Charity Auctions - Has the Equation Changed?

I want to share both beginning and advanced cause marketing auction information here on the blog.

The following is an article I wrote a few years ago for CDS. Though the field is changing fast, there is some good information here for those new to the field.

Charity auctions have been a part of the nonprofit world for a long time and for good reason. They are enjoyable for attendees, they add some excitement before dinner galas, and they have the potential to raise a great deal of much needed revenue for an organization. So, what are nonprofits doing differently now that has the potential to completely change this equation? They’re using the Internet to create online fundraising auctions.

What are the advantages of an online auction over a traditional one? The first is to reduce overhead, challenges and costs of doing an event in person. Another is, instead of having typically 200-1,000 attendees at an event mingling by the bid sheets, a nonprofit now has the potential for Internet users worldwide to take part in the auction. One might ask: Does this translate into higher bid prices? Reports from eBay show the same items bringing in 15%-100% higher bid prices and a substantially higher final bid price when the money goes to a good cause.

To read the article in its entirety, please visit:

http://www.cdsfunds.com/charity_auctions_has_the_equation_changed.html