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  • eBay Giving Works Charity Ribbon Guide to Auction Events, Step 5

  • Wrap It Up

  • The buzz has been huge and now your listings are closing on eBay. But before you put on your party hat and celebrate, there are a few things to take care of first.
  • 1.Plan your event 2. Solicit items to sell 3. List your items for sale 4. Spread the word 5. Wrap it up, ship it, and assess how you did. Plan Your Event Solicit Items to Sell List Your Items for Sale Spread the Word Wrap it Up, Ship it and Assess How You Did

  • Make your wrap-up a snap

  • Stay organized: Know where your items are and the status of everything you’re
    selling. The spreadsheet you created back in Step 2 should make this a breeze.
  • Communicate early and often: Stay in touch with your buyers until you know they’ve
    received their purchase and are happy.

  • Contact your buyer – send an invoice

    As soon as a listing ends, contact your buyer right away. Congratulate and thank her for buying your item (and supporting your organization). Remind her of the amount she owes and the payment methods you accept.
  • There is a handy send an invoice External link tool in My eBay for doing all of this in one simple step. If you used a bulk listing tool, it will have an invoicing feature as well.

  • Getting paid

    Keep up with whom has paid you, how they paid, how much they paid, and when. To be safe, always double-check that you were paid the correct amount.
  • One question we often hear is: How long should I wait for payment? It really depends on what you’re selling, but if you don’t receive payment within several days, send the buyer a reminder External link.

  • Unpaid items and refunds

    Despite best intentions, a winning bidder might not come through. If that happens, don’t worry. You can offer your item to the next-highest bidder with a second-chance offer External link. Before you do, communicate with the original winner to double-check he still doesn't intend to buy what he won.
  • If your item arrives broken, or the buyer is dissatisfied, you might need to offer a refund External link. The choice is yours, but in the long run you’re better off making your buyer happy.

  • Ship your items

    You want your items to arrive safe and sound, so wrap, wrap, and wrap again. Use strong boxes and tape them securely. Save moolah by using shredded office paper as padding instead of expensive bubble wrap. Regardless of which shipper you use, get a tracking number for your package.
  • While you’re at it, include your newsletter or brochure in the box. Use this chance to turn today’s eBay buyer into tomorrow’s donor.

  • If the item doesn’t sell

    You might not find a buyer for everything you sell. Don’t worry – it happens to every seller sooner or later. Here are some options:
  • Relist it: Put the same listing back up for sale again. Just because you didn’t find a
    buyer this week, doesn’t mean someone won’t be interested next week.
  • Lower your starting bid / reserve price: If your starting bid or reserve price wasn’t met,
  • think about removing (or lowering) it.
  • Update your listing: Check your listing before you put it back up: is your description as
    sharp as it can be? Does your title stand out from the crowd? Can you add more photos?
  • Move on: Depending upon the item and its value, you may not want to relist.

  • Share your success

    Everyone involved in the auction event will want to know how you did. Announce your results to donors, volunteers and supporters. Share your story with us too.

  • Lessons for next time

    You’re done – congratulations! Before you move on to another project, take time to recap your auction event. Create a reminder for yourself (or your successor) to make the next event even better.
  • Questions to answer include:
  • When was it?
  • What was it called?
  • Who did you solicit?
  • How many items do you sell?
  • How much did you gross (and net)?
  • What did you do?
  • What worked?
  • What didn’t?
  • The more detail you can provide, the better. If you got media coverage, include that too!


Learn More

Guide to Holding Auction Events

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  • Green Shipping Tips
  • Use old newspaper or shredded office paper as cushioning
  • Re-use old boxes
  • Use one box if shipping multiple items to a single buyer
  • Quotes From Our Users
  • Heart for Ethiopia"eBay Giving Works lets people help our nonprofit every step of the way. eBay Giving Works works!" --Lauralee Lindholm, Vice President, Heart for Ethiopia

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