Auctions are a great way to increase earning potential by offering items to the highest bidder. At this time, Shopify does not offer any built-in feature that will allow users to carry out auctions in their stores. It would be reasonable to assume that this feature will be added in time, but for now, users must rely on third-party creators for apps. Right now, there are two well-documented options sellers can try out if they would like to host an auction in their store.
Product Auction
The product auction app integrates with your existing Shopify store and makes it quite simple to create auction listings from products already on your website. The app developers make it simple to use and only require a few details from you to create the listings. To create a more unique experience, this app includes a couple notable auction features:
- Proxy Bidding – allows users to set a maximum bid, with their bids increasing in increments over time until the maximum amount is reached.
- Popcorn bidding – If a bid is made within the last five minutes of an auction, there will automatically be three minutes added to the time. This prevents anyone from losing due to any technical reasons.
This app might be over budget for some, with a $30 monthly subscription fee. However, for anyone curious to try it out, they offer a 7-day free trial. While it might seem pricey, it might be worth it for those looking to hold auctions on a regular basis. There is no limit to the number of auction items you list and your product pages are updated in real-time. You don’t need to worry about updating anything as bids come in and winners are announced.
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Tipo Product Auction
The Tipo product auction app is a very similar auction app with a lot of the same functionality as the Product Auction app. You will find this app also allows for customization like setting bid increments, reserve or minimum prices, as well as buyouts and dynamic closing.
Perhaps one of the most notable features of the Tipo Product Auction app is the email functionality. You can send email notifications to bidders and interested parties each time a new action takes place. It doesn’t take a marketing degree to know how useful this feature is. Direct notification drastically increases the chances of someone placing a higher bid, or even agreeing to a buyout. People that tend to gravitate towards auctions are often in it for the thrill. Receiving real-time updates will only reinforce this excitement and maybe even create an experience that keeps a customer returning for the next one.
This app also offers a 7-day free trial for anyone who is uncertain about making a commitment to an unfamiliar app. With its simple to use interface and detailed activity dashboard, the Tipo Product Auction app is a great alternative for those looking to integrate auctions in their Shopify stores.
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Conclusion
It might be disappointing that Shopify doesn’t currently have a built-in auction feature for its users. However, many helpful Shopify tools are found in their app store, contributed to by experienced developers all over the world. These auction apps are carefully designed and are currently being used by many Shopify sellers that want to bring an edge to their store with online auctions.