Comprehensive Feature List

    Maximize your revenue by utilizing all of our features

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    Feature Acorn Essentials Plus Professional
    Unique Event Sites
    Separate website for each event allows event-specific customization, reporting & concurrent fundraising
    Subscription provides full access to all event sites (past & active)
    Customizations, settings, records can be migrated (copied) to new event websites
    Choose a homepage template, theme, colors, then add your own images, instructions
    Additional homepage templates & option to add your own CSS
    Event sites/access 1 with 6 months of access 3 with 1 year of access Unlimited with 1 year of access Unlimited with 1 year of access
    Bidding Options
    Bid sheets
    Paddles
    Online (bidders use their own laptop, tablet, phone from anywhere)
    Pre-bidding online; high bids transfer to gala
    Blind (secret) online bidding
    Max (eBay-style) bidding or quick (single) bids
    Extended bidding (automation to ensure all bids in final moments are captured)
    Mobile bidding (bidders use their own smartphone at your gala)
    Proxy bids (for bidders without their own phone or needing assistance)
    Virtual (bidders watch livestream/chat/bid on a single screen)
    Fusion (simultaneous in-person paddle bids & virtual online bids)
    Gala with all smartphone bidding (silent & live)
    Virtual Event Features
    Ultra-low-latency livestream broadcast
    Participants watch livestream, chat, bid & donate on a single screen
    Customizable pre- and post- event display & functions
    Fusion tools support simultaneous in-person paddle bids & virtual online bids
    Fusion tools support simultaneous in-person smartphone & virtual online bids
    Fusion tools support a gala with all smartphone bidding (silent & live)
    Registration Options
    Unlimited guests/participants
    Sell tickets online or enter tickets sold offline
    Import potential guests
    Import guests with tickets $100 add-on
    Send invitations to participate (donate, buy tickets, bid, & more) Email Email Email or Text Email or Text
    Offer add-on options to purchase or donate
    Sign up to bid online
    Donors and Sponsors
    Unlimited donors/sponsors
    Import donors
    Email invitations to donate items or services with a link to the online donation form
    Track procurement requests, results, & send receipts
    Find corporate sponsorship opportunities through Double the Donation’s corporate grants & in-kind donation directory
    Build & sell sponsorship packages that include tickets & items
    Display sponsors on the homepage, in the catalog, & on receipts
    Catalog and Items
    Unlimited items
    Customize form for item entry Basic Basic Pro Pro
    Approve/edit donations submitted online before they are added to catalog
    Enter & configure individual items to sell via competitive bidding, buy now prices, as pay-to-play parties, raffle tickets, or fund-a-need donations
    Offer online paddle raises
    Bundle individual items into packages/lots
    Import items & their donors
    Select a preferred item display: list, tile, compact tiles (bidders' choice)
    Organize catalog menu by Categories > Items for easier browsing of 100+ items
    Organize catalog menu by Class > Categories > Items for easier browsing of 250+ items
    Sell items with variants (eg color/size, date/time, adult/student) & variable prices
    Collect information from buyers of specific Items
    Generate/refine item descriptions with AI
    Print Materials
    Bid sheets & sellable/sign-up sheets for fixed-price items
    Item description sheets (with or without an item image)
    Item description sheets with QR codes for smartphone bidding
    Combination bid & description sheets
    Display a logo or banner image on bid &/or description sheets
    Gift certificates
    Bidder paddles
    Guest labels
    Print catalog (formatted items)
    Event Night Tools
    Advance online check-in
    On-site check-in
    Easy item sales
    On-site checkout
    Smartphone self-checkout
    Will call tools
    Mobile bidding leaderboard
    Mobile bidding dashboard for launching & monitoring bidding, adjusting closing times, & triggering notifications in real time
    Communication and Branding
    Customizable email templates for inviting supporters to participate (without having to create an account)
    Customizable email templates for auto-generated notifications & confirmations
    Create custom email templates (with merge tags) for general event marketing
    Add your logo or banner image on all emails
    HTML emails display consistently across all email providers/inboxes
    Customizable thank-you email template provides personalized transaction details to supporters & donors
    Print & email receipts to donors & supporters
    Send outbid notifications via SMS (text)
    Send internally generated gift certificates to guests via email
    Send Invitations to bid or vote via SMS (text)
    Send custom SMS (text) messages
    Online Payment Processing
    No revenue limits or thresholds
    Credit card processing service Deluxe Deluxe Deluxe or use your own Deluxe or use your own
    Vault credit cards during ticket sales, advance online check-in, or on-site check-in
    Collect optional tips to offset event expenses
    Add optional fees to offset credit card processing costs
    Buy credit card readers
    Request or require vaulted credit card prior to online bidding
    Bulk process vaulted credit cards on all open orders
    Supported Credit Card Gateways
    Deluxe
    Authorize.net
    NMI/Diamond Mind
    iATS
    eProcessing Network
    Merchant e-Solutions
    Moneris
    Vantiv (Elements gateway)
    Bill Highway
    Support
    Comprehensive, illustrated online help documentation
    Unlimited email support
    Phone support on the day of the event
    Phone support Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm PST
    Free weekly live webinars covering getting started, registration & bidding, & event walk-through
    Virtual Event Webinars: weekly sessions covering planning, setup, launching, & managing your Virtual Event
    Quick Start Webinar: a 1-hour personalized training session for your team—learn how to optimize the software for your unique event
    Flight Check Webinar: a 1-hour personalized webinar reviewing your site, data, & settings before your event, plus training for event-night data entry team
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    Events & Fundraisers Supported


    Event Type Acorn Essentials Plus Professional
    In-person gala auction
    Golf tournaments
    Point of sale
    Online auctions
    Gala auctions with online pre-bidding
    Gala auctions with mobile/smartphone bidding
    Gala events with mobile/smartphone voting contests
    Virtual live auctions
    Fusion auctions with in-person & virtual attendance/bidding
    Fundraising Campaigns
    Text-to-Give access for each fundraising campaign
    Online store
    Recurring (sustaining) donations
    Number of Campaign Pages Included 1 3 Unlimited Unlimited
    Online donation page
    Crowdfunding
    Embeddable donation button to promote your campaign(s)
    Membership dues
    Annual giving
    Pre-orders
    Simple ticket sales
    Athons
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    Pricing Details


    Fee Type Acorn Essentials Plus Professional
    Annual subscription $0 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000
    Event fee $79 $0 $0 $0
    Performance fee 3% 0% 0% 0%
    Credit card processing 3% + $0.30 3% + $0.30 Use your own
    OR
    3% + $0.30
    Use your own
    OR
    3% + $0.30
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