Silent auctions can be added to any campaign type on Pledge It (with the exception of Donation Forms) allowing you to host your auction alongside your event registration or fundraising campaign for a streamlined experience for you and your participants.
Looking to run a standalone silent auction? You can create a campaign and only use the silent auction feature to run a standalone silent auction, as your silent auction will have its own unique landing page.
Enable Silent Auction
Visit the Dashboard of the campaign you would like to add your auction to.
Select Settings on the left side menu.
Select Silent Auction and then adjust the toggle to turn this feature on.
You will be prompted to enter a start date and end date for your silent auction. These assigned dates represent when bidding is enabled. Your auction will be visible and shareable outside of these dates.
Provide a contact email for any silent auction-related questions, then click Enable.
Customize Silent Auction Settings
After enabling a silent auction on your campaign, you will be taken to your Silent Auction's settings menu to customize additional information. Here you can:
Make changes to the silent auction dates and contact info you provided upon creation
Customize the title that appears on your silent auction's landing page
Customize a welcome message that appears on your silent auction's landing page
Indicate your preferences for collecting shipping address
Customize the percentage of fees that silent auction bidders can cover
You can also return to these settings to make change by visiting your campaign's Dashboard > Settings > Silent Auction or accessing the three dot menu when viewing your Silent Auction's dashboard.
Visit Silent Auction Dashboard
From your Silent Auction settings menu, click Manage Silent Auction to visit your Silent Auction dashboard where you can immediately begin creating categories or adding items by clicking Create in the top right corner.
Now that the silent auction is enabled on our campaign, your Silent Auction dashboard will be added to the left side menu for easy access.
Note: Your silent auction is hidden from public view until you choose to add a content block featuring your silent auction to your campaign or until you choose to share your auction’s unique URL with your audience. Visit Settings > Campaign Page and then select Add Section. Choose the Silent Auction content block to display a widget featuring your auction items and a link to your silent auction's landing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find the URL to my silent auction?
Every silent auction has its own landing page with a unique URL. Visit your campaign's Dashboard and select Silent Auction from the left side menu. Click View Silent Auction in the top right corner to visit your auction. Copy the URL from the address bar.
What information is collected from participants when they register to bid?
By default, participants will provide their name, email address, phone number, and credit card they would like to use in the silent auction during registration. If you would also like to collect shipping address, you must enable that in your Silent Auction Settings.
If your participants have already created a Pledge It account when participating in your campaign or other campaigns on Pledge It, they may be recognized when registering to bid and already logged in, streamlining the bidder registration experience. If a participant is not logged in or registering on Pledge It for the first time, they will be prompted to either login or create a password when inputting their name and email.
Why is an auction contact email required? How is this different from my campaign's contact email?
The contact email is included in auction-related emails and SMS messages that are sent from the platform, such as when bidders win an item or if they are notified about a problem with their payment method. This ensures that bidders with questions about the auction can contact whoever is managing the auction, even if that contact is different from the primary contact for your campaign.
How does covering fees work?
When bidders register, they will have the option to cover transaction fees, which include both Stripe’s credit card processing fees and a Pledge It platform fee. You can choose which fees you’d like to give donors the option to cover, whether that is all, a portion (i.e. just credit card fees or just platform fees), or none. Choosing none will disable the option to cover fees entirely. Your organization is responsible for any fees not covered by participants.
We recommend allowing donors to cover 100% of transaction fees, as our donor cover fee model consistently helps organizations reduce their costs. Most organizations pay between 1-2% of total transaction fees when the donor cover fee option is fully enabled. Learn more about fee settings.
Can I set custom dates for items?
Yes, it is possible to set a custom date range for silent auction items. That date range must fall within the start date and end date you have set when creating your silent auction. Learn more about setting custom bidding windows for silent auction items.
Can I run more than one silent auction on a single campaign?
No. Each campaign can only host one silent auction. Once the auction is closed, it cannot be re-opened. If you need to run multiple auctions, you can create a new campaign to host another silent auction.