Silent Auction at Booth: Get Great Deals on Home Products!

[chefheidi2003]

I just had an idea..and I wanted to see what you all thought of it..and any suggestions for it would be great as well.

I have some product that I would like to get rid of..not HUGE items..but a few things that I bought as the host specials when I hosted my own show and stuff like that..I also have some small things that I could do together.

The items I have are things like Prep Bowl sets..Dots Large Round Bowl..Cutting Board with Measure Cups

I have a booth to do next week..and I was thinking about asking the organizers if I can do my own silent auction at my table.

Should I wrap the items and tell them how much it is worth and then set a minimum bid?

Or should I just have the item out in the open and still just have a minimum bid?

Should I scratch the idea all together and just try to have them all as cash and carry?

 

[patty42240]

Heidi,I think it is a great idea to see if you can do it as a silent auction. I am actually setting up a table at a Dream Factory Fund Raising event on Saturday. I have a wonderful director and her sister (who recruited me), my mom and the recruit I brought in to the business, as well as myself, pitched in and purchased the Sample Package A. I added some things that I have on hand as well. I split the products into two package deals and I took the products out of the boxes and packages, saved the packages and put them inside the boxes and wrapped the empty boxes in Christmas paper in order to set up a really cute Christmas theme table.We are able to put a starting bid on our products and if nobody bids on them we are able to take our products back. I have also included in each of the two packages a home cooking show valued at $25 and I am praying that whomever bids on these will host a show before Christmas. I am also *donating* a Decadent Dessert Home Cooking show and a 30 Minute Chicken Home Cooking show valued at $40 (no products but they can earn free products with their show). I hope it is successful and I hope that maybe this will give you some ideas as well. Good Luck with it and let us know how it goes!

 

[mrshamel3808]

If you do decide to do a silent auction I have a few tips (I've done quite a few and also got some of these tips from a pro auctioneer). First, definitely have them open so they can see what they're bidding on. The more they can really see what they're getting the more likely they'll be willing to bid higher. And second, start the minimum bid at no less than 1/2 the actual value otherwise you might end up losing money on the items.