A silent auction is a simple and engaging way to raise money without the need for a traditional auctioneer. Guests can browse lots and place bids directly from their mobile phones, receiving automatic updates when they’ve been outbid. For those who prefer to bid discreetly, there’s also the option to remain completely anonymous.

It’s a great way to add some friendly competition and entertainment to an event while helping to maximise the amount raised.

We offer a range of packages depending on how much support you need. You can run the auction yourself using our easy-to-use online management system, or have one of our experienced technical team on site to manage and support the auction for you.

The auction displays can be fully customised to suit your event, including your own branding, sponsor slides, colour schemes and messaging, with a full-screen output ready to display on TVs, projectors or LED screens.

Clear bidding instructions are provided well in advance of your event and can also be supplied for inclusion in your event literature. Instructions can be displayed on screen before and throughout the auction, making it easy for guests to get involved.

Placing a bid is as simple as sending a text message. Each lot has a number and guests simply text their bid, for example:

Lot 12 £100 John Smith Table 5

Adding their name and table allows guests to see who is currently winning on the auction screens, while those who would rather bid discreetly can choose to remain anonymous.

Every bid is automatically acknowledged by text message. If someone else places a higher bid, the previous highest bidder receives another message letting them know they’ve been outbid and encouraging them to bid again.

Incoming messages are checked by the system before being displayed. Messages containing errors or potentially inappropriate content can be flagged to the control panel for review before being shown on screen.

Once the auction closes, successful bidders are automatically notified by text message that they have won their lot.

While we recommend text message bidding for most events, iPad bidding can be provided as an additional option or used alongside mobile phones.

Text bidding has a significant advantage: bidders receive a message whenever they are outbid, prompting them to bid again. This keeps guests engaged with the auction throughout the event and can help increase the final value of lots and overall return from the auction.

When a bid is placed on an iPad, the latest results are immediately updated across the auction displays and other iPads.

For the best of both, text and iPad bidding can be used together, giving guests the convenience of browsing on an iPad while retaining the engagement and outbid notifications provided by SMS.

The iPads just require an internet connection, which can use an existing suitable connection or dedicated Event Wi-Fi provided by attend2IT.

Once the auction has closed, winning bidders automatically receive a personalised text message containing a secure link to view the lots they have won.

From this page, you can provide collection instructions, payment information and any additional messages specific to your event. This ensures bidders know exactly where to collect their items and what they need to do next.

If you accept online payments, we can include a direct payment link, allowing guests to pay immediately. For example, we can link directly to your PayPal account, helping to speed up collections and reduce administration at the end of the event.

The built-in Screen Mixer allows multiple display PCs to be logged into the auction simultaneously, with a central control machine determining which template or content is shown on each output.

Each display can be independently switched between auction lots, leaderboards, sponsor content and other templates, allowing multiple screens around the venue to show different content while remaining under central control.

Because the switching is handled within the auction platform, there is no need to route every display back through a conventional vision mixer. This can significantly simplify signal distribution, particularly on events with screens spread across multiple rooms or areas of a venue.

The Screen Mixer can be used as the primary method of controlling auction displays or integrated into a wider production setup, giving the production team a flexible way of managing multiple auction outputs without adding unnecessary hardware.