You have done everything right. You solicited 40 items, promoted the event, and set up an online auction so bidders do not have to crowd around tables. Then you send the link the night of the event - and half the room never bids because downloading an app is one step too many.
This is not hypothetical. It happens at almost every auction that requires an app download.
The friction math
Research on mobile conversion consistently shows that each additional step in a flow reduces completion by 20% or more. For a silent auction, the math is brutal:
- Click a link → bid: most people do it
- Download an app → create an account → bid: a large share of people do not bother
Think about the room. You have parents who came straight from work. Grandparents who do not add apps. Teachers who left their phone in a bag. Every one of them is a potential bidder - and every friction point you add is a reason they stay on the sidelines.
The irony is that these same people check Instagram, read email, and shop online from their phones constantly. The phone is not the problem. The app download is the problem.
What phone-browser bidding actually looks like
When bidding works through a phone browser, the flow is: tap the link, enter a name and email, start bidding. That is it. No app store. No account password. No permission prompts.
The experience loads the same way a restaurant menu or a sports score page loads - instantly, in the browser they already have open. For a parent standing in a school gym with a drink in one hand, that difference is everything.
For the volunteers running the event
Lower friction does not just help bidders. It reduces the number of people asking for help at the registration table. It means less time walking older guests through an install process. It means the auction closes with more competitive bids because more people participated.
The goal of auction software is to disappear into the background and let the event run. An app that needs to be downloaded before the bidding starts is the opposite of that.
A note on repeat events
One argument for requiring an app is that returning bidders already have it installed. That argument assumes your bidder list is stable year over year, which is rarely true for school events. New families join every year. Friends of friends show up. A phone-browser approach means every single attendee can bid without a conversation at the door.
What to look for
When evaluating auction tools, test the bidder experience from your own phone before you commit. Open the bidder link in Safari or Chrome with no account. How many taps does it take to place your first bid? If the answer is more than three, keep looking.
MyGiveKit is built so bidders join from the phone already in their pocket - no download, no complicated setup. The result is higher participation, more competitive bidding, and less explaining to do on event night.