In light of Missions Conference, we are confronted with the question: What is our role in missions? For three Biolans, this question has officially been answered.

While contemplating ways to become more involved in missions, senior psychology major Alex Sung became inspired to start an online auction site that raises money for missions.

A way for Biolans to contribute to missions

Now, along with a sophomore business major who asked to remain anonymous and future Talbot student Branden Ontiveros, Sung will be launching his site, Best Auction Gifts, to raise funds for Biola missions. The site is set to launch the first week of April.

“I was thinking over interterm, ‘how can I contribute?’ So I came up with the idea … to help missions like SMU, short-term missions and different organizations,” Sung said.

Sung’s passion for missions came from his experience on a SMU short-term mission trip to Nigeria in the summer of 2009, as well as his involvement with California School Project.

“Ever since becoming a Christian, I have had a heart to share the gospel with others and always want to be a missionary no matter where I am,” he said.

Sung not only functions as the founder and CEO but also as the marketing director, along with Shan, who shares the marketing responsibilities while also handling finances for the business. Ontiveros designs, markets and manages the website.

Site fashioned after eBay

Best Auction Gifts will be a place where people will be able to bid on items with pennies, and a portion of every bid will go to missions.

By using pennies, Sung explained, students can purchase discounted items that they may have otherwise never been able to buy.

The way the site works, Sung explained, is by bidding in a similar fashion as eBay, with the highest bidder winning the auction.

Items start at one cent, and each bid increases by one cent until the final bid is reached when the auction closes. Each bidder has to pay a bidder’s fee, which starts at 50 cents.

Affordability for students

The goal is to sell items for 90 percent lower than retail price “while giving customers a 110 percent satisfaction of winning prizes for the best price,” Sung said.

He commented that they hope this will give Biola students a way to bid on products and buy things they could not otherwise afford.

Items sold will include gift cards to popular college stops such as Starbucks, Panera Bread, Target and Walmart. They will also be auctioning a number of popular electronics such as Apple products –– including iPods, iPads and MacBooks –– as well other electronic devices including mp3 players, netbooks and Kindles.

As the site becomes more well known, Sung said they hope to add items such as designer purses from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, concert tickets and various activities in the Los Angeles area such as ice skating, hot air balloon rides and Disneyland trips.

Where the money goes

Anywhere between 10 percent and 100 percent of the proceeds will go Biola Missions. For items such as gift cards and electronics, 15 to 20 percent will go missions, whereas special events and items will contribute 90 to 100 percent.

The excess money will go to purchasing more items, marketing the website, and paying employees and partners. Any extra money, Sung said, will go directly to missions as well.
At this time, the items that Sung and his team purchase will be out of pocket. Since the company purchases all the items and resells them, Sung said, they are hoping to break even by roughly a year’s time.

More fundraising needed before site launches

Sung shared that to get the site ready and launched by the first week of April, they need more fundraising, more investors and more donations.

They are currently marketing through their Facebook page, as well as through business cards and flyers, which they will be bringing to Biola’s campus.

Best Auction Gifts will start up when 3,000 people “like” the fan page on Facebook and the business receives $15,000 in contributions. For those that are interested in getting involved, Sung recommends that people pray about investing.

“Our current fundraising plan consists of raising awareness and gaining support from friends, family, Biola students and investors,” he said.