What are No Risk Auction Items?
​One of the biggest challenges of planning a fundraising event is securing auction items that your guests will be excited about. Many charities include no risk auction items such as sports memorabilia, celebrity memorabilia, and vacation packages in their auctions so that they can have unique items that will enhance their auctions without having to pay any upfront cost for the items.
How Does the Consignment Process Work?
​The consignment process varies depending on the company that you work with. If you decide to feature no risk items in your auction it is important to understand each step of the process including when you will receive the items, when you will need to provide payment for items that are sold, and how any unsold items will be returned after your event.
​What Kind of Results Can I Expect from No Risk Auction Items?
Based on my twenty-five years of experience providing no risk auction items to non-profit organizations I have learned that greater customization should equal higher expectations.
At many events in northern California, a Joe Montana hand signed San Francisco 49er’s jersey is likely to generate a significant amount of donations. If you are planning a similar event in the Seattle, Washington area the Montana jersey will do well for you but not nearly as well as an item that is hand signed by Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
The geographic location of your event is not the only factor that should be considered when selecting no risk auction items. Another important factor is the starting bid price of the items. For most events, we recommend that you feature items with a wide range of starting bid prices so that all your guests can have fun by participating in the auction and helping to raise money for your cause. However, some organizations will be more successful with only lower priced or only higher priced items.
​Are You Considering Including No Risk Items in Your Auction?
​If you think that no risk items including memorabilia or vacation packages might make great additions to your auction please check out these strategies for selecting the best provider to partner with.
​• Conduct research online about no risk auction companies and ask them to provide you with references.
• If you are going to feature sports or celebrity memorabilia ask the company to describe the certificate of authenticity that will come with each item. Every company provides some type of certificate but certificates from well-known companies that have done signings with the athletes and celebrities and certificates from respected authentication companies like PSA/DNA and Beckett are far superior to generic certificates of authenticity.
• Be sure to choose a company that can customize the selection of items so that it is a perfect fit for your event.
Justin Dennis is the President and co-founder of DSC Consulting. Since 1993, DSC Consulting has generated excellent results for thousands of nonprofit organizations by providing them with no risk auction items including hand signed, authenticated sports and celebrity memorabilia.
If you have any questions or would like to receive additional information about how to make your upcoming fundraiser more successful, you may email Justin at justin@noriskcharityauctions.com or call 512 829 5412.