This is a guide for auction participants – if you are an admin managing an auction, please see our auction resources for admins.
Are you logged in? 💻
Before you can place bids on auction items, you'll need to make sure you're registered for the relevant auction! You do not need to register to purchase fixed-price items. Once you're registered and logged in, you'll see the following three options on the campaign's auction page: Saved, My Bids, and Settings.
If you aren't logged in or registered for the auction, you'll see a large blue button that says Register to Bid on the auction page instead.
Click on the item you'd like to place a bid on to get started!
Placing bids 🤑
You can place bids on auction items on mobile and desktop devices as long as you have internet access. The prompts are the same regardless of the device you're using.
There are two ways the auction organizer can configure an auction – standard bidding and automated bidding.
The bidding method is selected by the organization operating the campaign and auction — a bidder cannot edit the bidding method.
Standard bidding 💳
If you're prompted to Enter your bid amount, enter the amount you'd like to bid on this item. Doing so will place a single bid on the item.
Standard bidding example: If you want to bid on an item with an opening bid of $100, you can enter any price you'd like to pay, as long as it's more than the minimum bid. If you enter $100, your bid will be locked in at $100, and if you enter $500, your bid will be locked in at $500.
If others bid higher than you, you will need to enter a new, higher bid each time.
Automated bidding + max bids 📈
If you're prompted to Set your maximum bid, enter the maximum amount you'd like to spend on this item. Our system will automatically place bids for you (calculating the lowest price that would make you the winner) up to the maximum price you've specified.
Automated bidding (max bid) example: If you want to pay a maximum of $200 for an item with an opening bid of $100, enter $200 as your max bid.
If there isn't any competition, your bid will be placed at $100 and increased automatically, depending on bids submitted by others. Your bid will never exceed $200. If the price of the item goes beyond your max bid of $200, you'll need to place a new, higher bid on the item.
Buy Now items 💰
Items with a set price are indicated by a Buy Now button. Buy Now items can be purchased at any time without placing any bids or registering for the auction. Clicking the Buy Now button will direct the buyer to a checkout screen to complete payment.
If the buyer is registered as a participant in this auction, their saved information will be pre-filled, including payment info:
If the buyer is not registered on the auction or isn't logged in, they'll be prompted to enter their payment information:
Upon submitting payment for a Buy Now item, the buyer will receive an emailed receipt.
Paying for auction items 💸
If you win an auction item you bid on, you'll be notified via email, either when the item is won or when the auction closes, depending on the setting chosen by the auction organizer.
Auto-charge ON
If auto-charge is on for this auction, you'll receive a separate email receipt notifying you of the automatic payment for the item. No further action is required.
Auto-charge OFF
You'll receive an email requesting payment if auto-charge is off for this auction. Click the Pay for item button in the email to complete this transaction.
FAQ 🤔
What if two bidders enter the same max bid? Who will win?
If two people have the same max bid set, the person who entered their max bid first will win the item. Please note that the bid timestamps will reflect this and, therefore, may appear out of order. This is expected.
I'm being asked to enter a max bid, but I don't want to use automated bidding.
While you cannot change the bidding method on the auction (this is selected by the organizer), all you need to do is place a max bid for the amount you'd like to start off at. Our system will never bid above the price you enter.
I'm registered to bid, but I'm not finding the auction. Where is the auction?
Once you're on the campaign page, there should be two tabs at the top of the page. One says Campaign and one says Auction. You need to be on the Auction page to access the auction items and place bids.
What happens if my payment fails when Givebutter charges me for my auction item?
If a winning bidder's auction item charge fails, an email is sent to the admin and the bidder. Givebutter will reattempt the charge three times, at 48-hour increments. If the charge is unsuccessful after three attempts, the item will be marked as uncollectible.