
Network for Good
Easy.Auction is an auction site builder that allows businesses and charities to create an auction site online. The system supports automatic bidding, anti-sniping and responsive design. Easy.Auction features website management, ...Read more
Promena e-Sourcing is a cloud-based auction management, sourcing and procurement platform. It supports strategic solutions, such as request for information (RFI), request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ) and e-aucti...Read more
Tip Top Auction is a cloud-based auction solution for small auction businesses. Primary features include donor management, item management, payment processing, print-material generation, online tickets and fundraising. Tip To...Read more
Auction Broadcaster is cloud-based auction management solution that enables organizations to stream auction videos, send messages, add customer details and generate reports. The solution is suitable for organizations of all sizes....Read more
AuctionMethod is a cloud-based auction management solution with features such as user-configurable auction websites, consignment management, invoice generation and payment processing. The software suits the needs of organizations ...Read more
Schoolauction.net is a cloud-based auction management solution for nonprofits, charities, schools, clubs and congregations. Key features include donor management, event management, item listings, ticket management, online auctions...Read more
AuctionWorx Enterprise is a cloud-based auction management solution for organizations of all sizes and industries. Key features include a customized marketplace, online listings, invoicing and customizable attributes. The sol...Read more
ProcurePort is a unique, customizable eProcurement and eSourcing solution that allows users to view and manage the entire procurement process in one interface. It is available on-premise or web-based, and can be used on an iPad....Read more
Silent Auction Pro is a cloud-based event management solution designed for charitable institutes, clubs and other nonprofit organizations. It provides tools to manage contacts, track donations, bundle auction items, generate repor...Read more
Accelevents is an all-in-one virtual & hybrid events platform that empowers event organizers and marketing professionals to create authentic human connections and drive sustainable growth. As a leading event technology platform,...Read more
ReadySetAuction is a cloud-based bidding management software designed for small and midsize nonprofits. It offers donation management, guest management, event websites, mobile bidding, cashiering and payment processing within a su...Read more
ILance is an auction management solution that enables users to set up online auction platforms that can support bulk uploads and downloads, shipping management, private messaging and more. The solution can be deployed on-premises ...Read more
Auctions have the potential to raise a ton of money for your foundation, charity or school. Nonprofit event planners said as much when we surveyed them for Software Advice's 2015 report, “Which Fundraising Event Is Best for Your Nonprofit?"
That's the good news. The bad news is they're a ton of work.
You have to get auction items from donors and promote your event through email, social media and every other channel at your disposal to ensure a good turnout. On the day of the auction, the fun really starts: registering guests, capturing bids, collecting payments and writing receipts. Oh, and don't forget the government's cut. They'll want to see all of those 8282 and 8283 forms come tax time.
It's enough to make a short-staffed organization avoid auctions altogether.
If this struggle sounds familiar, you may want to invest in dedicated auction software—applications specifically designed to help users better manage their auction events.
In this Buyer's Guide, we'll break down auction software definitions, common functionality, pricing information and more to help you decide if auction software is right for your organization and what system might best fit your needs.
Click a link below to jump to that section:
What Is Auction Software?
Common Auction Software Functionality
Benefits of Auction Software
How Much Does Auction Software Cost?
Types of Auction Software Buyers
Auction software helps users with the event planning, bid capturing, payment processing and compliance management aspects of auction fundraisers. This kind of software can help with a one-time event or ongoing online auctions.
Auction setup in BidPal
These platforms offer a central hub to track item and registrant data and facilitate collaboration between members in your organization. They help make auction events run more smoothly, and improve the effectiveness of your fundraising initiatives.
The various features found in auction software are designed to help users manage the entire auction cycle, from pre-event planning to post-event analysis. Here is a list of some common functions to look for in auction software systems:
Event & item management | Track and store auction event details, RSVPs, seating charts and more. Procure, tag and list items for auction. |
Auction type customization | Online or offline? Live, silent, reverse or sealed bid? 'Buy Now' items? This software helps you manage a number of types of auctions. |
Website creation & user registration | Create a branded auction event website and allow users to register for auctions online for easy bidding and payment. |
Automatic bid capture | Capture and update bids on auction items in real time. Automated outbid notifications encourage participation. |
Payment processing & receipts | Process payments immediately upon sale. Email receipts and acknowledgements to donors automatically afterwards. |
Post-event analytics & reporting | Gain insight and generate necessary forms. For example, you can find out which items did better than expected and what times had the most bidding activity. |
Auction software integrates with other systems within your organization, whether it be fundraising software to see how much an auction contributed towards your goals or accounting software to easily capture event expenses in your general ledger.
If you never do auction fundraisers or don't rely on them for significant funding, dedicated auction software can seem unnecessary. On the other hand, if big ticket auction events make or break your organization every year, dedicated auction software becomes a vital investment.
Here are three ways auction software can help you run and manage auctions:
It would be great if every auction software vendor got together and agreed to price their software using the same method, but unfortunately that's not the case. Some common pricing methods you can run into with auction software include:
There are other factors besides the software license cost to consider as well. Some vendors may limit the number of items you can put up for auction in a certain pricing tier or charge a “performance fee" (similar to what you'd pay an auctioneer). Others can charge extra for things like customer support or training.
When researching options, pay special attention to how and when you'll be charged for the software to budget accordingly.
Nonprofit organizations (charities, foundations, schools) are the primary purchasers of auction software, but they're not the only ones. Here are some other types of auction software buyers from commercial businesses, along with examples of products that cater to each audience: