Adding Auction Items
This is for if you are adding items directly to your MaxGiving.bid site. ** If you are using Auction Tracker in conjunction with your online MaxGiving.bid site, for instructions on adding items into Auction Tracker then moving them to your online site click here: https://maxgiving.helpscoutdocs.com/article/106-entering-individual-catalog-items
To add Auction Items:
Visit the Dashboard using your admin login. Select the Auction Items page from the menu. *On the Auction Items Page you can choose to hide the Auction tab while you are working on it by Toggling on the Hide Auction Tab slide. **While you have the tab hidden you can use Preview Auction Page to see what your page will look like without opening it to your guests.
Click the Add Items Button at the top left of the table.
1. Name: When the Add Item page opens, enter the Name of the item in the first text box.
2. Catalog Number: Then enter the Catalog Number in the next box. This will only allow numeric characters (no letters or symbols) and will not allow you to use the same number twice. ***You can leave this blank for now if you intend to package this item with others into one package. Items without catalog numbers will not show on your auction page until one has been assigned. Leaving the catalog number blank will allow the item to be entered into the system and shown in the item list, but it WILL NOT be displayed on your Auction Page for preview and bidding until it is assigned a catalog number. You will also be unable to view the Bid sheet and Table Display until a catalog number is assigned.
3. Auction Type: Auction Type can be used to help bidders filter items or to assign different opening or closing times for particular items. For more information and step-by-step instructions for Setting Auction Times click here: https://maxgiving.helpscoutdocs.com/article/35-setting-auction-times
a. To add a new Auction Type, on the Auction Items Page click on the Add/Edit Auction Types button, in the Add/Edit Auction Type page enter the Auction Type name you would like to add. This is also where you can edit spelling, Auction Type, or delete.
4. Item Category: Selecting an Item Category can help bidders be able to easily sort items and find those they are most interested in bidding. To do this click on the dropdown to select a category from the list.
a. To add a new category, select Auction Settings from your dashboard menu and click Add Item Category. You will then be prompted to enter the category name in the Category box. Enter the Category name you would like to add and click Save. This is also where you can edit spelling, category name, or delete a category entry.
5. Photos: You can add up to 5 photos. To add Photos click on the blue Upload for each photo you would like to add.
**For more information and step-by-step instructions for Uploading Photos Click Here: https://maxgiving.helpscoutdocs.com/article/43-adding-photos-or-videos-to-your-site
a. Desired crop range
b. Click crop,
c. or to bypass the crop, click skip.
6. Description: The Description box is where you will include information to describe the item. It is a Rich Text box, where you can format text and add additional photos or videos to help describe the item. * If you are using My Simple Auction: It is a plain Text box
7. Restriction: In the Restriction box you can use text to let your guest know what restrictions the item may have, for example, expiration dates.
8. The Fair Market Value(FMV) is the price your guest would pay to purchase this item at full price in the marketplace. This will allow your guests to know the value they are getting for this item and will be displayed on statements for tax purposes.
a. You may also choose to have this item listed as “Priceless” on the Auction site by checking the Display as Priceless Box. Bid Sheets and Statements will still display the actual Fair Market Value.
b. Entering $0 is not recommended, since that is the value that would display on statements.
9. The Starting Bid is the amount the first bidder will be asked to pay to start the bidding.
a.If this field is left blank the first bid on this item will be for $0.
10. The Bid Raise is the amount each single bid will raise.
a. If this field is left blank only the first bid will be taken, and bidding will be unable to continue for the item.
12. Donor Contact: To add a donor, select a donor from the drop-down list.
a. To add a new donor, select Add new contact from the drop-down list. This will open a dialog box for you to enter information pertaining to Donor.
13. Donor Display Name: You can use this text box if the donor would like to be recognized under a different name. Leave blank if the Contact name is the same as the display name.
When packaging items, only the first two donors will display on your bidsheets.
14. Item Solicitor: Is who requested or procured the item. Select a name from the drop-down list.
a. To add a new solicitor, select Add new contact from the drop-down list. This will open a dialog box for you to enter information pertaining to Solicitor.
15. Presenting your item: There are different ways to present your item; hidden, preview only, feature in the auction, item available in person only (no online bidding) and Remove Auto-Bid for Item. * The MySimpleAuction platform will only have the Hidden and Feature options available.
To make these selections for an item, click the check box for your choice.
a. Hidden: items will not appear on the site at all
i. Choosing this status for all items is not suggested. If you wish to hide the auction items from guests, simply toggle on the hide auction tab toggle at the top of the Auction Items page and use the preview link to check out how the site will look as you are preparing to share with your supporters.
b. Preview Only: items will appear but will not be available for bidding until this setting is removed
***Choosing this status for all items is not suggested. The primary reasoning is that individually marking ALL items as preview only, will make them unavailable for bidding when the auction starts. As a reminder, all items in Mobile Bidding are in preview mode until Auction Opens.
c. Feature in the Auction: Items will appear at the top of the page in the featured section. These can be changed as often as you wish! Only 6 items total can be featured at one time.
d. Item available in person only (no online bidding): Examples for using this option; when you want to sell this item only at an event in pen and paper; you are unsure the item will be available - it was promised but hasn't arrived, among others. Use this option for Live Items if you are not selling them online - selecting this option will keep those items open to sell in the Dashboard, Winning Bid Entry section, when ready. If you want to sell your Live Items in person but want them previewed online, select both this box and Preview only.
e. Remove Auto-Bid from an Item If you wish to turn off auto-bidding for an item, select this option.
16. Certificate Redemption Instructions for Winner: Write special pickup instructions you do not want to be included in the Description or Restrictions, but you want to add to facilitate Item Redemption, this will print on the Certificate only. Example: Contact Phone Number or Email address, information that only the winner of items should see
17. Certificate Status: Marks the item as having a certificate or needing one to be made. **Help with printing certificates: https://maxgiving.helpscoutdocs.com/article/311-certificates
18. Charity Cost: Enter the amount this item costs you, for instance, if this is a consignment item, the amount you need to give back to the business that gave you the item.
19. Buyer's Premium applies to item: To use this feature, you must first set it up under Dashboard/Event Management/General Settings/Advanced Settings when checked and the item sells, it will calculate and show on the guest statement.
20. Sales Tax Rates: If you added any Tax rates when setting up your General Events Settings you can choose what tax you would like charged to this item.
21. Save & Save Next/Update & Update Next: This allows you to save your new item or update an item and go to the next new item to create or to the next item to update.