What Happens When My Auction Ends

Direct answer: At the scheduled end time, bidding closes automatically, winning bidders are determined, invoices are created, and notification emails are sent. Your job after that is collecting payments and wrapping up.

To close early or finalize manually, see How to Close Bidding and Finalize Winners.

When your auction reaches its scheduled end time, several important actions happen automatically inside CharityAuctions.

Understanding what occurs at the end of your event will help you prepare for collecting payments and wrapping up your auction successfully.

Bidding Automatically Closes

As soon as your auction end time arrives:

• All bidding is immediately stopped
• No new bids can be placed
• The highest bidder on each item becomes the winner
• Buy It Now options are no longer available

This process is completely automatic and requires no action from the auction administrator.

Winning Bidders Are Determined

At the moment the auction ends:

1. The system reviews all items in the auction
2. The highest valid bid for each item is locked in
3. Those bidders are officially marked as winners
4. Each winner is assigned the items they won

The results are final based on the bids that were in place at the closing time.

Invoices Are Automatically Created

After the auction closes, CharityAuctions automatically generates invoices for all winning bidders.

This includes:

• A summary of items each bidder won
• The total amount due
• Any applicable taxes or fees
• Payment options based on your auction settings

Bidders can then log in to pay their invoices directly online.

Notification Emails Are Sent

Once the auction ends, the system automatically sends important emails:

• Winning bidders receive invoices and payment instructions
• Non-winning bidders may receive notifications depending on your settings
• Administrators can review results and payment status

These automated messages help keep the checkout process organized and efficient.

What You Should Do After the Auction Ends

Although the closing process is automatic, there are a few important steps for administrators to complete.

After your auction ends, you should:

1. Review the auction results and winning bidders
2. Monitor incoming payments from bidders
3. Follow up with any unpaid invoices if needed
4. Arrange pickup, delivery, or fulfillment of items
5. Generate reports for your records

These steps will help you complete your event smoothly and collect all funds efficiently.

If You Need More Time

If you decide you want to extend your auction, you can do so before it ends.

Options include:

• Changing the auction end time
• Enabling popcorn bidding
• Adjusting item closing settings

Once the auction has officially ended, bidding cannot be reopened.

If you need help managing payments or reviewing auction results after your event ends, Contact Support is always available to assist.