How to Use WordPress for an Online Auction

1. Install WordPress through your website's host company or set up a WordPress-hosted blog. Many hosting companies provide WordPress as a standard blogging application available with basic web hosting packages. Often the installation is as easy as the click of a button in your control panel. If your host does not provide the WordPress application, you can establish an account on the WordPress website to host your blog there.
2. Determine the page layout of your blog. Login to your WordPress administrative site using the username and password provided during installation. Click the 'Design' tab from your Dashboard main menu. Here, you can choose your theme from the list of available options included in your installation. You may also choose one from the many available through the WordPress website. Just follow the installation instructions provided with your theme download. Select a theme that offers two widget sidebars for displaying content. You may want to customize your header to correspond with the look of your main site.

3. Configure your blog to show descriptions of auction items. Choose Widgets from the WordPress Design menu and select the left sidebar. Add the widget for showing recent posts. You can change the title of the widget to an appropriate heading like 'Click to View Auction Items.' Then, choose Write from your the main WordPress menu. Write and publish a post for each item to be auctioned including a description and photographs if applicable. At the end of your post, include any stipulations for bids on each item such as bid minimums or increments. Once published, links to the auction item posts will appear under the 'Click to View Auction Items' heading on your blog site.
4. Configure the comment feature to display bids. Choose Options > General from the main WordPress menu. Under the Membership category, be sure the 'Allow anyone to register' and 'Users must be registered and logged in to comment' boxes are checked. This will ensure that bidders are registered on the site with their contact information so you will know who is bidding. Click the Discussion option tab to further configure your comment preferences. You may choose to be notified by email whenever a bid is placed and to hold comments for approval before they are posted. Once your comment feature is configured, add the 'Recent Comments' widget to your right sidebar through the Design menu. You may choose to change the widget title to 'Recent Bids' and select the number of 'bids' you would like to post.
5. Configure your User preferences to accommodate bidders. Using the Design > Widgets interface, add the Meta widget to your left sidebar. You can title this widget 'Register to Bid.' This will allow visitors to register for their first bid or login to place subsequent bids. Now, from the Options > Discussion tab, check the 'Comment author must fill out name and email' box so that site users must register with this information in order to place bids.
6. Post bidding instructions for your site visitors. Using the Write > Pages tab, publish a concise description of the bidding process including any organizational parameters. Include instructions for registering with the site, clicking the auction item posts and adding comments containing a visitor's bid to the applicable post. Under the Options > Reading tab, click the static page option for what your blog front page will display. Then, you can select your instructional page from the list. This setting will ensure that the instructions for bidding information appear on the blog home page at all times. You may also want to add this page to your main blog links so it is available when visitors click on other site pages.
7. Test the process as a 'dummy' user. Click the 'Register' link on your blog page and set yourself up as the first user. You can choose a username like 'StartBidding' as a teaser for other users while your comments appear in the list. Now, click on each auction post and add a comment like 'Start your bidding at $1.00.' Depending on your moderation preferences, your comments will appear on each auction item page and under the 'Recent Bids' list.
8. Interface the blog auction site with your main site. Include a link to the blog website on your home page to alert visitors your auction has begun. Depending on your WordPress preferences, you can keep up with bid postings via email alerts as the auction proceeds. As auctions are completed, you can close bidding by disallowing comments on the applicable posts.