Separate the terms before setting the numbers.
An item’s estimated value, minimum bid, and reserve payable are different concepts. For OFG consignment items, use the agreed minimum and reserve from the written proposal. Do not lower a minimum without approval.
For donated items, your organization sets the rules. Apply a consistent review process so the bid sheet, digital catalog, and auctioneer brief agree.
Choose increments that guests can follow.
An increment is the amount by which a new bid must exceed the previous bid. Select increments appropriate to the lot and your bidding format. A readable bid sheet or clear platform setting prevents guests from guessing.
There is no universal increment that works for every item and audience. Discuss your plan with the auction team and confirm that the platform or printed sheet can express it clearly.
Publish the rules before the close.
Explain the closing time, how winning bids are determined, and the payment process. If there is a buy-now option or a multi-winner arrangement, it needs explicit approval and clear terms.
- Keep minimum bids consistent across all materials.
- Make increments visible next to the bid field.
- Assign someone to handle bidding questions.
- Reconcile the final bid with the agreed reserve after the event.
Keep the amounts distinct in your records.
Clear terminology prevents a pricing conversation from becoming a reporting problem later. These terms serve different purposes.
| Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Estimated value | Provides context for the item; it is not a promised sale price or an automatic tax-deductible amount. |
| Minimum bid | The lowest opening bid accepted under the published rules and approved terms. |
| Bid increment | The permitted increase from one bid to the next. The platform or bid sheet should make it clear. |
| Reserve payable | The agreed amount due to a consignment provider when the item sells. |
| Winning amount | The final accepted bid recorded for payment and reconciliation. |
Check a bid sequence before publishing it.
For illustration only, a lot opening at $500 with a $50 increment could receive bids of $500, $550, $600, and $650. This is an arithmetic example, not an OFG minimum or a recommended percentage. The actual starting amount and increment should fit the approved item terms and the bidding system.
Test what happens if a guest enters an amount between permitted steps, tries to match an existing bid, or places a bid at the closing boundary. For mobile bidding, review the platform’s behavior. For paper, make the rules legible and brief the person who will determine the accepted result. The rules should be settled before a disputed bid occurs.
Review the pricing and close together.
The committee, provider, and auction lead should agree the relevant terms before guests see the listing.
- Confirm the approved starting amount and reserve for each consignment lot.
- Ensure the increment is shown consistently in the catalog and on the bid sheet.
- Identify whether any buy-now or repeat-sale option is authorized and how it operates.
- Publish the closing time and any applicable extension rules.
- Agree how ties, invalid bids, or disputed closing-time entries are resolved.
- Name the person authorized to decide an exception; volunteers should not improvise new terms.
Do not confuse an unsold lot with a pricing instruction.
If a lot receives no bids, there may be several reasons: limited audience interest, little browsing time, an awkward restriction, a hard-to-find display, or the starting amount. Lowering the minimum during the event is not automatically permitted or the right response. Check the agreement and the wider context.
For the next event, record why guests hesitated when you know it. A date restriction may call for a different experience; poor visibility may call for a better layout. Useful records help the team make a specific improvement instead of changing every price in the same way.
Keep your guest-facing explanation simple.
A bidder should be able to find the starting amount, required increase, close time, and what happens after winning without asking a staff member. Keep the provider reserve and internal financial calculations in the committee’s records unless the agreement or your organization’s communications require them to be explained.
Bring your questions. We’ll start there.
Tell us what you have in place, what you are still deciding, and where your team needs support.
Discuss minimum bids and terms