Bidding Notes 

Many people are used to online bidding on sites such as EBay and other sites where the goal is to wait until the last minute and bid as late as possible in the process in order to obtain the item at the lowest possible price, hoping to fend off other late bidders in the process.  That process doesn't work for the Center's Charity Auction Benefit due to several factors: 

1.  The online bidding only becomes a point of starting for the live auction.  A lower bid from the online pre-bidding just is wiped away if another interested party is at the live event.  In order to have a bid that might obtain an item that will stand up to the bidding during the live auction, it must be a bid worthy of purchasing the item.  It must be a bid that would cause people at the live event to not choose to outbid it.  Since there usually are nearly 200 people at the event, almost always the online bids that are good bids have a chance of staving off the live bidders.  Low  bids don't since they know how high the online bidders will go..or better stated, have gone..

2.  The way for us to make the Center's event successful is to remember it is a Charity Benefit.  We want you to think about giving money to provide Christian programs for the family.. not giving money to get a bargain.  Bid freely online up to the highest amount you would be willing to pay for an item.  It is the most reasonable way to have a chance at getting an item.   But remember also that even though there are 200 people at the event, you may be after an item that only a few others are.. a good bid has many times stood up to the live bidding.  But a low-ball bid almost always will be outbid at the event. 

3.  The purpose of the on-line bidding is to make the bidding audience much larger. Staying out of the process until the end is counter-productive to the event and your likely success.  Join the fun.  Get in the game early!  Make this a great way to help the Center.  Perhaps you might not get an item, but you might in the process help us obtain a higher value for it..and thus help the ministry while having fun!

4.  One last major reason that late bidding may be counter-productive.  We do not have the technology or manpower to respond quickly to last minute bidding.  We may not be able to get the website hi bid updated in time of a last minute rush..and the bidding may outrun our ability to keep each bidder most current. 

If you have concerns about the online bidding process, please email us at info@champion.org or call us at 724-455-2122.  We will help assure you that it is safe, fun and a valuable part of the Center's event.  Thank you in advance for helping advance the cause and ministry of the Center! 

Charity Benefit Committee.