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You are here: Home / Administration / Offer delivery to attract bidders to large benefit auction items
Dec 20

Offer delivery to attract bidders to large benefit auction items

Sherry Truhlar 5 Comments

large benefit auction items swingset

Delivery and set-up was included for this swingset.

Last week I wrote about selling holiday trees in your gala.

I didn’t include an important piece of information that can really cripple the sale of those benefit auction items: delivery.

Auction guests often look at trees — or any large cumbersome item — and think, “How would I ever get it home?”

They admire it, but they won’t bid.  In fact, they’ll often talk themselves out of bidding because getting the item home seems like too much work.

To address this concern, offer delivery to the winning bidder.

You can set it up any way that makes sense for your organization. 

You might offer free delivery for some items within a 10, 20, or 30 miles radius (use a radius that is appropriate for your community). Or charge a small fee.

Delivering these over-sized items is a great job for a volunteer with a pickup truck. 

Consider posting a sign on the item or near it to advertise the delivery service. This will squelch any concerns your guest has about getting it home.

The sign might say, “Free delivery on Monday to any home within 10 miles ($25 charge to outlying suburbs),” or “This auction item can be delivered for $XX to any home in the 10021 zip code.”

Beware, because you’ve got to CYA (cover your arse).

I heard a story from a West coast benefit auctioneer who was selling a grand piano in (I think) San Francisco. To ensure bidding was strong, the nonprofit offered free delivery of the piano.

Turns out the piano sold to someone in New York City. 

Sadly, the nonprofit hadn’t clarified that the free delivery was good only for the immediate area and ended up paying a pretty penny to have the piano shipped to New York.

Don’t let that happen to you. Clarify that “free delivery” is limited to your immediate area.

 

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Copyright © 2010 Red Apple Auctions Co. All Rights Reserved

About Sherry Truhlar

Fundraising auctioneer and educator, helping schools and nonprofits plan more profitable benefit auctions. A prolific writer for her own blog and other fundraising sites, she’s been covered in The Beacon-News, Town & Country Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Wiley's Special Events Galore!, AUCTIONEER, and other publications.

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PODCAST: Holiday trees increase benefit auction revenues
PODCAST: Offer delivery on large benefit auction items

Comments

  1. Bunnie Riedel says

    December 23, 2010 at 9:07 AM

    great idea! Clarification goes a long way, but then, when do we think that something like shipping across the country will come up? Which shows we have to think of all contingencies.

    Reply
  2. Roger Carr says

    December 21, 2010 at 10:25 PM

    I have walked past items that I knew would require special handling for me to get the item home. Your tip would have put me in the bidding. Thanks.

    Reply
  3. Betsy Baker says

    December 21, 2010 at 2:10 PM

    Oh, yes, do clarify the delivery options. I winced when I read the piano had to be shipped to NYC. Heck, I winced when I had to pay 7 bucks to have a $15 Captain America shield delivered. (Christmas morning will be worth it, though 🙂 Thanks for the tip, Sherry.

    Reply
  4. Lori L. Jacobwith says

    December 20, 2010 at 8:19 PM

    Sherry, what a great “extra” that can make an auction standout and cause people to really take notice. thanks!

    Reply
  5. Karen says

    December 20, 2010 at 7:01 PM

    Ohh – good point! This simple ‘extra’ can really seal the deal.

    Reply

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Sherry, oh, Sherry! You were an invaluable asset to this year’s gala. With your assistance we were able to add so many new elements that truly made a difference in taking our event to another level. This year was the most successful yet! Everyone loved you and the amazing energy that you brought to the event. We look forward to having you again in 2018!

Krystal Fenwick

Thank you so much for the outstanding job you did for us on April 1! I have received so much positive feedback from so many who attended. You even earned Sister Suzan’s (our Vice-Principal) seal of approval! Safe travels to all your many events and thank you for making our biggest fundraiser of the year our best ever!

Diane Albano, Director of Development
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Sherry is flexible and easy to work with. She gives honest feedback and advice throughout the planning and implementation process. Without a doubt, Sherry and Red Apple Auctions has helped take our annual fundraising event to the next level.

Beckie Middendorf, Development Director and Janet Gulla, Development Coordinator
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Sherry is “on board” from day one of auction planning, works closely with our steering committee and is only just a phone call away. The night of the auction, we toss her the keys and let her drive the event! We are never disappointed!

Charly Ryan, Director of Institutional Advancement
The Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington, MD)

I was very fortunate to have Red Apple on board for my first auction. Working with Sherry was invaluable. She provided guidance at every phase of planning, from procurement on forward – and she challenged us to make our event more ambitious and more successful at every stage. Thank you, Sherry!

Pete Goldlust, Director of Development
Oak Hill School (Eugene, OR)

If your auction needs to upgrade, call any auctioneer you find on Google. But if you want your auction to be impressive, meaningful, and profitable, you need to call Sherry.

Erin Banda
2016 NYUMBANI Board member

The auction was entertaining .. proactive … the crowd was involved and felt a part of it,” he said, emphasizing, “The entertainment value was huge.

Darrell, a long-time attendee

We plan on booking Red Apple Auctions much earlier for our next event so we can take advantage of more of the pre-event offerings.

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The Ivymount School (Rockville, MD)

2012 Oakcrest Anne and CarolinaSherry, personally, I can’t even begin to tell you the immense amount of positive feedback that I received having YOU (and Darby) there with is this year!… Read The Rest “Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair”

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