An Honest Review from a First Year Advancement Coordinator

As a first year Advancement Coordinator at a private school, I was given the task to produce a live and silent auction to raise funds for my campus. I was told to check out BidPal and I'm glad that I did. The software system was relatively user-friendly with many helpful features. These features were readily available on each category page on my BidPal account. Also, the call help desk feature was great too. Creating our BidPal giving center, which is your school's own website, was easy and important to our event. I could post all the auction items and share the link on Facebook, Twitter, email, and our school website. Using the mobile app for the night of the auction was amazing. Our guests had only the best compliments on how easy it was to bid on each item we had available. One of the only complaints that I have about one of the features was the scoreboard feature. The scoreboard is a slide show feature that displays the running numbers of the auction, currently raised funds for the silent auction, and donations. I wish there was a better way to control the scoreboard feature to better display the live auction items in the order we would want it to be displayed. Outside of that, it was a great feature. Overall, BidPal saved us many long hours by using its software features for our live and silent auction. During the night of our event, our guests were having so much fun with the mobile app that they began to give more than what was expected. At the end of the night, we raised close to double the amount we were expecting. BidPal is worth the investment because it has proven to me that it will save you time and increase your revenue for your event. I would highly recommend BidPal to Advancement Coordinators, PFT presidents, administrators, or anyone that has to produce a school auction. You won't regret it.

We use OneCause for our silent auctions and each one has been a success due to OneCause!

We get benefits from OneCause of making our silent auctions more accessible and look great!

Pros

I love the customization and features of OneCause that make each event feel personalized. We love being able to add our auction sponsor logo on the Giving Center along with pictures for the event and change colors on the site itself. When entering itmes/packages the features make it easy to enter and package together.

Cons

You can't have multiple events open in a window at the same time. If you are reusing descriptions/features/wording from one event to another event it's hard. We have multiple auctions and like to keep wording consistent for check out/text messages/ specific recurring items.

Unbelievable support - like having three more employees pitching in.

The time saved with the OneCause product is really like having extra employees/volunteers. Can't imagine doing it without them.

Pros

The software did everything we needed it to and more - from selling tickets and foursomes to silent auction and day-of fixed price items...simple to implement and a nice customer facing mobile app. But what really makes the product different is the incredible support you get from their team. Regular check-in's and calls - by the time our event rolled around, they knew more about it than I did. Although it was my first year running the multi-day events, I felt extremely comfortable and confident due to the support I received from OneCause.

Cons

I have only one complaint, and that is that there's not great-looking templates for the landing pages, and when we built our own, it was kind of a process in that it has to be stored on a website rather than uploading to OneCause. I believe they're working on improving that.

I've used it for 5 years now and appreciate the many facets of the software, esp. the reports.

While I appreciate BidPal very much and see how it's benefited our organization through the years, I still think the cost is much too high considering the high cost of the add-ons. The auction listings are still far too limiting. I've submitted various ideas through the years, but none have been brought to fruition. There should be the ability to be able to modify the appearance of the font, so that certain words stand out to the bidder. Bold, underline, italics are basic things that should easily be able to be accommodated, not to mention color. When many events are held in the evening when cocktails are being served, the improvement of the fonts would help to alleviate many words in a description (that our PRIZE DONORS want to see) running together and not being fully comprehended. The second thing that needs some upgrading is the auction portal that the bidders see. While it is easy to add a banner and colors to spruce things up, it is too wordy and there are too many choices which can be confusing for first time bidders. I think that it inhibits pre-bidding for that reason and guests have to wait to get to the event to feel comfortable in being trained. The pros are equal in that the reporting capability and payment/supporters area is very helpful and well laid out. Of immense value!

Good Option for Mobile Bidding

It was a good initial foray into mobile bidding for the silent auction at our fundraiser, but we did not use them again the next year. We found another option that was more user friendly and was able to avoid the glitches that we had experienced with BidPal. I will say again - their customer service was excellent and I have not used them since they became OneCause.

Pros

The move to mobile bidding was a big deal for our annual fundraising event. BidPal (now OneCause) fit the bill at the time. The rep was fantastic and the customer services is excellent. The app was not hard to use, but has its drawbacks. I used this in late 2017, so things may have changed or improved since then. Our guests did like the change to mobile bidding even with the hiccups.

Cons

We ran into some glitches at the event. Live auction items appeared in the app for bidding when they were supposed to remain separate. This issue was fixed quickly. If a winning bidder changed their mind, the item automatically reverted to the next highest bidder and charged their card. Caused me a few problems after the event, but their customer service was excellent and helped me through the issues.

Paws & Claws Gala Review

We've used BidPal for several years to maximize our fundraising dollars at our annual Paws & Claws Gala to benefit the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast. BidPal is a great tool! Every year, we see an increase in donations, as well as improvements in the technology. This year, we had bidders from out of state that haven't ever even stepped foot in our organization support us, thanks to BidPal's ability to reach donors far and wide at the touch of a finger. Plus, on site support is an asset. They helped us work the room, assist bidders, answer questions, create Calls to Action, and so much more! Although there is a learning curve for new users, there's no tool on the market that can compare. And it sure bits the old days with paper bidding sheets! Plus the diversity in reports you can run, from attendees, to managing seating/ tables, to tracking popular packages, generous donors, unsold items, etc. is super helpful when identifying what works and what doesn't year after year. The software is a bit expensive, but is worth every penny when trying to maximize your fundraising dollars for the organization you love. Quick tip though - make sure your venue has a strong WiFi signal. Obviously venues that are more unique create more excitement, but it's essential that the venue you choose has a strong signal or the ability to create a secure network. BidPal techs can work through the kinks, but selecting a suitable venue will make your job a lot easier in the long run. Also, be up front with your account executives on what you need and what you expect. They only know as much as you're willing to share, so take ownership of your event and allow them to assist you. Don't expect them to run the show.

OneCause makes check-in, check-out, and all onsite logistics run smoothly, and their team is great!

Pros

My agency used to handle our auctions for our large events (800-1000 people) on paper and it was a nightmare. OneCause has streamlined the process, with the added bonus of having check-in looped into the software. We love having the option of texting our attendees at our events. The OneCause team is amazing. From the pre-event consultants to the onsite techs, we have only had wonderful experiences. They are always available, respond extremely quickly to questions, and are a joy to work with.

Cons

We wish that there was the capability to add guests' plus ones into the system without adding "Guest Of..." as a separate entry for each plus one. Having to type this in, open the profile, and change the information at check-in adds a little bit of time and can create a line of people waiting to check in.

My overall experience using BidPal One has been very positive.

This software was invaluable in providing the timely access to bidding on our fundraiser. We had over 500 packages available and over 5000 total bids. The scoreboards were easily integrated into the video displays and AV equipment. This software assisted in a volunteer group pulling off a very professional silent auction and live auction.

Pros

I appreciate the checklist and the tutorial videos. The tools to build an engaging fundraising interface are intuitive and capable.

Cons

The import tools are very handy but they do not yet contain full functionality. A second import of updated supporters actually creates a second entry rather than an update to an existing entry.

OneCause (formerly BidPal) is a phenomenal asset to anyone who puts on fundraising events.

All the details of my event in one place, ease of creating reports, great organization of a silent auction, ability to assign (and change right up to the even time) bidder numbers, a nice-looking site to promote auction items ahead of time, support onsite at the event and after the event, and -- perhaps most important-- support whenever I needed it on the phone.

Pros

The customer support. They have a team that is nearly always immediately available, and can answer almost any question. If they can't they figure it out with you on the phone, or confer with others and call you right back. They are wonderful.

Cons

The complicated way that money is handled. It's not their fault, though. It is simploy complicated. I think they have a gret product. It is up to the user to be sure they fully understand what to do during and after an event -- and this is worth going over with support before the event.

We had a great experience with this software this year for our event.

It was easy to find our clients and it allowed us to set up our silent auction and receive bids through it weeks before the event, not just day of. It also allowed us to be able to have people who could not physically attend the event still bid and win items in our silent auction.

Pros

The availability to use it on the go and make quick changes if needed; the fact that the updated registration check in software was super easy to use and easy to make changes in if needed; the fact that we were able to set up the fundraising page quickly and that it was very clean and presentable; the fact that customer service was easy to get in touch with and would answer any questions that we had and help us pinpoint any issues as needed.

Cons

If you weren't aware of the way that items would roll over to packaging that you would have to do double work in that area (example: inputting item information so that it would roll into the packaging without having to reword descriptions, etc).

My organization had a great experience with the One Cause software. We look forward to continuing!

Pros

My organization signed on with One Cause just 2 months before our annual auction. One Cause did did everything necessary to help us prepare and keep us on target for planning our event and it was so successful! The software is very organized and helps track your project timeline and progress. Our event attendees loved bidding with One Cause on their mobile devices. Plus, moving to an online bidding platform made our check out process run much more smoothly and quickly - which everyone is a fan of! On top of all of this, their customer support is outstanding. They are incredibly patient and always happy to help. I never felt like my call was an inconvenience, no matter what time I called. Our organization has nothing but positive reviews for One Cause's product and services.

Cons

There is a lot of good information on the site to sift through, but sometimes without some guidance from support it can be a bit difficult to track down exactly what you're looking for.

I have had a great experience with OneCause (BidPal) for the past two years I have used the software

Pros

I think the customer service is great with OneCause. I have specific people assigned to help me but if it is out of normal business hours I can call the support line and they will help walk me through any process. I also really like the mobile bidding feature, this has become 1st hand to all of our donors and really make the process easier for everyone.

Bidpal was helpful and a good resource for our fundraising

Great accurate reports, helpful service as we are approaching our event and a quick and accurate representation of how our event went

Pros

The import feature when it comes to importing our donations, attendees and donors. It's really simple and the customer service is helpful when it comes to answering questions. It's helpful to know what features are out there that we might not be currently using that would be helpful to us and they do a good job of explaining the new things and taking feedback directly to the developer to make improvements.

Cons

It's confusing to me who is my direct contact with bidpal sometimes. I worked with Sherilyn pre-event and at the event but received communication from several different people related to bidpal and feedback, event details etc. that I found to be confusing. It would be helpful to just work with one person consistently rather than getting various forms of communication from different people.

Doubled our auction revenue and saved us hundreds of hours (and throusands of dollars) in manpower

This has been a GAME CHANGER for our charity. We went from labor intensive registration, to pen-snatching melt downs during auction, to no less than 40 hours of payment reconciliation post event to a beautiful, easy, online platform that brought us efficiency of time and money. Worth the investment.

Pros

It's hard to pick a MOST...but I'm going to go with the efficiencies gained on entire event process (planning, execution, payment) and ease of use (complete training and support every step of the way).

Cons

I wish we could route money to two separate accounts within the same event - general and gaming.

Bidpal is very user friendly and the support is wonderful!

Pros

How easy to use it is and how there are helpful hints within the program to help you use the software to the best of its ability.

Cons

It reloads often when searching, which is frustrating in a pinch. If you are patient, it will load properly.

BIDPAL sold our not for profit a bill of goods and then failed to deliver!

Zero

Pros

The best thing I can say about this software is my login worked and that's about it!

Cons

Customer Service was horrible. We got passed around from one person to the next and then was told that the program would have to be 'worked around' costing my volunteers valuable time to get what we were told we would have from the software. Our guests at our fundraisers complained constantly about the software and the onsite representative did NOTHING to step in and assist. When asked for a pro-rated refund mid year because the software was handicapping our events, we were told simply no. Thanks for nothing BIDPAL!

Events with Ease!

Pros

I loved how easy it was to learn the software, and knowing that I could chat with the support team at any time with specific questions! They always helped identify the best practices, and or event was an overwhelming success, due in a large part to the organization, support, and fussy experience via Onecause!

Cons

That you could not drag and drop tables to reorder.

BidPal has taken our annual fundraiser to a new level.

Pros

BidPal is easy to use, intuitive and all encompassing. The new One software is easy to use and transitions smoothly from pre-event to event to post-event.

Cons

It would be nice to have a volunteer entry site so that donation collectors could enter them themselves without having access to the rest of the administrative site.

Use OneCause to increase revenue

Pros

Bidpal has been a great asset to our annual Gala. We started using mobile bidding 3 years ago and have had increased revenue yearly since we began. Their team is always available to guide you through the process, and answer questions, both technical and strategic. They also have a lot of training materials available.

Cons

There are few other reports we would like to see available - but there really are many to choose from.

BidPal makes our events run more smoothly. They have phenomenal customer support!

Our event ran much more smoothly with the use of BidPal software.

Pros

It is all inclusive - allowing us to do everything from selling tickets to running post event reports. It also creates a catalog, gift certificates and item labeling materials.

Cons

The system could be more user friendly (intuitive), but current updates are helping it get there. Sometimes it is difficult to locate the features you need, but customer support is always there to help.