10 Best Inexpensive Silent Auction Item Ideas

Ross Murray

Auction Item Ideas

January 10, 2023

What inexpensive items should you include in your silent auction if you still want to attract bids and successfully fundraise? Follow along as Bid Beacon shows you the best items for inspiring bidding without spending too much out of pocket.

Silent auctions don’t always have to include big ticket items to attract bids and raise significant amounts of money. In fact, some of the best silent auction items out there are actually quite inexpensive. Finding those items isn’t always easy, though—which is why we’ve created a list with some of the best ones you can easily purchase online.

Sourcing items is often the most difficult part of planning and organizing your silent auction, especially when you have Bid Beacon to set up and monitor the event. So let our suggestions help you find affordable auction items with less effort, and move one step closer to silent auction success!

Note: all prices displayed below are in US dollars (USD). Prices displayed are accurate as of the time of this writing, but may fluctuate depending on the individual sellers.

Via Amazon.

Echo Dot Smart Speaker with Alexa Voice Assistant

$49.99

Smart home assistants have that “wow” factor that excites people and can easily inspire bidding—even when the technology in question isn’t all that expensive. Such is the case with the Amazon Echo Dot, a compact entry-level version of their signature smart home hub that’s fully compatible with Alexa and capable of providing high quality audio.

Via Amazon.

Roku Express 4K+ Streaming Media Player

$38.27

4K streaming has never been easier—or more affordable—than with the latest Roku offering, which provides crystal clear picture quality and butter-smooth streaming via dual-band wireless technology. This version of the Roku even has built-in voice control features, making it a worthwhile standalone device as well as a welcome addition to any home.

Via Amazon.

Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale

$13.99

Kitchen scales are items that many people would welcome in their homes, but not necessarily things that they would buy for themselves. This digital kitchen scale provides measurements in ounces and grams, making it easy to measure portions or ingredients accurately. Made from high-quality stainless steel with a bright LCD display, it’s a visually appealing item.

Via Amazon.

Magic Bullet Blender Set

$38.89

You’d think an 11-piece blender set from the world-famous Magic Bullet brand would cost more than $40, but that’s what makes this such an appealing silent auction item. While it doesn’t cost much to acquire, it will almost certainly fetch attention from attendees at your event—including those who like to cook at home and anyone who enjoys a quick smoothie.

Via Amazon.

AstroAI Tire Inflator & Portable Air Compressor

$44.99

Many of the best silent auction items are things that attendees wouldn’t likely think of buying on their own. With a speed of 35L per minute, this device can inflate a standard 195/55/R15 car tire from 0–35 psi in less than five minutes. It’s also programmable, so you can set the inflation level you want it to reach and then leave it alone to do its thing. Talk about handy!

Via Amazon.

2022 Score Football Trading Cards Value Fat Pack

$17.00

Trading cards are fantastic silent auction items because the packs are randomized—meaning there’s a chance they could be worth much more than the pack’s retail price. You can capitalize on that possibility to drive bidding on this pack, which contains 40 cards and offers the winner a chance at acquiring numerous valuable 2022 rookie cards.

Via Amazon.

2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball Trading Cards Hanger Box

$34.99

For those who prefer baseball cards to football cards, this pack of 67 randomized Series 1 cards is a cheap silent auction item that will still entice attendees and inspire them to bid. Each pack contains the chance to acquire rare and valuable autograph or relic cards, meaning there’s no telling what the exact value of the pack will be until someone bids on it.

Via Amazon.

Ascent Golf Multi Tool

$29.99

Is it a stroke counter? A divot-repairer? Ball marker? Brush? Cleat tightener? Club-groove cleaner? No—it’s all of those things. One of the handiest devices ever made for the tee box, rough, fairway, or green fits in the palm of your hand and is sure to garner attention from anyone at your silent auction who enjoys a round of golf—all for under 30 dollars. Now that’s value!

Via Amazon.

Fizili Ultra-Thin Waterproof Men’s Watch

$42.98

The value of a watch is often difficult to estimate at a glance—especially when it’s designed and manufactured as well as this one. Fizili is a small brand that proves you don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money for a classy, high-quality timepiece. Still, the attention to detail in the careful minimalism of this watch is likely to attract plenty of bids.

Via Amazon.

Wristology Women’s Boyfriend Watch

$39.99

Wristology is a small business dedicated to making attractive, high-quality women’s watches without insanely expensive prices. Their signature Boyfriend Watch delivers on that promise beautifully with effortless contemporary style, making this an effective silent auction item that will provide plenty of value for the winning bidder even if they end up paying more than its retail price.

Get Maximum Value for Money with Your Next Silent Auction

Inexpensive silent auction items can still provide plenty of value and satisfaction to your attendees, as long as you choose products that are useful and well-made. Use the examples above to get started, and use Bid Beacon to generate awareness of your silent auction so that you have plenty of people bidding on these items when you launch the event!

To learn more about how we make silent auctions easy, join an upcoming Bid Beacon 101 session and let one of our experienced members answer all your questions.

10 Best Inexpensive Silent Auction Item Ideas

Echo Dot Smart Speaker with Alexa Voice Assistant

Roku Express 4K+ Streaming Media Player

Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale

Magic Bullet Blender Set

AstroAI Tire Inflator & Portable Air Compressor

2022 Score Football Trading Cards Value Fat Pack

2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball Trading Cards Hanger Box

Ascent Golf Multi Tool

Fizili Ultra-Thin Waterproof Men’s Watch

Wristology Women’s Boyfriend Watch

Get Maximum Value for Money with Your Next Silent Auction

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