The ubiquitous nature of smartphones has made mobile fund-raising mainstream. Nonprofits looking to raise money at events have several options that allow guests to make donations and bid on auction items directly from their devices, eliminating cumbersome bid sheets and long checkout lines. Here’s a look at four systems for mobile bidding and pledging.
BidPal offers two options for mobile bidding at an event. The original system, which the company has offered since 2009, is run on a closed Wi-Fi network and attendees log in using their smartphone or an iPod Touch provided by BidPal. Last year the company also began offering a cellular–based system due to the increase in smartphone usage and improvement in cellular signals within venues. Later this year BidPal will offer a hybrid solution that provides both cellular and Wi-Fi access at one event. BidPal can be used for general donations as well as bidding on auction items, with instant “outbid” alerts, and pledges can be displayed on a leaderboard. Users can check out directly on their mobile device. Planners can also use BidPal’s event management functions, including single-ticket and table sales, donor thank-yous, and post-event reports that provide data such as which items had the most interest and when most bidding took place. Pricing is based on a combination of a booking fee and an event fee.
MobileCause began in 2006 as a text-to-give system, with billing handled by cell phone carriers. In June 2012, the company added mobile pledging, which allows users to send a text message to make a donation and then click through on their phones to pay with a credit card. Donors can also add a message, which is displayed on the “donation thermometer” in real time at the event. Donors instantly receive a text message response that thanks them for the donation and provides a link to click through to input credit card information. The mobile site also provides a “remember me” option, which allows the organization to save the donor's information and use it for future communication. For those who opt not to pay at the event, MobileCause provides call center staff who contact each donor a few days later to fulfill the payment over the phone. Pricing ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 for consulting services, plus a transaction fee of 50 cents and between 5 percent and 7.25 percent per donation.
Bidding for Good launched in 2003 and has managed more than 16,000 fund-raising auctions through its online platform and has added a mobile system so users can bid from their smartphones or tablets. Hosts can share a link to their auction before the event begins so users can input credit card information and browse items ahead of time. The system sends instant alerts to users who are outbid, and the programmable leaderboard can be used at the event to thank sponsors and highlight featured items. In the next month the company will add real-time data that will update as bids are made. Hosts can also opt to keep their auctions open after an event or open them to a broader audience on the Bidding for Good Web site, where users worldwide can shop for items by category. Bidding for Good charges $595 for a one-year subscription, plus a performance fee tied to the amount of online transactions.
Razoo started in 2007 as a social network for giving and added commerce features in 2010. The majority of Razoo’s activity is cause-based fund-raising campaigns that may not be tied to a specific event, but it does offer a mobile-optimized site so event guests can donate directly from their smartphones. To easily point guests to the site, it can be shared as a QR code that takes users directly to the donation page. In the coming months, Razoo is developing a native app that will expedite the donation process and post instant updates to a leaderboard. Razoo's existing iPhone app allows organizers to track and solicit donations and send thank-you messages. For fund-raising before and after an event, organizations can embed the Razoo widget on their Web site or on a Facebook page. Razoo charges 4.9 percent of each donation.
