Setting up a Placeholder
Placeholder auctions can be used to allow users to register for an auction but not bid on the items before a specified date. Use the following instructions to set up a placeholder auction:
- Create your auction
- Create a placeholder lot with Item number set to be Lot 0 and use a title, summary, description and image that will give an overall impression of the auction, or featured item image, etc. at your discretion.
- Ideally, this item can be created as a Listing with the purchase option set to None, which will allow users to register for the auction but prevent them from bidding on the placeholder lot by accident. Alternatively, some clients use this as a 'test' lot to enable bidders to try out the bidding process before the rest of the auction goes live.
- Set Lot 0 to be LIVE, and approve the auction.
At this point, the auction will appear in the Auction Calendar, and users will be able to register using the login / registration links on Lot 0, as below:
Adding the Real Items
Once the placeholder / Lot 0 item is in place and showing as live:
- Add all your real items
- Leave them in PREVIEW status
- Your item list should appear as below:
Go Live and Allow Bidding
Once you are ready for bidding to commence:
- Approve all the real items (select all and press the grey Approve button)
- Withdraw the placeholder / Lot 0
Once these steps have been completed, the real items will appear in the auction as normal, bidders will be able to start bidding on the real items as well as being able to watch them.