Help needed for black tie gala registration and to manage silent & live auctions

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Hello!  Each spring we have black tie gala that includes a silent and live auction. The event is held on a private estate, under a big top tent. Would appreciate any suggestions for vendors or methods to help streamline the process for registration and managing the auction.


Thank you!

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  • Janet Whitt:

    Hello!  Each spring we have black tie gala that includes a silent and live auction. The event is held on a private estate, under a big top tent. Would appreciate any suggestions for vendors or methods to help streamline the process for registration and managing the auction.


    Thank you!

    We have been using GreaterGiving for the last two years and we've generally liked their product. They allow for mobile bididng, an event website, lots of versatility when it comes to adding items and packages and donors and all of that. 

  • Janet Whitt:

    Hello!  Each spring we have black tie gala that includes a silent and live auction. The event is held on a private estate, under a big top tent. Would appreciate any suggestions for vendors or methods to help streamline the process for registration and managing the auction.


    Thank you!

    We also use Greater Giving though I'm not a huge fan, but that could be because of the way we try to use it.  I will say their event night software (Go Time) is wonderful.

  • Hi!


    For our software, we used Auction Maestro.  The registration, table seating and auction in this software is great!  It also intergrates with RE if that matters.  For our day of we used a company called 501 Auction.  They did our check-in, silent auction, paddle raise and check-out.  They were great!


    Patti Posey

    Stamford Hospital Foundation
  • Patti Posey:

    Hi!


    For our software, we used Auction Maestro.  The registration, table seating and auction in this software is great!  It also intergrates with RE if that matters.  For our day of we used a company called 501 Auction.  They did our check-in, silent auction, paddle raise and check-out.  They were great!


    Patti Posey

    Stamford Hospital Foundation

    We also use AuctionMaestro Pro, and second the motion regarding functionality and support.


    best regards,

    Katie Fritz

    Manager, Development Operations

    Pennsylvania SPCA

  • Janet Whitt:

    Hello!  Each spring we have black tie gala that includes a silent and live auction. The event is held on a private estate, under a big top tent. Would appreciate any suggestions for vendors or methods to help streamline the process for registration and managing the auction.


    Thank you!

    Hi!


    We use the Greater Giving Auctionpay machines to register the guest credit cards at Registration and that works great.


    I feel that our process of verifying/collecting our guests contact information is very dated as we print out registration cards for each guest that includes their name and contact information (which takes a long time to print) and ask them to verify if everything is correct and write on the card if there is any updated information they would like to share with us.  Does anyone use a product that allows for electronic check in where the guest checks their contact information on a laptop and then that information is imported back into RE? 


    Thank you!

  • Janet Whitt:

    Hello!  Each spring we have black tie gala that includes a silent and live auction. The event is held on a private estate, under a big top tent. Would appreciate any suggestions for vendors or methods to help streamline the process for registration and managing the auction.


    Thank you!

    We are currently using AuctionTracker, from Northwest Software.  I like the ability to setup the items ahead and of time, and then you can export data from it in the right format to import into RE, although it does not truly integrate.  We do not charge our guests at our event, but I know that is possible with AT, and they also support online auctions in case you do that as well.  There are kiosks that can be set up for guests to look up their auction results once your data entry is complete, and I think that those may also support guests updating their own information as well, but you'd want to double check that with the vendor.  We are happy with them and currently have no plans to change.

  • I have used bidpal in the past. It has the capabilities to manage event registration (both ticket purchases and check in at the event) as well as your silent auction.


    Registration had worked well for us. Some notes on the silent auction is that it also allows non attendees to bid which was a plus for us, expedieted our check out as the winners are notified via a text or their app (however they choose) and can pay before going to pick up their items. 


    If you utilize importacular it looks like they also link with Bidpal to import your data as well (I will say I have never done this though).


    Bidpal also sends a "day of" team to make sure you are set up and everything is accessible as well (they stay throughout the event).

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