It was intuitive and easy to use.

The ability to use a product that makes my life easier. Good product and very well developed.

Pros

I liked how it was very easy to find the information that you were looking for. For my team and I we like/want/need platforms that are easy to use.

Already Recommended to People

So easy! I've used other platforms that require six months of prep work before the event because the platforms are so convoluted and complicated. Snowball takes the basics of what you need to run an online auction and keeps them easy. You don't need to be incredibly tech-savvy to run this platform! It's quick and simple to set up a new event. Adding items takes minutes and editing them is just as easy. I loved the simplicity of the auction itself and that it could be run by one person short on time.

Pros

This software was such a blessing for our silent auction in February. I researched multiple options for our organization's first virtual auction and was blown away by how expensive everything has become. Other options are easily over $1,000, charge per "event", place strict limitations on the number of items/bidders, or charge insanely huge processing fees. Snowball was by far the most affordable choice and it offers unlimited items and bidders with a smaller processing fee. Additionally, the software fee is annual and we can use the platform as often as we want over the course of the year! We literally couldn't have met our event revenue goal if not for Snowball's affordability.

Cons

I'd like to see a "shopping cart" for bidders who win more than one item. We had multiple winning bidders who won more than one item and they had to pay for each thing separately. I've used auction platforms before that will take a winner's goods and put them into a cart for a quick, one-time checkout. Because we had winners with 3-5 items, a handful of them opted to send us a check for the entire amount since paying five different times was inconvenient. Being able to move the listed items would also be a great feature—we added items as they were collected/donated and then when we wanted to reorder the lineup, we had to delete every single item and re-create them to get them to appear in the order we wanted.

Snowball Review

The overall experience has been a smooth and efficient transition for the organization.

Pros

The go live feature that shows the donations as they are received.

Cons

Customers are not allowed to add different bank accounts for the different campagins.

Combined Remarks

We have had a very good experience with Snowball. These are the comments from our Board and donors. Thank you all!

Pros

It is simple. We like the ability to register for events, conduct auctions and solicit donations in one portal. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] was phenomenal getting us set up! We appreciate [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] help too! The investment is substantially less than other companies. Your credit card fees are lower than other companies.

Cons

The text to give doesn't work for our donors. We wish the levels of giving would remain low to high after we set ot up. For the auction, our donors wish they received a separate email or text saying sorry you didn't win, make a donation, like other companies. Our board's biggest concern is we require our donors to pay the credit card fees. However, over 90% of our transactions do not. A $50 gift, for example, the donors may pay $52 but our organization only receives $49.76. We lose money and have to solicit more donations to reach our goal. Our previous portal allowed donors to set a time frame for reoccurring donations. We wish for event registration our QR code would be provided rather than yours per our donors request.

Good Value - Nice Features

As I learn the software, I continue to find new uses for our organization. I believe this product is versatile and has a lot to offer for the price. Customer service is 5-star - quick responses and very helpful.

Pros

I really like the ease of use. The software is intuitive. I appreciate not only being able to run a fundraising campaign, but I also like the ticketing feature. Moving to virtual concerts and not needing assigned seating, this basic ticketing feature has been a great low-cost way to sell tickets. I also like the reports and filter option. I can easily export data. Having the option of "text-to-give" is a nice feature and is easy to set up.

Cons

Although the pros far outweigh the cons, I would appreciate an easier way to reconcile deposits. The deposit detail provided doesn't always reflect actual transaction activity in the case of issuing refunds. Customer service does provide the detail, thought, when asked. Every once in a while, a purchaser has failed attempts at donating/purchasing a ticket. This usually leads to a double charge with the need to refund. My organization is still charged the processing fees. I would imagine this is "industry standard". I would love to have a way to send an email blast to event ticket purchasers. I was told this feature is "on the roadmap", though. One little con is not being able to highlight text to copy/paste when creating a campaign. If I highlight by clicking and dragging (out of habit), I typically get kicked out and loose edits.