Merging duplicate bidders

With the Auctions app, you can combine two bidder records for the same person into one. This happens most often when someone registers online and is then added again at the registration desk, leaving two numbers and their activity split across both.

To merge two bidders:

1. Open the Auctions Manager.
2. Click the title of the auction you want to manage.
3. Click the Bidders tab.
4. Select exactly two bidders using the checkboxes.
5. Click Merge Bidders in the toolbar.
6. Review the check, then confirm.

What happens

Everything belonging to the merged-away bidder moves to the one that survives:

• Bids
• Won items and orders
• Paddle raise commitments
• Favorites
• Saved payment methods

The merged-away record is then deleted, and its bidder number becomes free for reuse.

Which bidder survives

You do not choose the survivor — it is decided by rules, so the record that keeps the most useful identity wins:

1. The bidder linked to a Soapbox user account, if only one is.
2. Otherwise, the bidder with activity — bids, wins, or paddle raise commitments.
3. Otherwise, the older of the two records.

The survivor keeps its own bidder number. If the person is holding the other paddle, reassign the number afterwards — see Managing bidder numbers.

Important: A merge cannot be undone. Check that both records really are the same person before confirming, particularly with common names.

When a merge is refused

Both bidders must belong to the same auction, and they must be two different records. Bidders in different auctions are separate people as far as the auction is concerned, and are never merged.

Related articles:

• Managing Bidders
• Managing bidder numbers
• Adding a bidder to an auction