A Fully Managed Online Auction Service for Charity Events
Our online auctions are ideal for events where you want a sleek, tech-led experience — whether your guests are attending in person, bidding remotely, or both. We’ll guide you through every step, from setting up your auction site to providing support on the night and reporting afterwards.
More Than Just a Platform
When you work with Raise, you don’t just get access to an auction platform, you get a fully managed service designed to take the pressure off you and maximise your fundraising.
We don’t believe in bare-minimum packages. From curating and formatting your prize list to building and populating your auction site, we handle the details that many other providers leave to you.
On the night, a Raise tech expert and auction staff are always part of the team — not optional extras. And where possible, we’ll display a live leaderboard to keep the energy high and bidding competitive.
It’s all included as standard because we think that’s how it should be.
Why Choose an Online Auction?
A modern and flexible way to enagage your guests
Online auctions are a great choice when you want to simplify logistics, create a modern guest experience, or open bidding to a wider audience. They’re ideal for events where you want to minimise printed materials, where guests are spread out, or when you want the flexibility to start bidding before the event even begins.
They’re especially well suited to:
- Venues with screens available
- Large-scale / High-end Events
- Venues with good Wi-Fi coverage
- Gala dinners, charity lunches, awards nights, golf days
What's Included?
Auction Manager & Ambassadors
We provide an Event Manager, Technician and experienced Auction Support Staff to run your charity event auction, assist your guests and gently encourage bidding.
Specialist Auction Prize Supply
The inclusion of our experiences, framed art and memorabilia items at NO RISK on a sale or return basis with guaranteed profit. Charities see an average 42% profit on our items.
Payment Processing and Follow-up
Payments are seamlessly processed through the auction platform. With a pre-authorisation option, which guarantees payments are instantly processed at the auction close.
Custom Branding and Colour Scheme
Your auction site will be customised with your branding and can include your event / charity info and logo on the homepage.
Branded, Custom QR Code Signs
Branded QR code table signs for easy access to the site during the event and individual item QR codes and poster pages to enhance the display.
Flexible Service, No Contracts
We don’t believe in tying any charity into lengthy contracts. We’re confident in our ability to deliver exceptional service, earning your trust and repeat business.
Dedicated Account Manager
You will be assigned a dedicated account manager. Just a phone call away - from your initial enquiry all the way through to final fund transfer post event.
Raise More, Stress Less
Leave the hard work to us. We handle the design and creation of your auction microsite. Just supply us with the details of your donated prizes and we do the rest.
Raise vs. Other Providers
| Feature / Service | Raise (Included in package) ✅ | Other Providers ❌ |
|---|---|---|
| Fully branded auction site setup | ✅ Always included | ❌ Often DIY or extra cost |
| Prize upload and formatting | ✅ We handle it | ❌ Often self-managed |
| On-the-night tech staff and auction team | ✅ Comes with the package | ❌ Rare or extra charge |
| Leaderboard display on event screens | ✅ Where time allows | ❌ Not usually offered |
| Pre-event consultation and ongoing support | ✅ Standard support | ❌ Limited or generic |
| Curated prize support and top-up options | ✅ Collaborative selection | ❌ Not always included |
| Guest outbid notifications & automated follow-up | ✅ Included | ❌ Varies widely |
| Post-event report and payment summary | ✅ Always provided | ❌ Sometimes missing |
FAQs
How much does your Online Auction event service cost?
In many cases, we can offer this service for a nominal fee — or even at no cost — depending on the nature of your event.
Get in touch with your event details, and we’ll provide a tailored proposal to suit your needs.
How does the auction run on the night?
Online auctions run in the background of your event. Whether guests are bidding on their phones or on tablets, our friendly staff will politely engage with your guests, assisting them where needed.
We will bring a laptop to plug in to your screens to display the auction leader-board throughout the evening, with new bid pop-ups.
At the close of the auction, winners will automatically be notified by email and text and payments will be taken automatically (if using pre-auth) or payment links will be sent.
How are guests notified when they have won?
When the auction closes, all winners will recieve an automatic text and email to let them know which item(s) they have won.
What is card pre-authorisation?
The platform’s pre-authorisation feature allows guests to securely pre-authorise their cards before placing a bid. This guarantees payments are instantly processed for winning bids at the end of the auction, eliminating the laborious task of chasing payments post event and the risk of reneging.
Do guests have to take their prizes on the night?
For any physical items we supply (art or memorabilia) guests are encouraged to take them on the night, however, if it’s not convenient we will take them back to our office and ship them free of charge directly to the winners.
What is the auction display and where will it go?
If you’re including any of our framed artwork or memorabilia in your auction, we’ll take care of everything. We’ll bring the items to the event and set up a stunning display that’s ready for guests to admire as they arrive and throughout the evening.
For larger frames, we use floor-standing easels, and for smaller items, we provide tabletop easels. Unlike other auction companies who leave items wrapped in blue foam and cellophane, we carefully unwrap each piece and display it beautifully, illuminated with small clip-on LED lights.
We’ll coordinate with the venue to arrange any necessary trestle tables and work with you both to find the best place for the display at the venue.
Our display setup adds significant impact to the auction experience, and we’ve found that guests are 85% more likely to bid on art or memorabilia when they can view it in person.
Are there any hidden fees or costs?
No, our costs are all transparent. Any service upfront costs will be outlined in your tailored proposal.
Our auction items have a set cost price, which is only payable if the item sells in the auction.
We charge a small percentage service fee for taking payments on your behalf, which will also be outlined in our proposal.
Do I have to sign up for multiple events?
No, we never sign our customers up to any lengthy contracts.
We’re confident in our ability to deliver exceptional service, earning your trust and repeat business.
How many items should I include in my silent auction?
We recommend a minimum of 20 items and maximum one item per 10 guests for larger events.
Do I have to include Raise supplied auction items?
Not at all — we can run an auction using only the items you’ve had donated.
If you don’t require any of our items, another option is for us to support you in running your own auction. We can provide guidance and materials to help you achieve the best possible results on your own.
Is an online auction the most suitable option for my event?
If you’re still unsure after reading the information on this page, please give us a call and we’d be happy to chat this through and work together to find the best solution for your event.
Will I need to be involved in the running of the auction?
Not unless you want to be! Our friendly, experienced team takes care of everything — from the pre-event setup and on-the-night management to the post-event sales summary and transfer of funds. You’re free to be as hands-on or hands-off as you like.
Still have questions?
Give us a call, pop us an email or fill out our enquiry form and one of our friendly team will be in touch.
