How to Collect Payment for Unpaid Silent Auction Items

When a donor’s payment fails at auction close, Trellis automatically notifies them. This article explains how to follow up with those donors and manage unpaid items manually, including how to award the item to the next bidder if needed.

Understanding What Happens When a Payment Fails

When your silent auction closes, Trellis attempts to automatically charge the credit card on file for each winning bidder.

If a payment fails (e.g., due to a card error or expired payment method):

• Trellis sends the donor an email and SMS with a secure link to complete payment

• The organization also receives an email notification listing all items where payment failed

• The auction item is added to the winner’s cart, where they can complete the transaction manually

How to Identify Unpaid Auction Items

Go to your Dashboard, then navigate to Results > Auctions > Bids.

• Use the “Only Show Winners” filter to isolate winning bids

• Each entry will be labeled Paid or Unpaid

• You can also use the Export option to download your results and track follow-ups outside the platform

How to Follow Up with Donors

To manually request payment from a donor:

• Click the three-dot menu beside their name in the bid table

• Select Message Bidder

Here’s a template you can use:

Hi [first name],

Thank you for participating in our auction! It looks like your payment was not completed on the credit card that you used when creating your bidding account. No worries, you can still pay for your item here. 

Click this link [your Trellis fundraising page link] and look for the cart icon in the top right corner of the page. You will see what items you have won and will be able to check out again. 

This article should help you answer any questions you may have, or feel free to reach out to me for help as well. 

Thanks

[your name]

Confirming Payment or Awarding the Item to the Next Bidder

Once a donor completes their payment:

• Their status in the Bids table will update to Paid

• You don’t need to take any additional action

If the donor is unable or unwilling to pay:

• Use the “Award to Next Bidder” option in the three-dot menu to offer the item to the runner-up

• The new bidder will receive the same automated notification with a secure link to pay

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Trellis send automatic reminders after the initial message?
No. Only one notification is sent at auction close when payment fails.

Can we send reminders through Trellis instead of our email client?
Not at this time. Follow-up emails must be sent manually through your email platform.

Does Trellis track how many reminders have been sent?
No. Trellis does not monitor email activity sent through your personal or organizational email accounts.