WHAT DO BENEFIT AUCTIONEERS CHARGE?

Charity Auctioneer Fees

One benefit auctioneer is known to say “there are at least forty-two different ways for charity auctioneers to be compensated.” While this is no doubt a true statement, it’s easier to think of those forty-two ways broken down into just two main categories, one of which most fundraising auctioneers will offer some version of: flat fee and performance-based fee. Andrew Bost Benefit Auctions offers two fee options for clients to choose from.

Flat Fee vs. Performance-Based Fee

The flat fee option couldn’t be simpler. Just a straightforward flat fee. Some of our clients prefer this as it represents a known line item amount that is easy to budget for. You know what the cost is. You can bring a check pre-written on auction night.

The performance-based way of charging is a little more exciting. Think of it as “our fates are married together.” We base the fee on a percentage of Live Auction and Paddles Up revenues. What percentage? It depends on your previous year’s revenues. We charge a percentage which ensures that, if your revenues are the same as last year’s, we make less than our flat fee – we have to make you more money than last year before we break even!

Why offer an option that requires such an uphill start for us to just break even? We’re that confident that we’ll raise substantially more for you than you raised last year! On average, our first-year clients see a 109% revenue increase in Live Auction and Paddles Up over the previous year’s auctioneer. That’s more than twice the prior year, on average! So yeah, we’re taking a risk but usually everyone winds up very happy in the end.

Thinking About Replacing An Auctioneer?

While not our favorite situation, we are often called the week of an event to replace the “free dinner and $200” auctioneer who suddenly realized he didn’t have any free time that night, after all. Choose an auctioneer whose business is built on the success of your charity auction!