listing what they’ve won. We also include the payment and pickup information you provided on the Guest Instructions screen in your dashboard.
- A push notification and text message declaring the auction over and linking them to View Results
- An email will also be sent thanking them for participating and letting them know they did not win any items.
- A push notification and text message declaring the is auction over and linking them to view the auction results.
- An email will be sent whenever items close, or the entire auction closes. These emails will indicate the total amount earned and next steps for you to take.
- Use the Item Management Report to monitor the setup and overall activity of your auction items. As winners pay for and pick up items, this report will include the latest information, making management easier for you and your team. Exporting the report will pull the most up-to-date information.
View Auction Results
From the Auction Dashboard, find the auction you want to enter and click Manage.
When managing the auction, navigate to the side menu on the left side of your screen and click Payment/Pickup.
Admins will have access to the Auction Results screen at any time which can be accessed from the Payment/Pickup tab in the dashboard. For most auctions, all items will close at the end of the auction and then be paid for and picked up.
In a past update, we’ve made it so items that close before the auction end date can be fully processed (paid by guest and marked picked up by the admin).
For this reason, admins are now able to track payments and manage pick up of items at any point in the auction. Keep in mind that this is only applicable if you have items that close before the auction’s end date.
On the Auction Results screen, guests and admins will both see the Your Winnings tab. Next to this tab, admins will have access to unique Unpaid, Pending Pickup and Complete tabs to track and manage items as guests pay and pick up their items.
- Every admin and guest will have the ability to view a Winning, Unpaid, and Receipts tab which shows the items you are winning, won but not paid for, and receipts for items that are fully paid for.
- Prize Claim instructions appear here as written by auction admins on the Guest Information tab in the admin dashboard.
- A Pay button will appear if Alternate Payments was set up for the auction.
- An option to download their Invoice or Receipt. Invoice if unpaid, receipt once paid in full.
- A list of every winner and what they won, how much they owe and their contact email.
- A search bar to search for someone by name, email, phone number, item name or lot number.
- A Download All Invoices link to download PDF copies of every invoice in the list.
- An option to Save Offline Payment if you aren’t using Express Banking and the guest pays you outside of the app (cash, cheque, e-transfer, Venmo, etc.).
- Once items have been paid for, the transaction moves over to the Pending Pickup tab.
- Admins can view every item that has been paid for but not yet picked up.
- A list of every winner and what they won, how much they paid, and their contact email.
- A search bar to search for someone by name, email, phone number, item name or lot number.
- A Download All Receipts link to download PDF copies of every receipt in the list.
- A Mark As Picked Up button to keep organized and easily track those purchases that haven’t been picked up yet. Once a purchase is marked as picked up, it will move over to the Complete tab.
- Lists all winners who have paid for picked up their items.
- Each winner is listed with all of the items they have won. You can again download all receipts from this tab as well.
View Reports
Admins can download exportable reports to track the success and completion of the auction. Start off by navigating to the Reports tab from within your auction’s dashboard.
Available at any time to help validate auction setup and manage the closeout process. This report can also be accessed from the Manage Items tab.
- Category, Type, Item Name, Lot#, Approx Value, Starting Bid, Reserve, Increment, Qty Remaining, Opens At, Closes At, Bidding Extensions (Remaining), Extension Duration, Donor, Image Count, Video URL, Description, Info URL, Tax1(%), Tax2(%), Fee1(%%), Fee2(%), Surcharge(%), Item Won, Bid Amount, Tax1($), Tax2($), Fee1($), Fee2($), Surcharge($), Total Amount, Paid, Date Paid, Payment ID, Payment Method, Picked Up, Winner, Display Name, Email Address, Phone Number, Bid Count, Last Bid
The Payment ID references the billing event the platform fee charge was tied to. A billing event may consist of multiple guest transactions bundled into one charge/receipt for the admin, or a single charge created by the nightly process for uncaptured fees. This ID can be cross-referenced with the Platform Fee Charges Report to identify which items were included.
- Guest Name, Display Name, Email Address, Phone Number
- Category, Item ID, Item Name, Guest Name, Display Name, Email Address, Phone Number, Bid Amount, Bid Date, Bidder Won (Y or N)
- Product Name, Item ID, Category, Item Type, Bid Count, Approx Value, Starting Bid, Total Bid Amount, Paid (Y or N), Picked Up (Y or N)
- Product Name, Item ID, Category, Item Type, Bid Count, Approx Value, Starting Bid, Paid (Y or N), Picked Up (Y or N)
The Platform Fee Charges report helps reconcile how platform fees were calculated, the amounts they were based on, and which billing events they were tied to.
- Sales (Fee Basis), Platform Fee (%), Platform Fee Amount ($), Platform Fee Tax ($), Payment ID, Paid, Date Paid
The Payment ID references the billing event the platform fee charge was tied to. A billing event may consist of multiple guest transactions bundled into one charge/receipt for the admin, or a single charge created by the nightly process for uncaptured fees. This ID can be cross-referenced with the Item Management Report to identify which items were included.
Note: The information within this report only becomes available the night the auction (or item) closes for subscribed auctions, or three days after close for unsubscribed auctions.
*If a guest uses Apple’s “hide my email” service the email will be protected. Those emails appear like this: [email protected]
In this case, you will not be able to email those users outside of the app. You can reach them using Notifications within the app only.
*Phone numbers are optional
Tracking Payments
Depending on your auction setup, you may be accepting payments online via Express Banking through Stripe Connect, Stripe (non-Connect version), Square, or PayPal.
With both Stripe options, it’s possible that payments were made automatically, at the end of the auction, as guests can be required to enter a credit card prior to bidding. Use the Item Management Report to see which items have been paid for. If you’d like to see a breakdown of fees from payments made within your auction, download the Platform Fee Charges Report.
Using Express Banking Through Stripe Connect
Guests are required to provide a credit card before being able to bid, so once individual items or the entire auction closes, guests with winning bids will be automatically charged. Payments will be held in your Stripe account for 7 days before being deposited to your connected bank account (this is standard for Stripe in the event that are any disputes or refunds after the initial purchase).
- If payment was successful, the guest’s name will display a Download Receipt option below the Mark as Picked Up button.
- If payment was not successful (e.g. credit card was declined), that guest can re-enter their credit card information to pay for their winnings.
- If the guest cannot pay with credit card, above the guest’s name will show a Save Offline Payment option.
- Only use Save Offline Payment if you have collected funds outside of the app as it will disable the winner’s ability to pay through the app.
- If the guest’s credit card fails, and they don’t wish to pay offline, you can remove their bid to trigger a new winner (the guest with the second highest bid).
- You can view and manage payments from two areas within the auction:
- From the Auction Overview screen
- Navigate to Payouts in left side menu
- View the Available Soon, Next Payout and Total Paid to date info for a summary
- From the Auction Overview screen
- Navigate to Payment Settings in left side menu
- Click View Account
- Enter the verification code sent to your mobile device.
- The Stripe dashboard shares more details about each transaction and expected timelines for your payouts.
Admins can also view a full list of payments made within their profile:
- In the top right header bar, click your Profile Icon
- Click Payments
- Click Guest Payments
- A list of all payments made by your guests will show and is separated by auction name.
Using Alternate Payments
As guests complete their payments in the app, admins will see results changing in real time.
- If payment was successful, the guest’s name will display a Download Receipt option below the Mark as Picked Up button.
- If payment was not successful (e.g. credit card was declined), that guest can re-enter their credit card information to pay for their winnings.
- Only use Save Offline Payment if you have collected funds outside of the app as it will disable the winner’s ability to pay through the app
- You can view and manage payments in your payment processor’s dashboard (Stripe, Square or PayPal)
Admins can also view a full list of payments made within their profile:
- In the top right header bar, click your name
- Click Payments
- Click Guest Payments
- A list of all payments made by your guests will show and is separated by auction name.
Collecting Payment Offline
Your winners are sent an email outlining what they won, how much they owe, and are presented with the information you provided on the Guest Instructions page in your auction’s dashboard.
When guests click View Results in the auction, they will see the items they’ve won, and instructions on how to pay.
Make sure your payment information is detailed enough for winners to understand what to do next!
To update your payment or pick-up instructions before your auction ends:
- Click Manage Auction
- On the left side menu, click Guest Instructions
- Update your Payment Instructions or Pickup Instructions
- Click Save
As admins collect payments outside of the app, they should mark users as paid when viewing the Auction Results page.
Simplify Auction Close
Under the Manage Items section, you can toggle on Hide Items After Auction Ends to help guests easily find the View Results button.
If a guest is having trouble paying for their winnings, you can assist them by selecting the Bid as Guest option. Select the guest you want to act as, then proceed to pay for their winnings.
Curious the transactions from your auction, including all guest payments and your own payments? Visit My Transactions from the Bid Beacon dashboard to view these details.
