Calling all retailers

A consortium of leading UK charities is set to make its mark on the digital fundraising market with a pioneering donation scheme this autumn and is inviting online retailers to join them. Give Change Make Change is one of those inspired initiatives greeted

by a chorus of, “Why hasn’t this been done before?” The scheme enables consumers to donate spare change to a charity (or to charities) of their choice as they shop online.

Despite being in its relative infancy, Give Change Make Change has already set tongues-wagging, from the support of its first signatory The Hut Group to a prevalent industry buzz at the 2010 E Commerce Expo in London Olympia last week.

Signalling the beginning of something big, Fashion United caught up with Sophie High, Senior Project Leader at Cancer Research UK, shortly after the Expo to find out more.

“We’re very excited to be introducing Give Change Make Change to top internet retailers at the Ecommerce Expo 2010. It’s a great opportunity to show what Give Change Make Change has to offer, not just for charity but also for business,” High says.

She explains: “Cancer Research UK, Great Ormond Street Hospital, British Red Cross and World Wildlife Fund are the four charity partners behind Give Change Make Change, a fundraising innovation which allows consumers to donate through online shopping sites with minimal effort. By just checking a box to round up their bill to the nearest pound at the online checkout, consumers can donate their extra pennies to the four charities. The idea behind the scheme is simple and we hope that we can revolutionise the way we raise money online so that it becomes second nature for consumers to donate as they shop.”

More and more UK retailers are placing corporate social responsibility high on the business agenda. The move goes beyond the basics of embracing better business practices. Today’s consumer is less influenced by the superficial and is instead more likely to buy on the basis of individualised service, personal shopping experience and, more specifically, social responsibility initiatives in place.

Supporting this theory is a recent consumer study on the Give Change Make Change scheme. Conducted by GFK NOP, a leading market research company, the study suggests that:

• 48% of UK consumers would feel more positively about a retailer who offered the scheme
• 40% believe the donation method would make them feel better about spending their money
• 28% would opt to shop with a company over a rival that did not offer the scheme
• 22% would shop more often whilst 16% would spend more with a company offering the scheme

“As an easy way to demonstrate commitment to meeting CSR objectives at minimal cost, Give Change Make Change is ideal and retailers can also increase brand consideration by linking with four of the UK’s loved and trusted charities,” according to High.

The scheduled promotional campaign is another added benefit to retailers. High explains: “In addition to planned consumer marketing and PR launch activity, retailers will also benefit from the five million marketing messages to charity supporters about the scheme in its first year.”

The first retailer to jump on board the scheme is The Hut Group, which includes Zavvi.com and thehut.co.uk, but High points out that “interest is rapidly growing among the industry and it is hoped that more retailers will partner with the scheme when it launches to consumers in early 2011.”

She adds: “I think one of our strongest USPs is the fact that Give Change Make Change is an online fundraising initiative run by charities for charities, so there is total transparency about where consumers’ money is going. Retailers who collaborate with us by applying Give Change Make Change to their online shopping sites can help us realise our vision of turning people’s small change into big social, health and environmental change.”