Run a Mock Auction
- Create an auction for free, add some fun items and invite your colleagues
- Use other tips in this document to help get you set up
- Run an auction to completion to familiarize yourself with the platform
Create Your Actual Auction
- Same as the mock auction, except now give it your actual start/end times, name, etc.
- You can purchase or apply pre-paid bundles during creation, or later
Seriously Consider Setting a Dynamic End Time
- This is the second step in the auction setup process, read the text carefully!
- Setting a dynamic end time lets you get the most value out of your auction items
- As an example, and auction raised $13,000 before normal end time, and an additional $1,500 in a single 5-minute extension!
Don’t Go It Alone If You Don’t Have To
- Running events are a lot of work, with Bid Beacon add as many admins as you want
- Have your admins register with Bid Beacon and join your auction
- Find them under ‘Manage Attendees’ and change their role to Admin
- Only difference from ‘Owner’ role is that Owners see payment configuration
Add Your Auction Items
- We recommend adding items on a desktop as its easier to type and copy & paste
- After the items are added, log into the app on a phone to take and add pictures
- Select from available items types: Biddable – standard auction item, users bid, highest wins
- Blind Bid – guests place their best price, highest wins
- Buy Now – for selling a fixed number of items at a set price
- Donation – for accepting donations
- Live Item – promote your item in app, run a live auction, set winner and amount so they can pay through Bid Beacon
Configure and Test Your Payment Provider!
- We support Stripe, Square and PayPal with details instructions here: https://bidbeacon.com/bid-beacon-payment-guide/
Select ‘Manage Online Payment’ From Side Menu and Enter Your Provider’s Keys
- When done, click green ‘Test Online Payment’ button at top and follow instructions
- This will charge $1 against your credit card, but guarantee that you are set up correctly!
Invite Guests To Join
- Invite guests at any time, they will receive real time updates as you add/edit items
- The best onboarding experience is to invite users by email through the app
- This sends them an email with instructions, and if they login with the same email, they will already be joined to your auction
- Alternatively, share the Invite Page, link available on Auction Info page (‘?’ icon top right on Browse Items page). Or:
- https://app.bidbeacon.com/invite/#CN24LB (replace CN24LB with your code)
- You can also tell people to download the app and join with your auctions Invite Code
- Or share this link that will open app in browser or app store as appropriate:
Add Your Sponsors
- If you have sponsor enabled, add them from ‘Manage Sponsors’ in the side menu
- Try to use banner style images, and add as many as you like
- Add a URL so if users click the banner, it opens the sponsors website
Drum Up Excitement
- Inviting users to join your auction before the event is a great way to build excitement
- Have a screen where you can display your auction items as a list or slideshow:
- https://app.bidbeacon.com/activity/#CN24LB (replace CN24LB with your code)
- Encourage users to use silly display names (you always have their email)
Manage the Auction Close
- Using the Online Payments add-on allows guests to pay for their items through the app, greatly reducing line ups and headaches when the auction ends
- When guests pay, their items are immediately flagged as paid in the admin’s app as well
- If guests pay manually, admins can update the status of items as paid
- As guests pick up their items, the items are checked off, and moved ta ‘completed’ list
Need Help?
- Check out our support page, which has several video tutorials showing you how various steps of the silent auction process work:
