5 Things We Want you to Know about Handbid Part 2

In our last post, we began a new Blog Series: "Five Things We Want You To Know about Handbid". The goal of this series is to provide some clarity around some of the things we have heard our competitors say about us which are not entirely accurate. In short, we are sharing our truths.

This week, we will cover ONE TOPIC which is the 3rd of our 5 things that we want you to know about Handbid.

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Five things we want you to know about Handbid (3/5)

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HANDBID IS THE ONLY MOBILE BIDDING PROVIDER THAT GIVES BIDDERS THE CHOICE TO BID FROM AN APP, THE WEB ON THEIR PHONE, A TABLET OR THEIR PERSONAL COMPUTER

BID FROM AN APP OR WEB ON THEIR PHONE

It is true that the vast majority of Handbid bidders will choose to use an app to bid in an auction. Why? Because the experience is so much better than a web page on a phone. However, bidders can simply choose to bid from the web if they want - we have a mobile-optimized version of Handbid. It is just that most people won't make that choice.

You may be thinking - or perhaps a different mobile bidding company told you), that your guests will not want to put an app on their phone in order to bid.

Our typical response is: "No problem, they don't have to put an app on their phone in order to bid. But many of them will choose to."

BID FROM IPADS AT THE EVENT

In addition, we have a kiosk app for the iPad which bidders can use (on their own or with bidding assistants) where they can place bids, manage their account and pay their bill.

BID FROM THE WEB AT HOME

Finally, for users sitting at home, the web version of Handbid works just as well on a desktop computer, meaning that guests can bid at handbid.com from their laptop or desktop computer with ease.

BID FROM ALL THREE!

And, the coolest thing about all of this is that all of these interfaces: mobile app, mobile web, iPad kiosk, and desktop web are all connected in real time - so a bidder can use them all simultaneously!

Here are some common questions / objections we get regarding the Handbid app

Why do we offer an app to bidders?

Well, necessity is the mother of invention. Before Handbid, bidding from an app didn't exist and users only had the choice of bidding from a web site. We built an app because users demanded a better bidding experience and our app provides it. It is designed to keep your bidders engaged and bidding. All messages are real-time, and the experience is fun! And studies shows that bidders LOVE the app. After several hundred-thousand app uses last year alone, over 92% of bidders told us they "loved their Handbid experience”.

We think that many of our competitors don't offer an app because… well building an app is hard to do. Our team has been building apps since 2008 and have launched several into the Apple/Google stores even prior to Handbid. We know how to build apps, and more importantly, how to get them right.

What are the advantages of an app over a web version?

The primary advantage is user experience. Apps are faster, more responsive, and give us more control on creating a user experience your bidders will love. We firmly believe that if your bidders are having fun bidding, they will bid more.

The other main advantage are the PUSH notifications. These are digital messages sent to the phone via Apple/Google messaging system. In addition to being much faster than text messages, they also allow us to create more interactive messages. When an outbid message is received, we VIBRATE the device and PLAY A CUSTOM SOUND. None of those are possible with text messages which are not connected at all to the app.

Will my guests download an app?

Yes. But some of our competitors will tell you that they won't. If they don't want to, IT IS OK! Remember, that bidders don't have to download an app to bid! They can either bid from the web on their phone or use iPads at the event. However, if you are still concerned, don't be. Our experience has shown that guests are way more receptive these days to mobile bidding than you think and will do what it takes to bid in your auction if they are interested. So, your guests who want to bid in your auction, will bid. Those who don't, won't. That intention doesn't change whether an app is involved or not.

The concern over using an app is mostly just that - concern, fear, anxiety that your guests will revolt if you ask them to do something they aren't comfortable with. At your event, you will find guests with all sorts of comfort levels. Some won't want to use their phone (guide them to the iPads), some won't know how to put an app on their phone (do it for them and show them how to use it), and some won't want to do anything, including giving you a credit card (politely thank them for coming and encourage them to check out the auction and get an account if they want to bid). In any and all of these circumstances, your best practice is to positively direct your guests to participate in a way that makes them most comfortable. The key word is "encourage”. If you are relaxed and positive - they will come on board with almost anything you suggest.

So don't be intimidated by the cranky guest. Smile, encourage them to give mobile bidding a try, and provide them with options. Who knows, perhaps after a drink or two, their crankiness will go away and they will be eagerly downloading an app their phone. (We have seen that happen!)

GIVE YOUR BIDDERS THE MOST CHOICE WITH HANDBID

We wouldn't put all of the effort into an app if we didn't believe it would benefit our customers (you). Our goal is not just to automate your auction and the generation of receipts. We also want to get your bidders engaged in your auctions, bidding more, and generating more revenue for you. That is an even greater benefit to mobile bidding than process automation if you ask us. We hope we have effectively made that point.

Handbid lets your bidder bid from anywhere using an app, the web, or iPads at the event. No one else offers options close to that.

So before you succumb to the fear, uncertainty and doubt that other mobile bidding companies like to instill about apps, ask them this question: "So why don't you have an app?” and sit back and hear their excuses. Here are the most common ones we have heard:

• No one uses apps anymore: Not true - mobile users spend over 80% of their time in apps on phones
• The guests coming to your event are older and won't use an app: Even if that were true (it's not!) - most of the older folks are more than content to bid from iPads
• People don't know their iTunes password: We see that on average once per every few hundred guests. Besides, there are ways to put an app on a phone without their iTunes password - JUST ASK!
• People don't have enough space on their phone for an app: Handbid's footprint is tiny - but in all fairness…. I saw this only once and the gentlemen who had the problem was happy to delete a bunch of video games his kids had put on his phone to load Handbid.

Here is what we know:

• Your guests will love Handbid. Check out our ratings in the app stores or look at the graphic above with our in-app review results
• Technology is a part of life. Most people are engaged in technology every day and are no longer afraid of it.
• Handbid will generate more bids per bidder than a web page. It's more fun, engaging, faster, and responsive than any mobile bidding solution presented on a web page.
• Guests continue to get more and more comfortable with technology and technology is accelerating at a fast rate. Are you partnered with a mobile bidding company that will keep pace with these transitions or are you using technology targeted at the least common denominator?

We would love to hear your input!

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