Setting up Auction at Shipturtle

🔄 Navigation Flow: Accessing Subscription & Billing & Enabling Auction Add-On in Shipturtle

1. Login to Dashboard

Once logged in, you'll land on the Shipturtle Dashboard, where you can monitor orders, vendors, and overall store activity.

2. Go to Settings

• From the left-hand navigation panel, click on ⚙️ Settings.
  
  
• This will open the main configuration panel for your store’s operational features.
  
  

3. Navigate to "Subscription & Billing"

• Inside Settings, click on Subscription & Billing.
  
  
• Here, you’ll see:
  
  
  
  • Your current plan details
    
    
  • Usage limits
    
    
  • Payment method settings
    
    
  • Access to invoice history
    
    

4. Enable Auction Add-On

• In the Add-Ons section under Subscription & Billing, locate the Auction Module.
  
  
• Click “Enable” or “Upgrade to Include Auction” depending on your plan.
  
  
• Confirm payment (if applicable).
  
  

5. Return to Dashboard

• Once enabled, the Auction Add-On becomes active and visible from your main dashboard.
  
  
• A new section labeled “Auctions” (or “Manage Auctions”) will now appear in your left-hand menu or dashboard cards.
  
  
• You can now create, manage, and monitor auctions directly from here.

🔧 General Configuration

Getting started with your auction setup is simple. Shipturtle gives you the flexibility to configure your auction settings to align with your store’s branding and operational needs.

Here’s what you can do:

• Enable automation rules to streamline auction processes like auto-ending, bid restrictions, or reassigning winners—saving you time and reducing manual work.
  
  
• Restrict repeated bidding from the same user to ensure fair competition and prevent users from dominating the auction.
  
  
• Set maximum auction durations per vendor (in multi-vendor setups), helping maintain consistency and preventing vendors from running indefinite auctions.
  
  

These foundational settings help you maintain control, customize the experience, and ensure every auction runs smoothly from start to finish.

🎨 Widget & Design Customization

Your auction widget is what customers interact with—so making it visually appealing and informative is key. Shipturtle gives you full control over the look, feel, and content of the auction display, with real-time customization tools.

Here’s what you can do:

• Choose what information to show or hide, including the auction’s start/end time, total bid count, next minimum bid, and “Add to Cart” button.
  
  
• Customize the widget layout, update button text, and rename labels to match your store’s tone and branding.
  
  
• Preview changes instantly using the live widget editor—no need to publish first.
  
  
• Use color highlights to visually differentiate customers by status: leading, actively bidding, or not participating—making the experience more intuitive and engaging.
  
  

With these design tools, you can create a seamless, branded auction experience that fits naturally into your Shopify storefront.


🎨 How to Add the Auction Widget to Your Shopify Theme

To display live auctions on your product pages, you'll need to add the Shipturtle auction widget to your Shopify theme using the theme customizer. Here's how:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Log in to Your Shopify Admin Panel
   Go to your Shopify store’s backend.
   
   
2. Navigate to Online Store > Themes
   In the left-hand menu, click on “Online Store”, then select “Themes” under the Sales Channels section.
   
   
3. Click “Customize” on Your Live Theme
   Find the theme you're currently using and click the “Customize” button.
   
   
4. Go to Product Template
   In the top dropdown (or left-side panel), select Product Pages to edit the layout for your product listings.
   
   
5. Add the Shipturtle Auction Widget Section
   
   
   
   • Click “+ Add Section” on the left panel.
     
     
   • Look for and select “Auction Card – Shipturtle” from the list.
     
     
   • Once added, drag and drop the section to your desired position on the product page (ideally below the price or product description).
     
     
6. Save Your Changes
   After placing and configuring the widget, click the “Save” button in the top-right corner.

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📬 Mail, Label, & SMTP Configuration

Clear and timely communication is key to a great auction experience—and Shipturtle makes it easy to stay in touch with bidders at every stage.

Here’s what you can configure:

• Customize automated emails for different auction events, like when a customer places a bid, wins or loses an auction, or receives a reminder.
  
  
• Edit subject lines and message content for each email to reflect your brand voice and keep messaging consistent.
  
  
• Connect your own SMTP server to improve email deliverability and ensure important auction updates don’t land in spam folders. It also helps you avoid email caps that come with standard platforms.
  
  

This setup gives you full control over how your store communicates with bidders—keeping them informed and engaged while reinforcing your brand identity.

How to Add Auctions (Individually & in Bulk)

➕ Create Individual Auctions

Starting a new auction is quick and intuitive with Shipturtle. You can easily set up individual product auctions with just a few steps:

1. Click “+Create Auction” in your admin panel.
   
   
2. Choose the product(s) you want to auction.
   
   
3. Set the auction timeline, including start and end dates, bidding increment rules, and base pricing.
   
   
4. Enable optional features like proxy bidding, reserve pricing, popcorn extensions, or Buy Now options—based on your strategy.
   
   

This simple setup gives you full control over each auction, letting you tailor every detail to fit the product and your sales goals.

📥 Bulk Upload via CSV

Need to create multiple auctions at once? Shipturtle makes it easy with a CSV bulk upload feature—perfect for managing large product catalogs efficiently.

Here’s how it works:

• Upload a single CSV file containing all the product details and auction settings.
  
  
• Use the included sample template to make sure your data is correctly formatted and all required fields are covered.
  
  
• If there are any issues with your file, you’ll receive an email outlining the errors so you can quickly make corrections and re-upload.
  
  

This bulk upload option saves time, reduces manual effort, and helps you launch auctions for dozens—or even hundreds—of products in just minutes.

🧹 Bulk Actions

Managing multiple auctions doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Shipturtle’s Bulk Actions feature lets you make updates across several auctions in just a few clicks—saving you effort and improving efficiency.

With bulk controls, you can:

• Update auction times and pricing across selected products without editing each one individually.
  
  
• Delete outdated or cancelled auctions in batches to keep your dashboard clean and organized.
  
  
• Finish multiple auctions at once, instantly closing them and triggering winner notifications and follow-up workflows.
  
  

Whether you’re running flash auctions or managing seasonal campaigns, these tools make large-scale auction management simple and streamlined.

🆕 Restart or Clone Failed Auctions

Not every auction goes as planned—and that’s okay. With Shipturtle, you can easily restart or duplicate auctions that didn’t perform well or didn’t meet reserve prices.

• Clone existing auctions with a single click—automatically copying products, timelines, pricing rules, and features like proxy or reserve bidding.
  
  
• Make quick adjustments to bidding increments, durations, or visibility settings before relaunching.
  
  

This feature saves time and gives you a second chance to optimize performance and reach your target audience more effectively.

Customer Experience

💻 Bidding Interface

Shipturtle’s bidding interface is designed to offer a smooth, intuitive experience that keeps customers engaged from start to finish.

Here’s what shoppers can expect:

• Seamless login and access to view all active auctions in real-time.
  
  
• A clean layout that displays bid history, countdown timers, and a prominent “Place Bid” button—so users always know where they stand.
  
  
• An optional confirmation popup before submitting a bid, helping prevent accidental clicks and improving buyer confidence.
  
  

This thoughtfully designed interface ensures every customer feels in control—encouraging more participation and competitive bidding.

🧠 Proxy Bidding (Unified Button)

Proxy bidding allows customers to set a maximum bid amount, and the system automatically places the lowest possible bid on their behalf—only when needed.

Shipturtle simplifies this with a unified “Place Bid” button. Based on the amount entered, the system intelligently determines whether it’s a regular bid or a proxy bid—no separate buttons or steps required.

This feature helps reduce overbidding stress, encourages smarter bidding strategies, and keeps the auction engaging for everyone

📱 Mandatory Customer Details

To ensure secure and reliable transactions, Shipturtle allows you to collect essential customer information—such as address and phone number—before a user can place a bid.

• These details are automatically saved to the customer’s Shopify profile, making future checkouts smoother.
  
  
• This requirement helps prevent spam bids, improves the quality of participants, and prepares your store for order fulfillment in advance.
  
  

By collecting this information upfront, you create a safer and more seamless auction experience for both your team and your customers.

🧾 Purchase Flow

Once an auction ends, Shipturtle ensures a smooth and reliable experience for both the winner and your team.

• The winning bidder receives an automated email with a direct “Buy Now” button to complete the purchase.
  
  
• The checkout process flows seamlessly through Shopify Payments, using the customer’s saved details.
  
  
• In rare cases where an order doesn’t sync automatically, a built-in manual reconciliation tool allows you to link and confirm the transaction easily.
  
  

This process minimizes friction, increases conversion rates, and ensures every successful bid turns into a successful sale.

Admin Tools & Controls

🧮 Reconcile Orders

Occasionally, an order might not sync automatically—especially if the buyer checks out using a different email than they used for bidding. Shipturtle’s Reconcile Orders tool helps resolve this quickly.

• Manually match and sync winning bids with completed Shopify orders.
  
  
• Ensure accurate auction records and trigger appropriate post-purchase workflows (like winner confirmation emails).
  
  

This feature gives you full control to keep auction data clean and customer experiences seamless, even when things don’t go exactly as planned.

✅ Declare or Replace Winners

In some cases, you may need to manually step in and finalize an auction. Shipturtle gives you the tools to do just that.

• View a complete list of all bidders and their bid history for any auction.
  
  
• Manually assign or replace the winner if the original bidder fails to complete the purchase, violates auction rules, or needs to be disqualified.
  
  

This feature ensures every auction can be successfully concluded, even in edge cases—keeping your sales process smooth and under your control.

🚫 Ban Bidders & Remove Cards

Maintaining fairness and trust in your auctions is essential. Shipturtle provides built-in tools to help you manage user behavior effectively.

• You can ban users who violate auction rules, place fraudulent bids, or repeatedly fail to complete purchases—ensuring only genuine participants can take part.
  
  
• For customers who opt out of auto-pay or miss payments, you can manually remove saved payment cards to prevent future issues.
  
  

These features give you full control to protect the integrity of your auctions and provide a better experience for all buyers.

📊 Export & Analyze Auctions

Keep track of how your auctions are performing with easy export and analysis tools:

• Download Auction & Bid History
  Export complete data for each auction—including bidders, amounts, timestamps, and outcomes—in a clean CSV format.
  
  
• Performance Insights at a Glance
  Review key metrics like:
  
  
  
  • Total number of bids
    
    
  • Winner status (paid/unpaid)
    
    
  • Revenue generated
    
    
  • Most active products or bidders
    
    

This helps you understand what’s working, optimize future auctions, and share data across your team or reporting tools.

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