Have You Ever Donated to a Chinese Auction?

[buckeyefan08]

I was wondering if anyone has ever put anything in a chinese auction before. The booster club at my DD school is doing one and are asking for donations. What should I put in if anything? I was thinking a gift certificate that way they will place an order or better yet book a show to spend it at. I'm just wondering if it would actually be worth it.
Any ideas?

 

[janetupnorth]

Chinese auction? Explain...All I can think of is egg rolls, small buddhas, and chopsticks...

 

[jrstephens]

I think I would do a gift certificate. And make it one only good through you.. Then they have to contact you to spend it and even if it does not get a bigger order, you have made a contact.

With giving away a product you do not get to make personal contact with the winner.

I am with Janet, what is a Chinese Auction?

 

[buckeyefan08]

Your cracking me up... but what is even better is I don't really know how it works either!!!!
I think it's like a silent auction. They have the items out on the table and people put slips with their bid on it into a basket or something. THen the person with the highest bid wins the prize at a set time. The paper sent home from school says Doors will open @ 10am and the auction starts at 2pm.

 

[letscook04]

Chinese Auction is a bunch of baskets from all different places.
You buy tickets and walk around to all the baskets and you put your ticket or tickets in what you like. They then pull one winner for each basket.

I would put a catalog, make your own GC for $25.00 and put little stuff in it. What is nice about making your own GC, you really do not lose any money.
If you need it for this month, I would get a Easter Basket and put your stuff in it.

 

[buckeyefan08]

Thanks Colleen! I was a little confused. I do have stuff I could put in a basket. Do you think it would be worth it though? Do you think they would order more than the $25? I was thinking of making up a flyer or something telling them how to turn it into a show. Funny as it may sound, I have NEVER had a show in the town I live in. Would it be worth doing just to get my name out there?

 

[jrstephens]

The times I have done GC, the person ordered the exact amount of the GC as close as they could get. But I have heard of others getting big orders from them. You just never know.

 

[janetupnorth]

Chinese Auction is a bunch of baskets from all different places.
You buy tickets and walk around to all the baskets and you put your ticket or tickets in what you like. They then pull one winner for each basket.

I would put a catalog, make your own GC for $25.00 and put little stuff in it. What is nice about making your own GC, you really do not lose any money.
If you need it for this month, I would get a Easter Basket and put your stuff in it.

We just call that a table raffle around here.

 

[letscook04]

Thanks Colleen! I was a little confused. I do have stuff I could put in a basket. Do you think it would be worth it though? Do you think they would order more than the $25? I was thinking of making up a flyer or something telling them how to turn it into a show. Funny as it may sound, I have NEVER had a show in the town I live in. Would it be worth doing just to get my name out there?

Your welcome. Here are some GC I have.
It would be worth doing. You will get your name out there. You can put as much as you want and make up a flyer with the up coming Host specials! Cataloge & a business card.

 

[letscook04]

We just call that a table raffle around here.

Funny that everyone does the same thing but calls it something different!
I really don't know why they call it a Chinese Auction. LOL

 

[PCMelissa]

Now that I understand what it is, I think you should do items with a gift certificate as well. I would be worried that people would not see actual stuff and bid on it if it was just a gc. hope that helps!

 

[lkprescott]

DH and I attend an event every year that has a Chinese Auction... for our computer company, we donate a GC... this year (my first with PC during the CA time) I put together a mug and two little baggies of the micro cake with instructions and such. It didn't lead to huge things but the person who won it placed an order when the same organization had their fundraiser. *shrug* I'd be more inclined to do a GC for something through you only. $25 an individual order (through you directly), free cookbook for hosting a show, free show... or whatever you want to offer. Make it nice, put your contact info on there and make sure you find out who wins it so you have their contact info too.

 

[Chef Endora]

I think I would do a gift certificate. And make it one only good through you.. Then they have to contact you to spend it and even if it does not get a bigger order, you have made a contact.

With giving away a product you do not get to make personal contact with the winner.

I am with Janet, what is a Chinese Auction?

I have donated products and even included a coupon and have NEVER gotten a callback. Next time I will print up my own special gift certificate.

One benefit I did do a basket for, I didn't personally go to but had someone purchase & enter tickets for me & I won a spa basket complete with their embroidered robe, products and a gift certificate for spa services!:love:

A chinese auction is where there are tables with donated items. In front of each item is a bag. You purchase tickets and place them in the bags by the items you would like to win. Later, a winner is drawn from the bags for each item.

 

[Chef Endora]

Oops....didn't read to the end of the thread,:blushing:

 

[K_Jurich]

My dd just brought a flyer home from school the other day regarding her school's chinese acution . . .We went last year it was great and the place was packed but now you all just gave me an idea that I should donate a basket this year . . .you are all the best. Since I only started in October I didn't have the opt to do that last year. So for those of you who have donated, what did you donate? Any results?

 

[RCMedic7]

sounds like a wonderful idea!!! let me know how the chinese auction/table raffle goes!!!

 

[ragschef]

My dd just brought a flyer home from school the other day regarding her school's chinese acution . . .We went last year it was great and the place was packed but now you all just gave me an idea that I should donate a basket this year . . .you are all the best. Since I only started in October I didn't have the opt to do that last year. So for those of you who have donated, what did you donate? Any results?

If you want to gain future business from donating your products, do something like a cookbook (make sure your info is in it) and a gift certificate that you've made up that is only redeemable through you. This will almost guarantee a call from the winner. At that point, you can get them to either book and make that certificate go even farther, or even talk to them about signing and using that certificate as a kit credit. If the winner isnt interested in anything but redeeming the certificate, then ask her/him for referrals. the worst they can say is "Nope."

Hope that helps...

 

[buckeyefan08]

I didn't get to do it this year! My DD was out sick Mon. & Tues. they had a snow day on Wed. She brought it home on thurs. and the blizzard we are getting kept me from getting it to the school yesterday. I'm hoping they postpone the auction, it is supposed to be tomarrow and I'm not sure if everyone will be dug out by then!
I wish I had read the paper better!

 

[K_Jurich]

If you want to gain future business from donating your products, do something like a cookbook (make sure your info is in it) and a gift certificate that you've made up that is only redeemable through you. This will almost guarantee a call from the winner. At that point, you can get them to either book and make that certificate go even farther, or even talk to them about signing and using that certificate as a kit credit. If the winner isnt interested in anything but redeeming the certificate, then ask her/him for referrals. the worst they can say is "Nope."

Hope that helps...

Great advise. . . .Thank you.

 

[Dawnmarie]

I am putting together a basket this weekend for one. I am hoping that it turns out good. The dance school is even going to put "for more info..." on the sign for the table in front of my basket. I hope this gets my name out there.