Better Bidders the place to go for auction paddles! The quality is fantastic - we only replace paddles because people like the paw print shape and take them home. John has always been a pleasure... See more
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We ordered custom bid paddles from Better Bidders for our “Ruts for Dinner” fundraiser, and they were absolutely perfect! The team created a unique bear paw shape that fit our wildlife sanctuary the... See more
I had a great experience working with John at Better Bidders. The product turned out great, thanks to the time and care that John put into the order coordination. I highly recommend Better Bidders for... See more
Better Bidders was very easy to work with, responded quickly and even quick shipped our items to make sure they arrived in time for our event. I highly reccomend Better Bidders and their auction padd... See more
Company details
About Better Bidders Inc.
Written by the company
We are Better Bidders™, and we've created live-auction products that bring life and fun to auctions. If you are looking for professional auction paddles for your live auction event then you've come to the right place!
Since 2003, John Murphy has personally produced thousands of orders for his more than 4,000 (mostly) non-profit customers' fundraising gala events and paddle raises. Born from a desire to bring better tools to the marketplace for fundraising, our paddle products stand above others in unique, detailed designs, superior reusable plastics, a wide breadth of plastic options, a "missing-paddle" fill-in service, and a personal, "can do" approach to bringing your paddle ideas come to life.
At every step of your journey John is your one and only point of contact. He is it. And he does it all. No big, faceless, promotional products company or other inexperienced sign or print shop that "can" make a paddle, but rather a veteran in the live auction fundraising space with years of creative ideas, best practices, and applied knowledge beyond all others.
Trusted by Christie's Auction House, Sotheby's, and nearly every other major auction house, we bring quality and our personal touch to everything we do.
Reach out to us and find out for yourself!
John Murphy, Owner
Since 2003, John Murphy has personally produced thousands of orders for his more than 4,000 (mostly) non-profit customers' fundraising gala events and paddle raises. Born from a desire to bring better tools to the marketplace for fundraising, our paddle products stand above others in unique, detailed designs, superior reusable plastics, a wide breadth of plastic options, a "missing-paddle" fill-in service, and a personal, "can do" approach to bringing your paddle ideas come to life.
At every step of your journey John is your one and only point of contact. He is it. And he does it all. No big, faceless, promotional products company or other inexperienced sign or print shop that "can" make a paddle, but rather a veteran in the live auction fundraising space with years of creative ideas, best practices, and applied knowledge beyond all others.
Trusted by Christie's Auction House, Sotheby's, and nearly every other major auction house, we bring quality and our personal touch to everything we do.
Reach out to us and find out for yourself!
John Murphy, Owner
Contact info
10650 N Baehr Rd # E, 53092-4569, Mequon, United States
- (866) 667-2335
- john@betterbidders.com
- betterbidders.com
4.7
Excellent
630 reviews
Hasn’t replied to negative reviews
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Better Bidders is always quick
Better Bidders is always quick, responsive, and gets me what I need when I need it!
June 10, 2024
John was super easy to communicate…
John was super easy to communicate with! whenever I had a question or needed something he replied within 12 hours. my guests LOVED the paddles, they never saw anything as creative before!
May 31, 2024
I’d give 10 stars if I could
I’d give 10 stars if I could. Great business, FAST shipping, very pleased with the product. Owner is a great guy!
May 23, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Thanks Joshua! I'm glad we could work it out... 12 football paddles with text on them is a very small order, but I always want to make it financially possible for my customers. Just goes to show you you'll never know unless you ask. Hope they come in handy for your football draft!
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Ouch! Well, while I CAN'T agree with your sentiment here (or the pretty hurtful rating tbh) I WILL say that our communication was spot on, every time, and without delay. Though you're probably referencing the high cost of shipping and rush charge on your order, (I think you thought maybe the $100 was the shipping cost?) I DO have it noted in our order confirmation email and on the order confirmation itself, that rush charges are NOT shipping) Also, I discounted BOTH rush and shipping to the tune of $385 ($185 on the rush charge and $100 on the shipping) as a courtesy (because I'm a nice guy and I can do that). 2-day express shipping on a (large, heavy, 640 ValuePRO paddle order) 64lb package isn't cheap (like around $600) so I completely understand your frustration. We don't typically include the cost of S&H on our order confirmations or estimates because it DOES take a bunch of time to estimate and calculate. Additionally, we DON'T ever charge more than the promised shipping method, even if we had to ship it more quickly because we were behind. But I'm going to take all of this to heart and now make a point of calculating shipping ahead of time (or a close estimate) for larger orders like yours so that there aren't any surprises when the receipt comes. I think that's fair and probably a good transparent business practice anyway. Lord knows everything has gotten so stupid expensive these days, including shipping! So thank you for spurring on that change. You said you won't do business with us again in the future, but I hope you'll feel better that you affected a change here in how we do business. Thanks again-- John
10/10 customer service
BetterBidders despite not having the shape we wanted, accommodated us and created the custom paddle for us! Exactly what we were looking for. We look forward to working with them again.
May 15, 2024
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Hi Roxana - having a sneaker-shaped paddle for your event makes perfect sense as your event IS the "Sneaker Ball", right? Happy to make you YOUR sneaker paddle. I think that's now our 3rd style. Thanks for letting us help make your event that much better! - John
Excellent Customer Service
John was so helpful and our paddles came out excellent. They are great quality and exactly what we envisioned.
May 6, 2024
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Thanks Giana - that's what we always strive for! John
Great paddles!
The paddles worked great for our gala. It was easy to select the replacement paddles. Thank you!
April 18, 2024
Helpful and easy to work with
Better Bidders has been great to work with. When we realized we needed more fill-in paddles for our event this year, John was responsive, helpful, and easy to work with and the paddles arrived right on time. Thanks again!
April 24, 2024
Repeat customer
Repeat customer. They are efficient and very reliable. On time and our paddles arrive looking great! This is our second year ordering :) We are very happy with their product.
July 26, 2023
Great quality paddles.
Very quick delivery. Paddles are excellent quality. Wonderful costumer service.
April 10, 2024
John was delightful to work with and…
John was delightful to work with and made sure we got our order as quickly as possible even though he had equipment issues.
April 10, 2024
Better Bidders was great to work with…
Better Bidders was great to work with and kept me updated on my order status. Our heart shaped paddles were a hit and we'll be using them for years to come!
April 10, 2024
Everything was perfect
Everything was perfect! Fast, reliable, and priced right! Thank you!!
April 10, 2024
Cost-effective attractive product
John is very personable and helpful. He advised us on which type of paddle is most cost-effective for our use. If we need more, we will come right back here!
April 4, 2024
Fundraising Auction
I worked with Better Bidders for a fundraising auction. John was extremely helpful in describing the various materials used to make their auction paddles and also sent samples. No other printing company I had researched was able to specify exactly where my money was going and the product I could expect in return. John laid everything out on the front end and was directly involved from design to execution. The paddles arrived on time, and the packaging for shipping left no chance of damage along the way. I could not have been more pleased with how they turned out and would highly recommend this company above all others.
March 26, 2024
John is extremely efficient and fast! I got my rush order just in time.
John had lots of options, once speaking to him he was able to design and send me my order with just days time. So appreciated for meeting my hectic and crazy deadline with custom paddles!
February 20, 2024
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
I really try to find the best fit and paddle solution for my customers, and knowing we really DO have many options makes it easier on our end to get you what you need to meet your budget AND help make the most $ for your cause. I hope to work with you again. - John
They were so helpful with my order
They were so helpful with my order. The whole process was quick and easy. They even helped me rush my order to make my event deadline! Would definitely use them again and recommend
February 19, 2024
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Glad we were able to make it work for you Sarah! The process will be even easier (and better, I promise) with our new website coming out in about 3 months. Thanks again! -John
Great experience
Great experience. The paddles are exactly what we were looking for and will be using for years to come.
February 20, 2024
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Thanks Sheri! Yes, your PremiumPRO3 oval paddles will certainly last you a good while. And don't forget to let us know when some go missing as we'll easily fill them in for you-- John
Responsive, accurate, affordable
John is responsive and personable. While this paddle business is everyday, run of the mill for him, he gets that for the end user, it may be their first rodeo. He responds to specific inquiries, sends samples, and ensures you understand the ins and outs to make well informed decisions.
There is no upsale attempts and the product is accurate to what you agree upon.
Finally, this is affordable. Regardless of whether you have a small event or huge black tie event; there are options for you.
If you're on the fence about who to use for paddles...jump on in and let John take care of you.
February 20, 2024
Reply from Better Bidders Inc.
Thank you Ed for your kind words. We appreciate you recognizing what we strive to achieve here every day! Look forward to working with you again- John
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