Why would I place a bid?
If you want to visit a specific conference but are unwilling to pay the full amount for that conference you could place a bid for a ticket at a price you are more comfortable with. This way you can save money and the conference organiser can sell his unsold seats. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose!
What’s the difference between booking and bidding?
If you make a booking you buy a full price ticket at the standard price offered by the conference organiser. If you make a bid you get the opportunity to name the price you are willing to pay for a certain conference. When you book a ticket you get instant confirmation that you are accepted for the conference. When you bid it takes a little bit more time for you to have a final answer because the conference organiser has to decide if he is willing to accept your bid.
Is there a minimum bid?
Based on our experience, bids that fall below 40% of the regular price have no chance of succeeding, which is why our suggested minimum bid price is placed at this level. However, for most conference organisers bids start to become interesting only when they fall in the 50-70% range, but it is up to you how much you want to bid.
When is the best time to place a bid?
Anytime is the best time! Most conference organisers will be reviewing bids during the month leading up to the conference or when they have a better idea of how many seats they still want to fill. However, sometimes they also want to get the comfort of early bird bookings or bids to ensure the viability of the conference. In summary, it is always worth a try!
Why do I have to fill in an expiry date for my bid?
Most people have to make travel arrangements to visit a conference so we want to make sure you have enough time left over to do so once there is confirmation of your bid. You can choose any expiry date you want, although you may want to keep in mind that the more time you give the organiser to consider your bid, the more likely it is that your bid will be accepted.
How do I pay when my bid is accepted?
Once your bid is accepted we will send you an email with all payment details. You can pay by credit card or by bank transfer. The amount you have to pay will never be higher than the amount you have entered when you placed your bid. There are no hidden costs or charges at all.
How do I know that my credit card payments through Conference Bay are safe?
Conference Bay works with Global Collect, one of the leading global payment providers. Global Collect controls the payment gateway on our website and collects the money. All their systems have multiple safety controls and are used by millions of users around the world. For more info have a look at
www.globalcollect.com What personal details will you share with the conference organiser?
The conference organiser will only see your job title, the industry you work in and the country you work in. Basically the information you have entered when registering with us. Plus of course the price you are willing to pay and the expiry date of your bid. Only when the organiser accepts your bid will he get your other details, such as your name and e-mail address so that he can send you more details about the conference.
Is it possible for conference organisers to negotiate on my bid?
No, we don’t give the conference organiser your personal details until they have accepted your bid. So you will not get phone calls or e-mails asking you to increase your bid. Just tell us the price you are willing to pay and the organiser will have to decide based on that as well as your basic profile.
Will I be treated any differently than the delegates who have paid the full price?
No. Absolutely not! Our Terms & Conditions state very clearly that the conference organiser who accepts a bid has to treat the bidding customer exactly the same way as other customers.
Am I bidding together with other people and does the highest bidder get the seat?
No, this is not how our system works. ConferenceBid is not an auction where the highest bidder gets the ticket. Based on your bid details like expiry date and your profile conference organisers can decide to accept or to reject each bid individually.
What happens if my bid is rejected?
If the conference organiser decides not to accept your bid, you will receive an e-mail from us, telling you that your bid has not been successful. You can at that stage make a new bid. Making a bid carries no costs at all, so you can try as often as you like.
Can I cancel my bid?
You can cancel your bid at any time before it has been accepted by the conference organiser. Once the conference organiser has accepted your bid you have entered into a legally binding transaction and cancellation will not be possible. You could of course approach the conference organiser and check what their cancellation policies are.
Can I make multiple bids for the same conference?
You can only make one bid at a time for a specific conference. If the bid is rejected, you can try again! If you want to change your bid, you can do so by going to My Conference Bay and enter your new bid.
How can I check my bidding status?
If you are logged in, you will see My Conference Bay at the top of each page. Here you can find the details and status of your bid(s).
Why is it not always possible to book a seat directly?
We are working with an increasing number of conference organisers who will let us accept online bookings for them directly. However, not all conference organisers choose to use this functionality. If you want to book your tickets online through us, simply email us and we will contact the organiser to see what we can do for you.