NEW YORK – LiveAuctioneers, whose online bidding platform is used by more than 6,000 auction houses and reaches millions of bidders worldwide, is offering special assistance both to clients and charitable organizations as COVID-19 continues to wield its devastating impact on businesses and communities.

“The team at LiveAuctioneers is committed to helping auction houses navigate the unprecedented circumstances that are restricting their ability to conduct in-person gallery previews and sales,” said LiveAuctioneers CEO Phil Michaelson. “Auction house owners are extremely concerned about the welfare of their customers, employees and communities, so many are replacing in-person sales with online-only events on LiveAuctioneers.com. They’re taking these steps to sustain their local businesses and keep team members employed, while also doing their part to flatten the curve. At LiveAuctioneers, we’ve immediately implemented supportive measures that bring in more buyers, relieve some of the financial pressures auction houses may be feeling, and generate proceeds for COVID-19 relief efforts.”

The LiveAuctioneers stimulus package includes waiving listing fees through April 30 for any auction company’s first automated, online-only auction facilitated by LiveAuctioneers, and creating a custom website for the client at no charge.

For those auction houses that may be short-staffed or working remotely, LiveAuctioneers’ cloud technology is making it possible for them to run their auctions with minimal overhead while reaching millions of online auction bidders. Streamlined capabilities include:

• Automated bidder approvals: Global approval settings enable auction houses to automatically approve bidders based on custom criteria they set.
• Online payment collection: LiveAuctioneers Payments allows bidders to pay for purchases with credit card.
• Automated payments: Funds from winning bidders with credit cards on file can be automatically collected through LiveAuctioneers’ Autopay function.
• Postsale channels: Unsold auction merchandise can get another chance via LiveAuctioneers’ Buy-it-Now and Live-to-eBay solutions.
• Instant communication with bidders: LiveAuctioneers’ new Announcement feature allows auction houses to share critical updates with bidders through on-page messages and email alerts, such as updates on shipping and pick-up.

To give bidders an additional incentive to bid online, all new-bidder first purchases made through April 30 will generate a substantial charitable donation from LiveAuctioneers.. Eighty percent of LiveAuctioneers’ proceeds from first-time online purchases (*conditions apply) will be donated to organizations supporting COVID-19 response efforts, including the World Health Organization COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Learn more at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/flattenthecurve/.   

Auctioneers who would like to learn more about automated online-only auctions are encouraged to contact LiveAuctioneers by calling 888-600-BIDS (2437), ext. 2; or emailing support@liveauctioneers.com. Anyone who would like to stay inside and support local businesses, with a portion of proceeds going to COVID-19 relief, can see upcoming auctions of art, jewelry, collectibles and more at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/.

* First-time customers only, limit of one per household. Applicable to first item purchased now through April 30, 2020 12AM EDT. Eighty percent of LiveAuctioneers’ net revenue from the first item won will be donated to charity. Maximum donation of $1,000.00 per household.