More charities selling online as average shop lost £33,000 in third lockdown
Melanie May | 13 August 2021 | News
Charity Retail Association figures show the average UK charity shop lost over £33,000 in income during Lockdown 3. However, more have turned to online sales with one platform seeing a 151% increase in items sold between February and July this year.
Shopiago reported the increase with the majority of sales taking place via eBay. It works with charities including the British Red Cross, Sue Ryder, Barnardo’s and the British Heart Foundation, to sell shop donations online.
Many charities have seen a peak in internet sales this summer with restrictions easing and more people able to take donations to charity shops. According to Shopiago, pet supplies, baby products and sporting memorabilia are amongst the top sellers boosting online sales for Spring/Summer ‘21.
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Thom Bryan, head of product at Shopiago, said:
“Charities across the country are increasingly understanding that online can significantly support in-store revenue. In fact, online sales have provided a funding lifeline for many charities during the pandemic, when their high street shops have shut and fundraising events haven’t happened.”
However, according to the Charity Retail Association, shoppers aren’t always aware that they can support their favourite charities by shopping online as well as in-store. To help promote online charity shopping, the organisation is encouraging shoppers to use its ‘find an online shop’ tool at www.charityretail.org.uk/find-an-e-shop/.
Jonathan Mail, Head of Public Affairs at the Charity Retail Association commented:
“Many charities are switched on to the benefits of selling donated items online, which has provided a vital support during the tough times of the last 18 months. However, shoppers themselves don’t always know where to start when it comes to charity shopping online.
“Bricks and mortar shops will always be the lifeblood of the charity retail sector, not only for sales, but for collecting donations, and finding the treasures that fetch good prices online. Now people using our ‘find an online shop’ tool can choose whether to stay home and shop or head out to a store in person – either way, supporting your favourite charities is more important than ever.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.