Risk-free consignment items are an easy and powerful way to add high-value experiences and premium items to your auction without any upfront cost or financial risk.
CharityAuctions includes a built-in library of consignment items that you can browse and add to your event with just a few clicks.
What Are Risk-Free Consignment Items
Risk-free consignment items are items provided by trusted third-party vendors that you can include in your auction at no cost.
These items:
• Are supplied by professional consignment providers
• Require no upfront purchase
• Only require payment if they are sold
• Include travel packages, experiences, and premium items
• Add value and excitement to your auction with zero risk
They allow your auction to feature high-end items without your organization needing to buy anything in advance.
How Consignment Items Work
Each consignment item includes a vendor-set minimum cost.
When an item sells:
• The bidder pays the full winning amount
• The vendor receives their required minimum cost
• Your nonprofit keeps the amount above that cost as profit
This structure ensures your organization can only gain revenue, never lose money.
Browsing Available Risk-Free Items
CharityAuctions makes it simple to find and use consignment items because they are already preloaded into your account.
To browse available items:
- Open your auction dashboard.
- Click Item Management in the left menu.
- Select Risk Free Items.
- Browse hundreds of available consignment items.
This section includes a wide variety of experiences and packages that are ready to be added to your auction immediately.
Adding a Risk-Free Item to Your Auction
Adding a consignment item is quick and requires almost no setup.
To add an item:
- Go to Item Management > Risk Free Items.
- Browse or search for the item you want.
- Click to add the item to your auction with one click.
- Open the item in your Item Catalog.
- Assign the item to a time block.
- Change the Item Status to Active.
- Save your changes.
The item will now appear in your live auction just like any other auction item.
What Happens If a Consignment Item Sells
CharityAuctions handles the entire payment process automatically.
When a consignment item sells:
- The winning bidder pays through CharityAuctions.
- CharityAuctions collects the full payment.
- The consignment company is paid their required cost directly.
- Your nonprofit receives the remaining profit.
You do not need to manually calculate or send payments to the vendor. Everything is handled for you.
How Fees Are Calculated
Consignment items have special fee handling.
For these items:
• CharityAuctions only charges platform fees on the profit portion
• No fees are charged on the consignment vendor cost
• The vendor cost is passed through directly
• Your organization keeps the remaining profit
This ensures you are only charged fees on money your nonprofit actually raises.
What Happens If a Consignment Item Does Not Sell
Consignment items are completely risk-free.
If an item does not sell:
• You owe nothing to the vendor
• No payment is collected
• There are no platform fees
• There is no financial obligation at all
The item simply remains unsold with no cost to your organization.
Benefits of Using Consignment Items
Adding risk-free items to your auction can help you:
• Offer exciting, high-value experiences
• Increase bidder interest and engagement
• Raise more money with no upfront investment
• Expand your catalog quickly and easily
• Avoid any financial risk from unsold items
• Simplify payouts and accounting
Because CharityAuctions handles payments and payouts automatically, using consignment items is simple and stress-free.
Best Practices
For the best success with consignment items:
• Choose items that match your audience
• Assign items to appropriate time blocks
• Set the item status to Active as soon as you add them
• Promote these items in emails and social media
• Use clear descriptions and images
• Highlight them as featured auction items
Well-promoted consignment items often become top performers in an auction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are risk-free consignment items?
They are vendor-provided items that you can add to your auction with no upfront cost and no obligation if they do not sell.
Where do I find available consignment items?
You can browse them under Item Management > Risk Free Items in your auction dashboard.
How do I add one to my auction?
Simply click to add the item, assign it to a time block, and set the Item Status to Active.
What happens if a consignment item does not sell?
Nothing. You owe nothing and have no financial responsibility.
Who collects payment from the bidder?
CharityAuctions collects the payment directly from the winning bidder.
How are payouts handled?
CharityAuctions automatically pays the consignment company their cost and sends your nonprofit the remaining profit.
Are fees charged on the full item price?
No. Fees are only charged on the profit portion, not on the vendor cost.
Do I need to manually pay the consignment vendor?
No. CharityAuctions handles all vendor payments automatically.
If you need help browsing, adding, or promoting risk-free consignment items, CharityAuctions support is always available to assist.
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