For endless inspiration for silent auctions, live auctions, and more, browse the most comprehensive list of auction item ideas on the web. Navigate our category drop downs to find 200 creative auction item ideas.
Before we dive into our list, we'll cover which types of items tend to sell well and which ones don't, so you can pick the right items for your audience. We’ve also included special mentions of creative ideas from successful auctions.
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Browse for FreeWhich Items Sell Best at Charity Auctions?
We've analyzed trends over hundreds of charity auctions, and these are the types of items that tend to be popular at auctions:
- Experiences and activities. Experiences have always been the top sellers at auctions. Donors are more interested in making memories and experiencing new things than buying products at charity auctions. Any group activity, date activity, or getaway is a great auction item.
- Anything your donors can’t easily buy themselves. If there’s an item a donor already knew they wanted and could easily buy, chances are, they’ve already bought it. Instead, offer exclusive experiences, unique items, and meaningful activities.
- Anything relevant to your cause. Items themed around your cause will draw in donors more than an array of random items. (This also means avoiding niche items that are NOT related to your cause.)
- Bundled items. A gift card or low-value item by itself isn’t very appealing. You’ll get more bidders when these are bundled together to create more value. You can even bundle multiple activities together.
If you want to get more specific, here are the top-selling item categories based on recent auction studies:
- 33% of guests bid on gift cards
- 32% of guests bid on dining & culinary items
- 26% of guests bid on travel packages
- 25% of guests bid on experiences & activities
- 25% of guests bid on sports & entertainment items
Which Auction Items Don’t Sell Well?
These are items we’ve seen nonprofits attempt to auction off with poor results. In general, avoid items that are generic.
Avoid:
- Generic antiques
- Generic jewelry
- Decor
- Clothing and shoes (these can be difficult because of sizing)
- Technology and gadgets
- Non-designer bags
- Hyper-specific and rare services
- Bulky items like furniture
- Travel packages with too many restrictions
- Travel packages with too many additional expenses
- Anything under $25
If you’re starting off bids for an item below $25, this item is not going to be worth your time or effort. Instead, create an opportunity for direct donations if someone wants to donate a small amount, or bundle small items together.
And don’t be afraid to say no to a donation. Send the donor a kind message saying that you still appreciate their donation. Explain that their item is not well-suited for your auction and they can help your organization in other ways.
The Ultimate List of Auction Item Ideas
Browse our ultimate item list by category. Look out for BOLDED ITEMS — these are our highest performing auction items!
Also keep in mind that not all items listed will work well at your auction. Private music lessons are fantastic for music-related organizations, but may not work for other nonprofits. We’ve also seen items like cooking appliances get competitive in one auction, while they received zero bids in another!
CREATIVE IDEAS - SPECIAL MENTIONS
These are our favorite auction items where organizations got creative! Use these to inspire your team to get creative too.
A no-kill dog shelter auctioned off naming rights to newly rescued dogs.
A cruise line auctioned off lost and found items to raise funds for a cancer research society. They auctioned off watches and jewelry that were left behind on the ship by guests.
A snack bar offered an “Invent and Name a Drink” opportunity for one season.
An organization that maintains hiking trails auctioned off retired trailhead signs that were replaced with new signs.
An outdoors organization auctioned off naming rights to canoes.
A Boy Scouts group auctioned off vintage Boy Scouts patches.
A space museum auctioned off vintage photos & posters from NASA.
A school auctioned off class art—art that was made collaboratively by the students of each class.
An organization created a custom dinner experience for groups by combining multiple experiences—dinner from a private chef plus wine tasting, served at a scenic venue.
An organization auctioned off a private meditation experience, where a meditation facilitator visited the winner’s home and led a guided meditation.
GIFT CARDS
Gift cards to local restaurants & shops
Tip: Prioritize local restaurants & shops over chain restaurants or franchises that everyone’s already been to. These local shops will be happy to get their name in front of your guests.
EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES
Naming rights
Backstage/VIP concert tickets
Major concert event tickets
Celebrity meet and greet
Athlete meet and greet
Training or practice session viewing
Shadow a CEO or celebrity
Studio audience tickets
Ride alongs (race car driver, pilot, etc)
Mayor for a day
Private movie screening
Private concert with dinner
Private chef service/dinner
Signed memorabilia from athletes, celebrities, etc.
LOCAL EXPERIENCES
Passes for local landmarks & attractions
Scenic tours
Historic site tours
Ranch tours
Plane or helicopter tour
Hot air balloon ride
Dinner with a view
Wine tasting
Craft beer tasting
Winery tour
Brewer tour
Tickets to a local theater showing
Viewing of a theater rehearsal
Comedy show tickets
Local concert or music event tickets
Cultural festival tickets
Museum tickets
Private museum tour
Factory tour
Behind-the-scenes tours
Tickets to a local convention or conference
TRAVEL
Travel package to vacation destination
Camping or cabin retreat
Cruise package
Airbnb stay
Vacation home or timeshare stay
Luxury resort stay
Safari
National park passes
Hiking tour
Holistic retreat
ADVENTURE & RECREATION
Fishing trip passes
Kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, or paddleboarding
Skydiving, indoor skydiving, or paragliding
Ziplining passes
Bungee jumping passes
Bowling passes
Mini golf passes
Karaoke tickets
Theme park tickets
Zoo membership
GIFT BASKETS
Coffee & tea lover’s basket – Coffee beans, tea leaves, mugs, and gift cards
Themed liquor and beverage baskets – German beer, Japanese liquor, Mexican mezcals, sweet wines, etc.
Game night basket – The newest, trendy board games plus some game night snacks
Movie night – Popcorn, snacks, and a streaming gift card
Self-care basket – Candles, lotion, bath salts, specialty soaps and a spa gift card
Beauty basket – Makeup, makeup tools, skin care, and hair care products
Pet lover’s basket – Toys, special treats, and a gift certificate to a local groomer or pet store (add in a pet costume if it’s near Halloween!)
Gourmet food basket – Gourmet cheeses, premium snacks, rare seasonings, etc.—anything that will make a donor’s mouth water when they see this gift basket
Hot sauce sampler
Beach basket – Sun screen, beach toys, beach chairs, umbrella, and beach towels, displayed in a cooler
Gardening basket – Seeds and gardening tools
Grilling day – Brushes, spatulas, seasoning, and BBQ sauce
Chef’s basket – Specialty cooking utensils and tools with seasonings
Baker’s basket – Specialty baking utensils and tools
Car care kit – Car cleaning and detailing products
Yoga basket – Yoga mat, yoga blocks, and a yoga membership
Holiday basket – Unique or cute holiday decorations, holiday treats, and
Fan basket – Merchandise from favorite media franchises
HANDMADE
Artwork from local artists related to your niche
Artwork from children your organization serves
Custom & unique jewelry
Cultural items
Handmade quilts
Crocheted items
Local photography prints
Local woodwork
Handmade holiday decorations
Custom painted skateboards, surfboards, shoes, etc.
Handcrafted chess sets
FOOD & DRINK
Specialty liquor, wine, and alcohol
Wine subscription
Custom cakes & cake decoration
Local artisan foods
A year’s supply of a local treat
Meal delivery subscription
SPORTS
Sporting event tickets
Front row sporting event tickets
Rounds of golf for groups
Ski or snowboarding trip
Ski lift passes
Martial arts membership
Sports equipment and outdoor gear
Team jerseys and gear
Custom team jerseys and gear
Ride the Zamboni
Passes for airsoft, paintball, etc.
Private sports lessons
Surf lessons
Archery lessons
Horse riding lessons
Offroad vehicle rentals
Peloton
SCHOOL-THEMED
Reserved seats to graduation or school events
Reserved parking spots
Principal for a day
Librarian for a day
Ride to school in a fire engine
Art projects from students
Chance for student to pull the fire alarm
Different experiences with different teachers (pizza lunch with a teacher, crafts with the art teacher, etc.)
Private tutoring
School spirit package (merchandise from your school store, like T-shirts, sweatshirts, patches, or stationery)
KIDS
Tractor ride or fire engine ride
Visit from a princess or superhero
Bounce house or party rentals
Birthday party experience
Trampoline park passes
Babysitting service
Orthodontic treatments
SERVICES
Car wash voucher - “3 months of car washes”
Car detailing voucher
Oil change vouchers
Photography session
Cleaning or organizing service
Landscaping service
Flower arrangement or delivery
Daycare gift certificate
Massage gift certificate
Spa or sauna gift certificate
Wellness retreat visit
Acupuncture session
Hair cut/hair salon gift certificate
Chiropractor gift certificate
Personal makeover/makeup session
Botox session
Tailor-made suits or dresses
Ancestry or family tree service
CLASSES
Gym training/fitness membership
Personal training class
Yoga or pilates membership
Goat yoga
Cooking class with professional chef
Private lesson with a professional musician
Golf lesson with a pro golfer
Recording session at a studio
Improv or comedy workshop
Sports driving lesson
Calligraphy class
Ceremony class (tea ceremony, etc.)
Nutrition consultation
Craft or pottery class
Dance class
Language class
Photography class
Public speaking workshop
Coding workshop
Shooting range class
Online course subscription
COLLECTIBLES & GAMES
Collectible toys (LEGO, Funko, Barbie, etc.)
Collectible cards (Pokémon, sports cards, etc.)
Collectible figurines and models
Escape room tickets
Dungeons & Dragons experience with professional DM
VR gaming experience
PETS
Dog walking service
Grooming service
Pet costumes
Local or organic pet food & treats
Custom pet portraits
BUSINESS
Business mentoring or lunch with a professional
Shadow a professional
Business portrait photography session
Social media package
Resume service
HOLIDAY
Custom or specialty ornaments
Custom wreaths
Holiday light installation service
Haunted tours
Hay ride or pumpkin patch tour
GENERAL PRODUCTS
Designer bags
Local coffee table books (i.e. a local history book)
Signed books related to your cause
Cooking appliances
Cigars
Unique baby products
Movie theater passes
Lottery tickets
How Can You Secure These Items for Your Auction?
Unsure how to get a hold of your favorite items from the list? Check out our guide on how to procure auction items. You’ll learn 7 strategies for leveraging your network to get better items donated to your auction.
For more more hard-to-get items like vacation packages and luxury experiences, you can browse the Risk-Free Items Marketplace on the CharityAuctions platform. From our marketplace, you can add travel packages and other items to your auction with a single click. These consignment items come at no cost until the item sells.
Create your account and browse our Risk-Free Items Marketplace for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which auction item ideas get the most bids?
Top sellers include unique experiences, travel packages, dining, alcoholic beverages, sports items/experiences, and gift cards.
What are consignment items?
Consignment items are auction items provided by third-party companies, where a certain amount of the final bid has to be paid back to the company. If the item is sold, the “reserve price” amount is paid to the company, while you keep any of the money raised above the reserve price.
This lets you offer premium experiences you otherwise wouldn’t have access to. And it can be a big fundraising opportunity. A consignment item with a reserve price of $2,000 and a final bid of $3,500 still raises $1,500 for your nonprofit.
How do I get auction items donated?
Create a wishlist and ask if your donors would be able to purchase or donate anything on your wishlist. You can also reach out directly to businesses providing these products and services and ask if they'd be willing to donate.
Some companies also provide online donation portals for in-kind donations.
How many items should I offer at my auction?
There’s no right number of items. If the auction is the main attraction at your fundraising event, you’ll want to offer more items. If your auction is running alongside a gala, raffle, or other fundraising activity, smaller amounts of items are okay.
How do I know which auction item ideas my donors will like?
There are two ways you can research what your donors like. First, you can simply ask a few of your donors—“Is this something you’d see yourself bidding on at our auction?”
Second, run an auction and let the numbers speak for themselves. What kinds of items received lots of bids, and which ones barely received any? Make a record of which items were successful so next year’s auction team doesn’t have to start from scratch.
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