Tags are keywords that describe your auction items and allow for filtering. They’re especially useful if you have a lot of items because, with tags, your bidders can hone in on their specific interests, rather than browsing all of your items at once.
In this article, we’ll share some tags we love, as well as give you some item ideas for each tag.
If you need help creating tags and attaching them to your items, check out our Auction Item Tags article.
And remember, you can have more than one tag per item!
Here are some tags we like, and feel free to create others as needed:
Arts & Collectibles Art is great for a silent auction because bidders can view the pieces at their leisure. You can have art donated by community members or even created for the event by those you serve. Bonus points if you serve artistic children or animals. 😸
Children & Families A gift basket for a family game night, a movie ticket subscription, or theme park tickets are great items that are fun for all ages! 👨👩👧👧
Electronics Any kind of new tech is popular for auctions, but for something a little different, consider an electric bicycle. Or for a more big-ticket item, fill a whole basket with a variety of gadgets. 📱
Entertainment Backstage passes to a concert or lunch with a local celebrity are unique entertainment items with big fundraising potential! 💃
Experiences Lots of things count as “experiences.” Some neat ones we’ve seen include a skydiving excursion, baby goat yoga, and “Famous for a Day.” For that last one, you could arrange for the winner to throw out the first pitch at a baseball game, conduct an orchestra performance, or have a photo shoot with “paparazzi.” 📸
Fashion Couture clothing items, participation in a local fashion show, or advice from a personal shopper are all fun “fashion” auction ideas. 🕶
Food & Drink For a food & drink twist, try putting together a basket of “hometown flavors” to highlight local products and businesses. If you want to entice more specific culinary interests, consider a basket for caffeine addicts or chocolate lovers! 🍰
Health & Fitness Some sessions with a personal trainer, a whitewater rafting excursion, or a Peloton bike are all great fitness items. 🚴♀️
Hobbies Some neat “hobby” items we’ve seen include an at-home candy-making basket, photography equipment, and gifts for bookworms, like a monthly book subscription or an e-reader. And take advantage of multiple tags: Something like a cooking class could be tagged with “Hobbies,” “Food & Drink,” and “Experiences”! 👨🍳
Holidays An in-home visit from your favorite holiday mascot (like Santa or the Easter Bunny) makes for a super fun auction item. Or for Valentine’s Day, consider a singing Valentine! 🎄
Home & Garden Over the past couple of years, making our homes a haven has become more important than ever. An aromatherapy kit, premium appliances, or a meeting with a landscaping consultant are all great choices for virtual auctions, while bidders are browsing from the comfort of their homes! 🏡
Premium Items This is a great “catch all” tag for items with high dollar values or that you just want to flag as special. High-end jewelry or travel packages can be tagged with other categories as well, but make sure your bidders know they are “premium.” ✨
Sports & Recreation Camping gear, golf outings, or a premium picnic basket are great options for your bidders who like to get out in nature. ⛳
Travel Travel packages have huge fundraising potential. But if you want something a little closer to home, consider a package that turns your hometown into a destination: Include a hotel booking, dinner at a great local restaurant, and admission to all the “tourist” spots your bidders might not usually visit. 🚗
Wine & Spirits A gift basket for wine or beer lovers is always a hit! For a more experiential auction package, set up a visit to a local vineyard or brewery. 🥂
We hope this list has gotten your creative juices flowing!
For more great item ideas, check out 50 Silent Auction Basket Ideas to Bring In the Big Bids and 50+ Awesome Auction Item Ideas for Your Next Fundraiser!