One of the most common problems associated with a fund raising auction is having long lines for bidders to pay at the end of the auction. If the lines are too long, and take too much time for the bidders to pay and check out their purchases, this can put a "taint" on the next auction. You want to build on the success of your auction, and make a fun thing to attend each and every year. However, it the attendees have to wait in line 30 minutes, 60 minutes or more, many will not want to come back to your next auction.
Let me offer a couple of ideas on how to keep the lines and the time to a minimum.
#1 -- The best ideas/practices I’ve seen is to provide the bidders the option of paying by credit card, and having a blank credit card "swipe" at the time that they register for the auction. Then they don’t have to stand in the payment line at the end of the auction. Now to prepare for this type of payment, you will have to have a credit card system in place, which can be either a "one time" credit card account, or "borrow" the use of a member’s credit card account for the auction. Granted, you will have a bit of a risk regarding the credit card holders having a bad credit card or "over the limit", but for the most part, I don’t thing those things will be a problem for you, and even if you have one or two problems…the advantages outweigh the long lines. Using this type of payment system also will give your committee some time leeway, even processing the credit card payments the day after the auction.
If you want to have added security by having the bidders show "paid" receipts to pick up the items that they have purchased, you will need to have a system identify that those credit card payment people can be identified with.
# 2 -- Having a poster board with all the bidder numbers listed on, and a circle or slash through that number near the check out area will assist in letting bidders know if they were the winning bidder on items in either the silent or live auction.
#3 Computerized vs. Hand Written Sales Tickets – The problem with a computerized system of who bought what, and the total for their purchases that I see is that you are at the mercy of the "input" of the information, and printing out the "summary" of purchases. What I mean is….if you only have only one computer to make the "inputs" of information about the high bidders, and only one printer to print the summary or total of purchases….you are at the mercy of how fast all this can be done…and usually…this type of system results in VERY VERY long lines and a long time to get through the lines at check out.
I would recommend that you think very hard about using computerized systems….and simply do a manual paper system. If you have ever attended a regular auction at an auction facility, you will be familiar with the "auction clerking tickets". These are a 3 part paper form, with part #3 a perforated card stock ticket that will list each item sold, and then torn off and filed by bidder number in a 3x5 card file or a slotted number case. These "cards" will be used by the cashiers to total the bidders purchases (you will need a calculator(s) to run the totals). You can use one of the other two parts of the forms to use to run a total for the auction. The 3 part may not be necessary for your use.
You can either design your own carbon form, or perhaps purchase the regular auction clerking tickets from a local auctioneer, or if you use a professional auctioneer for your live auction, ask him/her to provide the forms.
The bottom line is…try your best to keep the check out and payments at the close of the auction as short as possible…and as easy for the bidders as possible…so they will not have a negative impression, and will want to come back and "Bid High and Often" at your next auction event.
Norman O’Neal
President, Auctioneers Association of Maryland
