If your PTA has collected some prizes, a silent auction can give families a way to bid without an auctioneer calling out each lot. The next decision is how to record those bids.
You can use paper sheets at an event or let people bid online. Both can work. The useful question is which method fits your supporters, the venue and the volunteers who will run it.
A silent auction can use either method
“Silent” describes bidding without a live auctioneer. It does not mean the auction has to use paper, and it does not necessarily mean bids are secret.
In a paper auction, people might write increasing offers on a sheet beside each prize. In an online auction, the website records bids and shows the current position. A sealed-bid auction, where offers are kept private until a deadline, is a different format again; check which format you intend to run.
Before choosing, agree how bids will be accepted, when they will close and how the winner will be decided. Make those details available to bidders whichever method you use.
Compare the practical work
| Decision | Paper bid sheets | Online bidding |
|---|---|---|
| Who can take part? | Usually people who can get to the sheets at the event. | People who receive the link and can access the website, including those elsewhere. |
| What do bidders need? | A readable sheet, a pen and access to the prize display. | A suitable device, internet access and any account the platform requires. |
| How do they check a bid? | Return to the sheet and read the latest valid offer. | Reopen the item; available notifications depend on the platform. |
| What do volunteers prepare? | Descriptions, sheets, pens, clear rules and a way to identify bidders. | Listings, images, bidding settings, payment instructions and a tested link. |
| What happens at closing? | Volunteers stop bidding, collect sheets and check winners. | Bidding closes according to the platform settings; organisers still manage payment and collection. |
| What does it cost? | Printing and materials, plus volunteer time. | Hosting and any applicable payment-processing fees; check the actual plan. |
The table describes common approaches. Platforms differ, so check any feature you plan to rely on before telling families how the auction will work.
When paper may be enough
Paper can be a sensible choice for a small event where the bidders will all be present, the prize display is easy to reach and volunteers have time to check the results afterwards.
It may also suit a venue with unreliable internet access or an audience that prefers not to use phones. Keep the sheets legible, provide enough space for bids and make the minimum next bid clear. Decide how you will contact a winner without displaying unnecessary personal details beside the prize.
The closing process deserves a rehearsal. If guests can continue writing while someone is collecting sheets, you may have an argument about whether a bid arrived in time. State one deadline and make someone responsible for enforcing it consistently.
When online bidding may help
Online bidding is worth considering when you want parents who cannot attend to join in, or when you want the auction to run before and after the event itself.
It also gives bidders a way to revisit prizes without returning to a display. In Aucly, supporters can set a maximum bid and the system can bid on their behalf up to that amount. The proxy-bidding guide explains the details.
You still need to bring your audience. Putting prizes online does not automatically introduce them to new bidders. Share the link through your school’s usual channels and explain what the money will support.
Allow time for people to register and understand the process. Check the venue’s connection and have a volunteer available to help. An online auction can reduce some manual work, but it does not remove prize sourcing, promotion or winner follow-up.
Choose around a real event
Imagine a school quiz night with eight donated prizes and most supporters in the room. There is poor mobile reception, and two volunteers can handle the sheets and collect payments. Paper may be perfectly adequate.
Now imagine the same prizes, but several families cannot attend and the PTA wants bidding open during the week before the quiz. Online bidding gives those families a way to participate and leaves one record of offers before and during the event.
These are illustrative situations, not rules based on the number of prizes. A small online auction can work well, and a larger paper auction can be manageable with enough organisation. The decision turns on access and workload.
Keep one record of bids for each lot
You can display physical prizes at the fair and use online bidding for them. Put the item details and an auction link or QR code beside the display so people know where to bid.
Avoid running a paper sheet and an online listing as independent auctions for the same prize. They can produce competing offers and two apparent winners. If you need a mixed process, establish exactly how it works before launch and verify that your chosen system supports it.
For a straightforward Aucly event, keep the bids online and use the display to help people browse. A QR code is a route to the page; it does not provide internet access or bypass the normal account process.
Decide what happens after bidding closes
Whichever method you choose, agree who will contact winners, when payment is due and how each prize will be collected or redeemed. Include any delivery charges or important restrictions before people bid.
With paper sheets, volunteers need to transfer the results into a reliable payment record. With online bidding, check how the platform lets you track payment and follow up. A displayed winning bid is not the same as money received.
Thank donors after the event and keep useful prize and contact information for the next committee. That work is needed with either method.
If online fits your event
You can create an Aucly auction and start preparing the listings before sharing them with supporters. Check current pricing, including any payment-processing costs, when deciding how much the event will cost.
Our step-by-step PTA auction guide covers the wider planning process once you have chosen the format, and you can see how online auctions for PTAs work end to end.