| Auctions have long been a staple in the toolkit of | | | | nonprofits to run fundraising auctions. CMarket - |
| nonprofit development professionals. The emergence | | | | offers services emphasizing the importance of |
| of ubiquitous online access have made online auctions | | | | bidders, donors and sponsors, and their respective |
| an excellent vehicle for nonprofits and charities to | | | | roles in a successful auction. Their Website is a |
| raise funds while engaging stakeholders and other | | | | valuable source of fundraising auction tips. |
| consituencies in their causes. eBay, the leader | | | | ************************************ |
| platform for online auctions also provides a number | | | | Before you purchase any eBay course, find out when |
| of offerings for running nonprofit auctions. Running a | | | | the course was written. If it was written in 2004, for |
| charity auction on eBay is simple, but getting the | | | | instance, you don't want it. Even though that hasn't |
| most from your efforts involves developing a | | | | been very long ago, eBay changes so fast that much |
| strategy and understanding the ins and outs of eBay. | | | | of the information will not be relevant. However, if |
| Luckily eBay provides lots of information on how to | | | | the original issue of the course was written several |
| be successful using their services. | | | | years ago, but the course is updated each year, this |
| There are numerous eBay courses that are available | | | | will probably be a good course for you. |
| on the Internet today. These books and courses are | | | | Again, use care when purchasing eBay courses. They |
| designed to help you become more successful on | | | | can be quite helpful and enlightening, but only if the |
| eBay. Unfortunately, not all of these courses are | | | | information in them is still good. Talk to other eBay |
| worth the money that you will pay for them. Some | | | | sellers - preferably successful ones - to find out what |
| of them are full of what used to be good information | | | | courses are recommended. |
| - when it was relevant - and others are simply junk | | | | Michael Saunders has an MBA from the Stanford |
| information, written by someone trying to make a | | | | Graduate School of Business. He edits a site on |
| quick buck. | | | | Fundraising Auction Tips and is president of |
| ************************************ | | | | Information Organizers, LLC. |
| In addition to eBay, other vendors offer vehicles for | | | | |