How to Run a Successful Online Auction With SignUpGenius

A successful auction doesn’t require complicated software or a long learning curve. With SignUpGenius Auctions, you can organize items, accept bids, and wrap up your fundraiser in one streamlined experience, all while keeping things simple for both organizers and bidders.

This Genius Hack walks you through how to plan, build, promote, and close a silent or online auction using SignUpGenius. No matter if you are fundraising for a school, nonprofit, church, team, or community group, this guide helps you run an auction that’s organized, engaging, and effective.

Quick Summary

• Choose compelling items that match buyers interests
• Research price trends on items to set a compelling opening bid amount that encourages participation
• Build a clear, easy-to-browse auction layout to keep things simple
• Add photos and descriptions that highlight your items well
• Promote your auction with reminders and simple instructions
• Close bids, notify winners, and follow up efficiently

👉 Create a FREE account and get your auction up and running

Section 1: Set Up Your Auction

A strong auction starts with a clean, thoughtful setup. SignUpGenius makes it easy to turn donated items into a professional online auction in just a few steps.

Create Your Auction

Begin by creating a new auction from the left menu pane in your SignUpGenius Dashboard. This becomes the central hub for all items, bidding activity, and participant engagement data.

ℹ️ You will need a Stripe account to process payments. CLICK HERE to see details about how to get it set up and watch a video.

Customize Your Auction Site

Customizing your auction site is key to attracting bidders and providing a polished and professional look for viewers.

• Settings > Design > Click the area to customize

🧠 Genius Tip: Give yourself at least two weeks to set up your auction. This allows time to add items, customize content, and connect payments, all without rushing.

> Add Your Logo and Branding

Your logo and banner are the first things bidders see. Use a clean, horizontal logo and keep colors simple so your site looks professional and easy to read.

You can upload:

• Your organization’s logo (300px x 100px - PNG)
• Social sharing thumbnail links (300px x 300px - PNG or Jpeg)

> Choose a Strong Banner Image

Your banner sets the tone for the entire auction. A clear banner instantly tells supporters what they’re bidding for and why it matters. It appears:

• At the top of your auction homepage
• In automated emails sent from your Dashboard

For best results:

• Use an image that reflects your fundraiser theme (1200px x 340px - PNG or Jpeg)
• Include the event name, date, and time
• Keep text easy to read on mobile

> Customize Key Content Areas

You can easily tailor the text throughout your auction to guide bidders and answer questions up front.

• Content & Forms > Custom Content > Select area from drop-down menu

Customizable areas include:

• Home page main content
• Home page sidebar
• Invoice messages

Use these sections to:

• Explain how bidding works
• Share your fundraising goal
• Thank supporters and donors

💡 Pro Tip: Embed a short video explaining the reason for your auction and why it's important. People tend to give more when they can put a face on a cause. Select the ▶️ button from the menu bar.

Add Auction Items

Each auction item is added individually, allowing bidders to focus on one item at a time. There’s no limit to how many items you can include, so you can scale your auction to match your fundraiser, from a handful of featured items to a full event catalog.

• Dashboard > Items Tab > Click 'Add Item'

Add Images and Value Descriptions

Items with photos and clear descriptions consistently attract more bids.

Best practices:

• Use a high quality camera or smartphone to capture high resolution images
• Take pictures from multiple angles if necessary
• Upload square images (at least 500x500 pixels)
• Clearly describe what’s included and why it’s valuable

💡 Pro Tip: Be sure to add the estimated item value. This gives bidders important context and reinforces the perceived value of each item.

Set Approachable Starting Bids and Increments

Lower starting bids help build early momentum, which often leads to higher final bids.

This works because:

• Psychological momentum: Once people place that first low bid, they become invested and are more likely to keep bidding as the price rises
• Increased visibility: More early activity pushes shows potential bidders that the item is highly sought after, encouraging participation.
• Creates excitement: A bidding war with multiple participants generates energy and FOMO (fear of missing out), drawing in even more bidders
• Lowers the barrier: People are more willing to "just try" with a small bid than commit to a higher opening price

Recommended guidelines:

• Starting bid: 30–50% of the item value
• Bid increments: 5–10% of the item value

For example, a $200 item might start at $75 with $10 increments. This encourages participation while keeping bids moving.

Section 2: Organize Items for Easy Browsing

The easier your auction is to browse, the more likely participants are to bid - and bid more than once.

Group Items Into Categories

Categories help supporters quickly find items they care about instead of scrolling through a long list, which can lead to search fatigue and diminishing interest.

Common auction categories include:

• Food & Drink
• Family Fun
• Date Night
• Sports & Fitness
• Experiences
• Products

🧠 Genius Tip: Categories can be reused year after year, saving setup time for future auctions via SignUpGenius.

Use Clear, Benefit-Focused Item Names

Strong item titles are short, specific, and appealing. For instance...

Instead of: “Gift Basket” --> Try: “Family Movie Night Basket with Snacks & Theater Gift Cards”

Clear naming helps bidders instantly understand the value and allows people to create ideas of how/when to use them.

Add Details That Build Confidence

Use item descriptions to answer questions before bidders ask them. When bidders feel informed, they’re more comfortable bidding higher.

• What’s included
• Any restrictions or expiration dates
• Who donated the item

Feature High-Interest Items

Featuring items gives your most exciting donations extra visibility. Featured items appear prominently on your auction homepage, helping bidders discover popular or high-value items right away.

This is especially effective when bidding first opens or as your auction nears closing, when attention and urgency matter most.

Genius tip: Feature a mix of high-value items and unique experiences to spark competition and drive momentum.

Add and Track Item Donors

Recognizing donors builds trust and strengthens future fundraising. With SignUpGenius Auctions, you can easily assign a donor to each item and keep donor information saved for future auctions.

• Dashboard > Items Tab > Click 'Add/Edit Item' > Donors Tab

Once added, donors stay in your Dashboard year after year, so repeat events are faster to set up and easier to manage.

🧠 Genius tip: Listing donor names alongside items adds credibility and can encourage higher bids.

Section 3: Promote Your Auction

Promotion is where participation grows! A simple link and built-in reminders make it easy to get the word out.

To find your auction's link, click the name from the Auction List and copy the URL from the address bar at the top of the page, or click View Auction in the left navigation.

Share Your Auction Link Widely

Because the auction is online, supporters can bid anytime, anywhere. Use your auction link across all your communication channels:

• Email newsletters
• School or organization emails
• Social media posts
• Text messages or group chats
• Event flyers or programs

Use Reminders to Increase Engagement

Automated reminders keep your auction top of mind without extra work. Well-timed reminders often lead to bidding surges, especially near the end.

Use reminders to:

• Announce when bidding opens
• Highlight featured or popular items
• Create urgency before bidding closes

Follow a Simple Promotion Timeline

• 1–2 weeks before: Preview top items and build excitement
• Auction launch: Announce that bidding is open
• Final 24 hours: Emphasize urgency and closing time

Section 4: Manage Bidding With Confidence

Once bidding begins, your focus shifts to encouraging participation and keeping momentum high.

Encourage Friendly Competition

Highlight items with lots of activity or unique appeal. Featuring select items helps guide attention to your biggest fundraising opportunities and creates excitement.

Choose Increments That Keep Bidding Moving

Bid increments should feel achievable but meaningful. Clean, whole-dollar increments work best and help prevent bidding from stalling.

Monitor Activity From the Dashboard

Your Dashboard lets you track bids, review item performance, and stay in control — all in one place. No spreadsheets or manual tracking required.

Section 5: Close the Auction Strong

A smooth close reinforces trust and leaves supporters feeling good about participating.

Notify Winners Promptly

When the auction ends, winners are clearly identified so you can follow up quickly. Prompt communication helps maintain excitement and momentum.

Collect Payments Efficiently

SignUpGenius Auctions support streamlined payment collection, making it easy to wrap up your fundraiser without unnecessary follow-ups.

Thank Donors and Supporters

A simple thank-you makes a lasting impact. Acknowledge item donors, thank bidders, and share how the funds raised will support your cause. Do this via an email to individuals, across your social channels, and follow up in person events.

👉 Check out our Auctions Help Center Page to get detailed click-by-click instructions for each step.

Ready to Run Your Auction?

With the right setup and thoughtful promotion, your auction can be one of your most effective fundraisers of the year.

FAQ

Q: How many items can we include in an auction?
A: There’s no limit. You can include as many items as you’d like, whether you’re running a small fundraiser or a large event.

Q: What’s the best starting bid amount?
A: Most organizers start bids at 30–50% of the item’s estimated value to encourage early participation and build momentum.

Q: Can we organize items into categories?
A: Yes. Categories make browsing easier for bidders and help increase engagement across your auction.

Q: Do auction items need photos?
A: Photos aren’t required, but items with images consistently receive more bids and higher engagement.

Q: What happens after the auction ends?
A: Winners are identified, payments are collected, and you can follow up with donors and supporters — all from your Dashboard.