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Understand: What Happens After Your Auction Ends

A complete walkthrough of the post-auction sequence — from automatic winner charging through fund availability and follow-up.

When your Auction ends, RallyUp takes care of the most time-sensitive steps automatically. This article explains the full closing sequence so you know what to expect, what RallyUp handles on your behalf, and what still needs your attention.

Overview

When your Auction’s end time arrives, RallyUp immediately begins processing payments for all winning bidders. You don’t need to trigger this — it happens automatically. From there, a short sequence of events unfolds: receipts go out, any payment issues surface, winner and non-winner notifications are sent (automatically or manually, depending on how you set up your Campaign), and funds begin moving to your account according to your payment processor’s schedule.

The sections below walk through each stage in order.

Step 1: Automatic Winner Charging

The moment your Auction ends, RallyUp charges all winning bidders’ saved payment methods at once. Every donor who placed a winning bid had their payment information stored securely when they entered their first bid — that’s what makes same-moment charging possible for all items.

Along with each charge, RallyUp automatically sends the winner a payment receipt. If you added Fair Market Value to your Auction items during setup, that information is included on the receipt, giving winners the documentation they need to claim a potential tax deduction.

📝 Note: Adding Fair Market Value to items before your Auction closes is the easiest way to ensure receipts are complete. You can add it after the fact, but you’ll need to resend receipts manually. See How Do I Add Fair Market Value to Auction Receipts for Tax Deductions?

Step 2: Payment Failure Handling

Most payments process without issue. Occasionally, a winning bidder’s card will fail — common reasons include a card that expired between the time the bid was placed and the time the Auction ended, a card that reached its limit, or a card that was frozen.

When a payment fails, both you and the donor receive an automatic email notification. The donor’s email includes a link to update their payment information and resubmit. You can also reprocess the payment on a donor’s behalf from your Campaign Management Menu.

For the full process — including how to resubmit payments and what to do when a donor can’t be reached — see these articles:

Step 3: Winner and Non-Winner Notifications

You choose during Campaign Setup whether winner and non-winner notifications are sent automatically or manually.

Automatic notifications are sent on the date and time you specified in your Campaign Setup. This is the default option and requires no action from you after the Auction ends.

Manual notifications mean RallyUp does not send any emails — you contact winners and non-winners yourself, in whatever way works best for your event.

Either way, there’s an important distinction to know: Auction winner notification emails use a standard template and cannot be customized. This is different from Raffle and Sweepstakes notifications, which do support customization. If you want to send winners a personalized message — for example, to include item pickup instructions or a personal note — choose manual notification and reach out directly.

💡 Tip: Even if you chose automatic notifications for winners, you can still follow up personally afterward. A brief, personal message from your organization after a donor wins an item is a great stewardship touchpoint.

For step-by-step instructions and to view examples of the winner and non-winner notifications, see:

Step 4: Fund Availability

The timeline for when funds become available in your bank account depends on your payment processor (Stripe or PayPal) and the payout settings you’ve configured with them. RallyUp does not control payout timing or determine whether funds are released per transaction or in a lump sum — those details are governed by your Stripe or PayPal account settings.

If you’re unsure when to expect your funds, check your payout schedule directly in your Stripe or PayPal dashboard.

📝 Note: If this is your first Auction, your first payout may take longer than subsequent ones while your payment processor completes any initial account verification steps.

Post-Auction Checklist

Use this as a quick reference once your Auction ends. Work through it in order — addressing payment failures early gives donors the best chance to resolve issues while the event is still fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

When exactly are winners charged?

All winning bidders are charged simultaneously the moment your Auction’s end time arrives. RallyUp processes these automatically — you don’t need to do anything to trigger it.

What if a winner’s payment fails?

Both you and the donor receive an automatic email notification. The donor can update their payment information and resubmit directly from the email. You can also reprocess the payment on their behalf from your Campaign Management Menu. See Understand: What to Do If a Donor’s Credit Card Fails for the full process.

Can I customize the winner notification email?

No. Auction winner notification emails use a standard template and cannot be customized. If you want to send a personalized message — for example, with item pickup details or a personal thank-you — select manual notification during Campaign Setup and reach out to winners yourself. Raffle and Sweepstakes notifications do support customization, but this does not apply to Auctions.

How soon will I receive the funds from my Auction?

Fund availability depends on your payment processor (Stripe or PayPal) and the payout settings you have configured with them. RallyUp does not control payout timing. Check your Stripe or PayPal dashboard for your specific payout schedule.

Can I resend a receipt to a winner?

Yes. You can resend a receipt to any Auction winner at any time. See How-to: Resend Auction Winner Receipts for instructions.

Do I need to contact winners about picking up their items?

Yes — item delivery and pickup coordination happens outside of RallyUp. Once a winner is charged and notified, it’s up to you to arrange how and when they’ll receive their item.

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