App Hosts Charity Auctions On Facebook

When it comes to bidding on charity auction items, Facebook users won't have to leave the comforts of their favorite social networking site to do so anymore. Charity Bids, an organization that provides nonprofits fundraising platforms, announced the launch of Charity Auctions Tuesday, a Facebook application that enables nonprofits to host their auctions and events right on their page, without redirecting users to the organization's website.
"Few charities are properly utilizing the power of social media platforms such as Facebook," Israel Schachter, co-founder and CEO of Charity Bids, said in a release. "By making use of this simple fundraising app, charities will now be able to engage their supporters through their Facebook fan page, take advantage of Facebook's viral marketing tools and gain support from millions of people that are otherwise beyond their reach."
Though auctions only make up about 1 percent of philanthropic giving in the U.S., the New York Times reported earlier this year, experts say that it’s a great way to auction off big-ticket items that shoppers wouldn’t others have access to, such as meeting celebrities or buying a Mercedes that’s not yet on the market.
Tom DiNardo, chief executive and owner of DiNardo & Lord Auctioneers in Seattle, told the news outlet that when it comes to purchasing auction items, customers lean toward “experiential items that someone cannot go to the store and purchase.”