Boost recurring donations this giving season with the upsell prompt!With the Auctions app, bidders receive email notifications at key moments during an auction and when it is time to pay. Bidders who opt in to text messages when they register also receive SMS alerts. These notifications keep participants informed of their bidding status and prompt them to return and act before the auction closes.
Email notifications
Every bidder receives these emails. There is no opt-in and no opt-out for auction email.
| When it is sent | Subject line |
|---|---|
| A bidder registers for the auction | You were registered to bid for [auction name] |
| A bidder places a bid that makes them the highest bidder | Highest Bidder |
| Another bidder takes over the highest bid position | You were outbid. Increase your bid for [item name] - [auction name] |
| 30 minutes before the auction ends, to everyone who has bid on an item whose reserve price has not been met | Reserve Price Not Met |
| A silent bidding item closes and the bidder has won it | You won [item name] - [auction name] |
| A bidder purchases a fixed price item | Order confirmed [item name] - [auction name] |
| The organizer sends the bidder a link to pay their balance, including a payment reminder | Your checkout link - [auction name] |
| The bidder's balance is paid in full | Payment received - [auction name] |
| The bidder's balance is paid in full again after a change, such as a refund or a later purchase | Updated receipt - [auction name] |
The highest bidder and outbid emails both include the item, the current high bid, and a button that takes the bidder straight back to the item.
Note: The reserve price email goes to every bidder who has bid on that item, not only the current high bidder. Its purpose is to tell bidders that the item will not sell at its current price, so there is still time to raise a bid.
Checkout link and receipt emails
Checkout link emails and texts are sent by the organizer rather than automatically. Payment reminders are sent by email only.
The checkout link email includes a View and pay your checkout button and the date the link expires. No sign-in is needed to use it. See Opening a checkout link.
The receipt is sent automatically when the bidder's balance reaches zero. It itemizes what they paid for. When the organizer shows fair market value on receipts, it also includes a For your tax records section. See Your auction receipt.
Text message notifications
Automatic text alerts are sent only to bidders who opted in to SMS when they registered. Bidders who did not opt in receive email only.
| When it is sent | Message |
|---|---|
| 1 hour before the auction starts | [auction name] auction starts at [time]! Preview items & get ready to bid. |
| 30 minutes before the auction ends | [auction name] auction ends in 30 mins at [time]! Place final bids now. |
| 5 minutes before the auction ends | [auction name] auction ends in 5 mins at [time]! Place final bids now. |
| A bidder wins a silent bidding item | You've won [item name]. Check your email for more details. |
| A bidder purchases a fixed price item | You've ordered *[quantity]*x [item name]! Check your email for more details. |
| The organizer texts the bidder a link to pay their balance | [auction name] checkout: [link] (expires [date]) |
Each alert includes a link back to the auction or the item.
A checkout link text is sent only when the organizer chooses to text one. It goes to the mobile number on the bidder's record.
Note: There is no text message when a bid is placed and no text message when a bidder is outbid. Both of those are sent by email. Bidders who want to be told the moment they lose the high bid should watch their email during the auction.
How bidders opt in to text messages
The registration form includes a Mobile Phone field with a country selector, and an opt-in checkbox below it that reads:
I agree to receive SMS notifications (outbid alerts, auction closing reminders, etc) which may arrive nights and weekends given the nature of auctions. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.
The checkbox is cleared by default. A bidder must select it to receive text alerts.
How bidders change their notification settings
After signing in, bidders can review and change their text message settings on the My Preferences page, reached from the account menu:
- Sign in to the auction.
- Click the account menu in the auction header.
- Click My Preferences.
- Under Mobile Phone, review the number on file and the Mobile notifications setting.
Settings on this page apply only to the auction the bidder is currently viewing. A bidder who takes part in more than one auction sets their preferences separately for each.
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