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.

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.

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!

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.

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.