Amazon has announced that they will be closing AmazonSmile, officially winding down their philanthropic arm by 20 February.
With interest rates remaining very close to 40-year high and spiralling energy bills, the cost-of-living crisis is changing people’s behaviours and their spending – a devastating reality for charities across the UK. In fact, recent research conducted by Charitable Travel, revealed that 71% of people were having to cut back on charity donations.
Since its inception, AmazonSmile estimates that its donated more than $500 million to charitable organisations across the globe, a contribution that will be sorely missed.
Charitable Travel, a travel agent that donates 100% of profit to charity, reveals which specialist sites continue to offer free ways to donate to charity.
Shop and Give initiatives are a free way to raise money for charity whilst shopping online and according to Charitable Travel, only 12% of people are aware of these. Known as affiliate marketing, websites directing customers to a retailer earn a small pay per click commission. This can be a small percentage of the total cost spent or a set amount for each referral. Shop and Give websites will collect this commission and donate much needed funds to good causes.
The top Shop and Give websites to consider are:
Charitable Travel – the social-enterprise travel agency with a ‘Travel for Good’ ethos enables customers to donate 5% of the cost of their holiday to a charity of their choice via a Just Giving partnership. The fully bonded, online travel agency books holidays from a wide range of operators and airlines including On The Beach, Expedia, easyJet Holidays, Intrepid Travel and G’Adventures.
Give As You Live – simply register for free, choose to support one of 40,000 UK charities and select over 6000 participating retailers from M&S, John Lewis, Currys, Argos, Apple, Ticketmaster, WHSmith to easyJet and even Dominos Pizza. By accessing the retailers’ website from the Give As You Live page, the affiliate commission will be donated by the brand to your chosen charity. Give As You Live has now generated more that £21 million for worthy causes.
Easy Fundraising – is the UK’s biggest shopping charity site with more than two million users generating more than £43million for much needed causes, with a simple message ‘when you spend, brands donate’. Register for free, sign up to support your favourite cause and download their Donation Reminder plug-in for your desktop, which will alert you when donations from over 7000 brands are available. You can then track your donations via your online account.
Giving Machine – launched in 2006 they have raised £1.9million for more than 9000 charities. Register online for free and choose up to four local or national good causes. Choose from hundreds of high street and big brand stores such as The Body Shop, Ebay or Waitrose, click through to their website via an affiliate link and earn free donations from the brand to your selected charities. Giving Machine also offers discount codes, charity raffle to win some great prizes and a £1 per week supporters lottery.
Melissa Tilling, Founder and Chief Executive at Charitable Travel, said: “The announcement of AmazonSmile’s closure will be a blow to many and will no doubt have devastating consequences for charities across the UK. Shop and Give is a quick and easy way to incorporate charitable giving into your daily life and the more of us that do it, the bigger the difference we can all make. At Charitable Travel we partner with more than 250 charities and donate 100% of our profits to deserving organisations across the UK. For a family of four – where the average cost of a holiday is £2,000 – a free donation of £100 would be made to a charity of the customer’s choice, ensuring that travel is a force for good.”
Founded in April 2020, Charitable Travel operates the same as any other high-end travel agency – with one key difference. The social enterprise donates 5 per cent of the cost of the holiday – usually charged to generate profit – to a charity of the customer’s choice. Charitable Travel’s mission is to ensure ‘travel is a force for good’. Whether it’s a city break or a beach getaway, holidaymakers can rest assured that their booking is fully protected and supports good causes at the same time.
