To a certain extent, we use a simple % of value scheme to set minimum bid. Ex: 50% for items under $50, 25% for items over $50. This makes it easy to set bids when you have a lot to assign and encourages some basic consistency.
But, there are always exceptions. For example, at one auction, we had several paintings by a local amateur artist. They were nicely framed, but the artist had no name recognition. Despite her suggestion of value, we used very low minimum bids.
Be careful of setting minimum bids on baskets too high. We found that although the individual items in the basket may all add up to $100, the perceived value may be much lower. For example, if the basket includes a higher-priced item most people wouldn't bid on individually, you might overprice your basket if you look only at total value. Take a close look at the basket contents and consider what people will really want from that basket and set your minimum bid accordingly.
When organizing silent auctions, how do you set the starting bid price? is there a percentage to use from the value determined by the donor? or is it just up to the organizer to randomly set the starting bid. For instance, if a donor set the value of a basket of different items at $100, what would you set the starting bid at?
We organize bid sheets by last name. Our auction is in the gym and everyone is asked to leave when time is up. After time, we have about 9 people pull sheets (about 140) and sort. We then have 3 tables. One A-G, H-P, Q-Z. One at each table finds the person's bid sheets, one takes the money, and the other gets the items. Usually we have kids helping with getting the items from the tables since they are spread out in the gym.
We don't place things like gift certificates or small items on the tables. We keep them in a small plastic filing bin. Handy when we need to hand out the items.
As far as volunteers go, we use ours like JHB, though our events don't include kids, so we don't have to watch over their shoulders. We do recruit High School students to be the bid sheet pullers("runners") so the adults can enjoy the evening. Our runners are equipped with a red sharpie and have been given a little training before the evening starts.
When the area of bid sheets are closed, the runners quickly circle the winning bid number/amount, pull the bid sheet off the table, write the winning number/amount on the second page bid sheet that stays taped to the table, AND writes the winning bid number on a little id label we've printed out and attached to every item. This is helpful in case the item is relocated, or there's some confusion about exactly which item is which. We don't move our items from the tables.
When the runners have collected the bid sheets for the area, they go to the cashout area where we have a file box set up with files by number range. The runners file the bidsheets by BIDDER number range (1-10, 11-20, etc.) (not ITEM number) and the cashiers then organize the incoming bid sheets by specific bidder number and paperclip them together. In our auctions, we ususally close bid sheets in three waves, so we need to wait until all the sheets have been closed to total the amount due.
Our bid sheets are designed with a receipt area at the bottom. When all the bid sheets for one person have been assembled, the cashier staples them together, totals the bid amounts from all the sheets, and writes the total amount due on the top sheet. The bottom receipt areas are also stapled together and cut off. These act as the buyer's claim check as well as receipt. We file the remaining portion of the bid sheets for statistical analysis after the auction. We make a log sheet for each cashier to record the payment method, check #, phone #, etc.
Cashing out can be a big bottleneck so we make sure we assign as many parents to be cashiers as space permits.
Ours is a combined event, so we have different volunteers assigned to:
Sock Hop
Silent Auction
Bingo
Raffles
Logistics (Overall)
Concessions
Other misc stations
So if you are only talking about working silent auction...
I think it's important to have a volunteer check in station front and center. All volunteers sign in; if there's a volunteer-only drawing - they get their ticket; they get their namebadge; and the volunteer coordinator explains where they should go.
Basically ours get apprised of any rules and the plan for the evening. They monitor the tables to make sure that children aren't bidding and that everyone is following the rules. And they answer questions. Most importantly, when time is up, they quickly snatch up all the bid sheets and beging helping transport all the auction items to the pickup area. (Our auction is in the foyer, so we can't close it off. I've been to others where it's in a separate room, so they can just escort everyone out, then work from that room.)
We use the music room for check out and distribution. All the items are carried in there and assembled by number. As the staff check people out, the volunteers get the item number and bring it to the checkout station.
I'm not sure that we've consistently had a good practice for organizing the bid sheets. What we announce, beg, plead is that the auction will close and in (usually) 15 minutes we will start checking people out. Inevitably one or two muscle their way to the check out area demanding to be checked out immediately and complaining about something - slowing down the process for everyone.
We announce the winners from the stage, but it's pretty noisy and people are spread out, so people aren't always sure what they've won. So we have a lot of people in line asking "did I get...". Most chairs like to organize the bid sheets by item number. One has suggested we try by bidders last name. (But that would be hard to deal with all the "did I win XYZ" questions. We tried one year posting a winner's list with an overhead projector, but that does take some time to put together and people are impatient. (Personnally, my choice would just be to stand firm on the prep time and ignore everyone until the time we say we'll start checking out.)
It always tends to work out, but I'd like to hear more suggestions on that part.
