Sharing Bidder Numbers
It is possible to have multiple bidders share a bidder# if they are bidding together. Typically, a "couple" would share a bidder# since they do not want to bid against each other. Bidders that share a bidder# are said to be linked.
When adding a bidder manually, you can specify an existing bidder number or modify the bidder number on an already registered bidder to match another bidder without getting an error message.
Linking Bidders
A link bidder button on the bidder details page allows you to choose a bidder to link to the selected bidder.
Bidders can be linked in the following ways:
- manually by changing a bidder# to match another bidder;
- using the Link Bidder button on the Bidder Details page; or,
- using the Link Bidder button on the Check-In Bidders page.
You can also merge bidders from the "Bidder Details" page. Merging bidders is not the same as linking bidders. When you merge two bidders, all activity is moved from one bidder to another, and the second bidder is deleted.
Linking bidders will not delete a bidder.
See the Linking Bidders Versus Merging Bidders page for more information.
Recording Bids
Each bidder will be listed separately in the drop-down and can still be selected individually.
Checkout
When you select a bidder on the Checkout page, all "Linked Bidders" will automatically be pulled into the checkout operation, too.
When you select a bidder, all the bidders with the same bidder number are automatically added to the checkout.
Batch Checkout
A single payment will be processed for all bidders with a bidder number. If there are multiple registered cards, then only one of them is charged.
Bidder Statements
When printing or sending, Bidder Statements, it will always show all the activity for all Linked Bidders.
All activity from the bidders that share a bidder# is listed on the printed or emailed bidder statement. An email statement will be sent to each bidder individually.
Renumbering Bidders
When the bidder renumbering page is used, bidders with the same bidder number will remain as a group. If you renumber based on (for example) first name, then the group's position for renumbering will be based on the bidder in the group with the alphabetically earliest first name.
Importing Bidders
You can specify shared bidder numbers in the file if you import a spreadsheet of bidders just once. It is not recommended to try to import the file multiple times to modify existing bidder records, though. But the system will try and match based on bidder#, then email and name.
Online Bidding
When bidding online, a bidder will also see if a "high bid" is held by themselves, or a bidder they are linked to. Outbid notifications, however, will only go to the bidder that placed the bid.
Auction Web Site
If multiple bidders share an email address, then as long as they share the same bidder number, the user can sign into the auction website for online bidding (previously, this was an error). They will still get an error if the bidders that share an email address do not share a bidder#
When accessing the My Account page, a bidder will see all the activity associated with the bidder number listed.
Last reviewed: November 2023